A. Any shopping center comprising four or more units and having a frontage of up to 300 linear feet on any street or highway shall be permitted one freestanding, illuminated, double-faced sign designating the name of the center or occupants of the unit and their principal product. Such shall have a maximum area of 100 square feet for each sign face.
(1) Any shopping center of four or more units having a frontage of 300 or more linear feet on any street or highway shall be permitted one freestanding, illuminated, double-faced sign having a surface area of not more than 200 square feet for each sign face.
(2) If the center faces upon more than one street, there shall be permitted one sign for each street adjoining the center, provided that no sign shall be closer than 300 feet to any other sign. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(3) No sign shall be closer than 15 feet to any lot line. No sign shall be more than 20 feet in overall height above the average grade of the property within five feet, inclusive of planters. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
B. No sign shall exceed 10% of the area of the front face of the building or face of the space being occupied for the first 500 square feet of such facing. Such sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in size for buildings which do not exceed 1,000 square feet in face area. In the event the face area of the building exceeds 1,000 square feet, the sign affixed to such building shall not exceed 7.5% of such building face area. The face of the building, as used herein, shall mean that part of the building containing the front entrance to the building. Such sign shall advertise only the business or use occupying such space. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
C. A wall sign equal to one-half of the permitted signage area for the front face of the building shall be permitted for each building face which faces a side or rear street. Such sign shall advertise only the business or use occupying such space. [Added 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
D. Temporary signs permitted in various nonresidential zones.
(1) Temporary billboard type signs shall be allowed for commercial, industrial or office uses in the B-2, LI-3, M-1, P-1 and CMX Zones to announce the approved project to be built on the site where the gross leasable or saleable building area exceeds 200,000 square feet and the size of the approved development exceeds 50 acres and has at least 500 feet of frontage on a public highway. The granting of a permit for such signs is subject to the following: [Amended 12-27-2005 by Ord. No. O-5-48]
(a) Prohibitions contained in § 190-175.
(c) No sign shall be erected within 300 feet of any residential zone line.
(d) Lighting of the sign shall be by ground lighting structures illuminating the face of the sign or by light fixtures which are attached to a part of the sign structure. There shall be no use of flashing lights or moving parts on any sign.
(e) No sign shall be higher than 40 feet in height above ground level including supporting structures.
(f) No sign shall be located in any public right-of-way or in such a position as to cause an obstruction of the view of traffic or otherwise to be injurious to the public safety.
(g) All signs shall be maintained in a good and clean condition.
(h) Natural features located in a public right-of-way shall not be altered to increase the visibility of a sign.
(i) No sign shall be larger than the following sizes:
[1] If single-faced and set parallel to the adjacent roadway: 650 square feet.
[2] If double-faced and set perpendicular to or at an angle less than 180 to the adjacent roadway: 300 square feet for each face.
[3] V-shaped signs where one or a combination of signs within 100 feet of each other face different directions so that the projection of the closest ends of the two signs would cause a "V" if extended: 400 square feet for each face.
(j) If the qualified project fronts on more than one public roadway, there shall be permitted one sign for each roadway adjoining the approved project, provided that no sign shall be closer to any other sign than 250 feet other than the V-shaped sign. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(2) Permits for such temporary signs shall be reapplied for on an annual basis, and the temporary sign permit shall be terminated by a thirty-day notice from the Township to the permit holder upon the first to occur of the following: [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(a) The installation of permanent signs for the project.
(b) The failure to apply for and/or have the temporary sign permit renewed annually.
(c) The completion of the project evidenced by final certificate of occupancy being issued.
(d) Failure to restore and maintain a sign.
(3) The granting of a temporary sign permit shall not grant to the permit holders or its successors in interest any right to maintain billboard-type signs or other signs in the same location as the temporary sign after the temporary sign permit has been terminated.
(4) Permittees shall pay a temporary sign license fee to the Township and post with the Township a performance guarantee per sign to guarantee its ultimate removal as provided in Chapter 150, Fees, § 150-55C, Temporary signs permitted in various nonresidential zones. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
A. Permitted signs.
(1) Signs of a permanent or temporary nature such as described in § 190-174C, D, E, F, I and K.
(2) Traffic signs, whether temporary or permanent, for purposes of regulating traffic within interior driveways, parking and loading areas installed by owner or owner's representative. Traffic signs so utilized shall, wherever possible, utilize signage design and verbiage which is in accordance with NJDOT standards for public traffic signs.
(3) Signs identifying stores within an enclosed mall on the facade or store window of the store but not visible from the exterior of the mall building unless the store has an exterior entrance. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(4) Construction signs on the exterior of buildings at or on entranceways provided they are nonilluminated or illuminated from within and each is no more than 50 square feet in area, and that each is maintained for no more than 14 days following the conclusion of the construction involved and the issuance by the Township of a final certificate of occupancy for the use constructed.
(5) Signs on machines which are an integral part of building interior located vending machines, provided that they do not collectively exceed three square feet in area per machine.
(6) Along each public roadway that the mall fronts on directly, or on a contiguous parcel to the mall for which a sign structure easement has been obtained, the mall owner shall be permitted to erect one freestanding, illuminated, single-faced, double-faced or triple-faced sign designating the name and/or logo of the regional mall shopping center subject to the following:
(a) Lighting of the sign shall be by floodlights or spotlights at ground level or by internal or back lit forms of illumination.
(b) The sign shall be a maximum of 40 feet in height, including the support structure.
(c) No sign shall be erected closer than 50 feet from the edge of the right-of-way of any public roadway or closer than 25 feet to any adjacent lot line, other than a lot line for a lot owned by the mall owner.
(d) The enclosed face of each side of the sign shall not exceed 300 square feet.
(e) Where there is insufficient room at a public roadway entrance to install a sign in accordance with Subsection A(6)(a) through (d) above, the mall owner may install an entrance sign designed in accordance with Subsection A(8) and all of Subsection B.
(7) Separate mall-related activity signs may be placed by the mall owner at each of the main access roads to the mall on property owned by the mall owner or contiguous thereto, providing information as to events on the mall or contiguous properties, public interest messages, or for other directory and informational purposes as freestanding signs providing for one, two or three faces with a maximum printed area of 50 square feet per side, being a maximum of six feet high and being either internally or back lit illuminated. These signs, if provided for as an enclosed sign contained within the mall signs set forth in Subsection A(6) above so that this sign is combined within the enclosure of the freestanding mall signs, may be one- , two- or three-sided and 180 square feet maximum sign area on each side.
(8) Additional directional signs utilizing the appropriate logo may be placed at various locations along the access roads and parking areas for directional purposes. These signs shall be freestanding, no more than eight feet in height and containing no more than 32 square feet of sign space on each side. They shall be internally illuminated, backlit or illuminated by ground spotlights or floodlights.
(9) Mall identification signs may be painted on permanent utility structures with the express consent of the utility structure owner entity on one, two or more sides limited however to mall identification, logo and location script subject to the following:
(a) The total amount of painted sign space shall not exceed 30% of the solid face area of the utility structure;
(b) Illumination may be by spotlight and/or floodlight either ground-mounted or structure-mounted.
(10) The mall building itself, as well as each anchor department store structure attached to the mall building, may display one or more signs on the exterior of each wall of the building to identify its company name, logo and/or principal function or service. These signs shall be applied flat against the building facade or extend out from the building wall by not more than 15 inches at a location that is not extended above the top of the parapet or beyond the ends of the facade of any walls. Such signs shall be backlit, illuminated from within and/or under parapet or ground- , flood- or spotlighted. Such signs shall not exceed 15% of the exterior face area of each side of the building. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(11) Non-mall or non-mall attached buildings in the RMZ Zone shall be permitted those signs set forth below:
(a) Each principal structure may display one or more signs, to identify the occupants and their principal function or service, flat against the building facade, facing each street on which the lot fronts; provided however, that the total area of all such signs shall not exceed 10% of the surface area of each side of the building to which the signs are attached; and providing no facade sign shall be located on the rear facade of a building unless any loading and trash areas are adequately screened from view from adjoining public roadways and the building rear facade is finished with the same materials as the exterior walls of the structure.
(b) Each lot may have one double-faced or triple-faced, freestanding, internally illuminated or nonilluminated monument-type sign not exceeding 20 feet in height and 45 square feet in area per sign face. For a retail commercial development or shopping center containing more than 300,000 square feet of floor area on a lot with more than 2,000 feet of frontage, two freestanding signs may be erected. The signs may be single-faced or double-faced and may contain not more than 200 square feet in area per sign face. The face of all freestanding signs shall be of a recognized geometric shape and shall not contain characters or graphics exceeding three inches in relief from the sign face. No freestanding sign shall be located closer than 25 feet to any property line or building line.
(c) For uses which exceed 25,000 square feet of gross floor area additional directional signs as set forth in Subsection A(8) may be installed.
(d) Theaters, cultural and recreational centers may erect one freestanding or attached sign of the type and size set forth in Subsection A(7) above, in addition to a similar sign on their own lot, along each public roadway on which the RMZ Zone fronts where the sign location is not within 300 feet of a residential zone.
(e) One temporary real estate sign shall be permitted to advertise a property for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall be located only on the aforesaid property which is for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall not exceed 150 square feet in surface area if it is a single-faced sign or 300 square feet if a double-faced sign.
B. Prohibited signs. All signs prohibited by § 190-175 as well as all signs not specifically permitted above are prohibited.
C. Application and approval procedures.
(1) Applications for signs provided for in Subsection A(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (9) of this § 190-181 shall be allowed without the necessity of filing for a sign permit.
(2) Applications for signs provided for in Subsection A(6), (7), (8), (10) and (11) of this § 190-181 shall be applied for to the Planning Board of the Township of Freehold by the filing of an architect's rendering of the types of signs to be installed setting forth architectural schematics of the signs providing for the height, width, amount of enclosed surface area on each side of the sign, color scheme, illumination, construction details and such other information as is necessary to determine compliance with the terms and provisions of this subsection together with a site plan setting forth the proposed locations of each of said signs which should be superimposed on a copy of the approved site plan for the mall development and such contiguous properties as are necessary. Approval of the signs shall be by a sign permit issued by the Construction Code Official after review and approval by the Planning Board.
(3) For all other signs permitted for in this subsection as well as for signs not specifically provided for herein, application shall be submitted, provided the same information as set forth in Subsection C(2) above, to the Construction Code Official who shall submit the same to the Planning Board for their review and approval. The ultimate sign permit for such a sign shall however be issued by the Construction Code Official.
(4) Any applicant who is before the Planning Board for final site plan approval shall submit a sign plan to the Planning Board as part of the final site plan application, in which event the signage plan proposed shall be transmitted to the Construction Code Official for determination of conformance with the provisions of this subsection.
D. Fees for signs.
(1) There shall be no original and/or annual fee for those signs provided for in Subsection C(1) above.
(2) There shall be an initial review fee as provided in Chapter 150, Fees, and an annual fee thereafter in accordance with § 150-15D of Chapter 150 for signs provided for in Subsection C(2) above.
(3) There shall be an initial review fee as provided in Chapter 150, Fees, and an annual sign permit fee in accordance with § 150-15D of Chapter 150 for each sign provided in Subsection C(3) above.
(4) Any fees provided for herein for initial review shall be paid at the time that the application is filed and shall be nonrefundable. Any annual fee that may be assessed for specific signs shall be paid coincident with the issuance of the sign permit on a prorated basis for the balance of the then current calendar year, and the annual fee shall be paid on or before the 15th day of January of each year thereafter.
E. General standards.
(1) All signs, unless specifically stated otherwise in this subsection, shall relate solely to the ownership, trade name, logo, use or occupancy of the property upon which the sign is located and/or affixed; other than for recreational facility and informational and event signs; and/or directional signs where properties are interconnected by common driveways and/or common parking areas. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(2) Graphic content of the sign may be modified without obtaining a new sign approval, provided that the proposed graphic content if originally submitted would have complied with the applicable provisions of this section and further provided that any condition of approval of a specific sign receiving conditional recommendation of the Planning Board shall not be modified without additional review and recommendation by the Planning Board as to the graphic content modification.
(3) Any illuminated sign located adjacent to or across the street from any residential district and visible from such residential district shall not be illuminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless the use to which the sign pertains is open for business during those hours.
(4) No signs shall contain blinking, flashing, flickering, tracer or sequential lighting.
(5) All wiring for permanent illuminated signs shall be installed and maintained so that it is not within public view. Exterior and/or external conduit which is exposed to public view shall not be used unless the Construction Code Official determines that there is no other practical way to run the conduit so that it is not within public view.
(6) No sign or sign structure shall obstruct a fire escape, a door, window or other required accessway. No sign shall be maintained at any location which by reason of its position, size, shape, content or color may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any traffic control sign, signal or device where it may interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic on public roadways, or obstruct any site triangles required as part of site plan approvals.
(7) No sign, except publicly owned or authorized signs, shall be placed in or extend into over any public right-of-way.
(8) All signs provided for shall be securely affixed in a permanent manner to the ground, building, or to pylons adequately set within the ground. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(9) No signs shall be affixed to any roof, tree, fence, utility pole or other similar structure unless approved by the Construction Code Official. No signs shall be placed upon a motor vehicle, be animated or moving, be contained on advertising fliers, banners, or pinwheels or be otherwise portable or be painted on any pavement surface unless it is necessary on a temporary and/or permanent basis for traffic control.
(10) The area of a sign shall be determined as follows:
(a) Signs supported by bracing or pylons shall exclude the supporting structure on which no sign material or sign backing occurs.
(b) If the sign face contains backing, the area of the sign shall be measured by computing the area of the sign backing.
(c) On signs without backing, the area shall be measured by computing the area of the smallest geometric figure which encompasses all words, letters, figures, emblems and other elements measured with a clearance of at least four inches from the top, sides and bottom exterior points from any such element. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(11) The height of signs shall be measured between the highest grade at ground level within 10 feet of all sides of the sign and the highest point of the highest element of the sign, excluding any incidental structural elements. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
(12) A sign approval once issued shall continue unless the specific sign structure permitted is abandoned, removed, moved more than five feet, or increased in size to a size which exceeds the allowed face size or height of the sign at any time. Replacement, renovation, maintenance and/or repair of a permitted sign shall not affect the sign permit.
(13) Replacement of existing signs. In the event that any nonconforming sign is destroyed, it may be replaced with the same sign notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter. In that event, the advertising message on the sign shall remain the same. Where any such damaged or destroyed sign is to be replaced in conjunction with a change of business or message, said replacement sign shall conform in all respects with the requirements of this chapter. [Added 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
A. An occupant of a planned industrial park or of a separate industrial use may display flat signs or letters on its building to identify the company and its principal products.
B. Each industrial use or occupant in this zone may display one freestanding sign identifying the company and its principal products in accordance with the standards established in Chart A herein (§ 190-179B). In the case of a business use abutting a state highway, such sign or signs may have any area and be of a size in accordance with the table set forth in § 190-179. Any such industrial use or occupancy which faces upon more than one street or highway may display one such sign for each street or highway. When the property frontage exceeds 400 feet, such industrial use or occupant may display two signs, the total area of which shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of frontage. No freestanding sign shall exceed 40 feet in height above ground level. No freestanding sign shall be located closer than 15 feet to any property line or building line.
C. A planned industrial park shall be permitted one freestanding sign to identify the industrial park not exceeding 200 square feet in size. Such identification sign may be illuminated and may be single-faced or double-faced. The sign structure on which identification of the tenants or occupants is placed shall not exceed 80 square feet in area for each surface area of such tenant or occupant sign. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
D. Industrial uses may display entrance, exit, shipping and receiving directional signs which may be illuminated. No such sign shall exceed 16 square feet in surface.
E. One temporary real estate sign shall be permitted to advertise a property for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall be located only on the aforesaid property which is for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in surface area if it is a single-faced sign or 100 square feet if a double-faced sign. In the case of state highways such sign may be equal to one square foot in size for every linear foot of frontage, up to a maximum of 600 square feet of area. Such sign shall not exceed 15 feet in height above ground level. Such sign shall not be closer than 15 feet to any lot line. Such sign shall be removed within 30 days from sale, rental or leasing of the property.
A. Each principal structure within a CMX District may display one or more signs, to identify the occupant or tenant and its principal function or service, flat against the building facade, facing the street on which the lot fronts; provided, however, that the total area of all such signs shall not exceed 10% of the surface area of that side of the building to which the sign is attached. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
B. Each lot may have one double-faced, freestanding, internally illuminated or nonilluminated sign not exceeding 10 feet in height and 64 square feet in area per sign face. The face of all freestanding signs shall be of a recognized geometric shape and shall not contain characters or graphics exceeding three inches in relief from the sign face. No freestanding sign shall be located closer than 15 feet to any property line or building line.
C. Sign colors shall conform to § 190-176O, Sign colors. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
D. Any lot which has frontage on more than one street may display an additional freestanding sign and additional building facade signs in accordance with the above standards for each street on which it fronts; provided, however, that no additional signage shall be permitted on a side of any building which abuts a residential zone.
E. A CMX corporate multi-use development park shall be permitted one ground or monument sign, at each major entryway to the park, to identify the office park. Each sign may be double-faced and internally illuminated or nonilluminated and shall not exceed 120 square feet in area nor eight feet in height. [Amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
F. One temporary real estate sign shall be permitted to advertise a property for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall be located only on the aforesaid property which is for sale, rental or lease. Such sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in surface area if it is a single-faced sign or 100 square feet if a double-faced sign. In the case of state highways such sign may be equal to one square foot in size for every linear foot of frontage, up to a maximum of 600 square feet of area. Such sign shall not exceed 15 feet in height above ground level. Such sign shall not be closer than 15 feet to any lot line. Such sign shall be removed within 30 days from sale, rental or leasing of the property.
[Amended 10-24-2006 by Ord. No. O-06-37; 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
Outdoor advertising companies as defined in this section shall not be permitted to locate billboard-type signs in the Township.
[Amended 5-23-2006 by Ord. No. O-06-16; 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-3]
Each day of violation may be considered a separate offense. Violation of any of the provisions of this article shall result in a penalty for the first offense as stated in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, or loss of privilege of displaying the sign or signs in question for a period of one month, or both. For a second offense or any subsequent offense, the penalty shall be as stated in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, or a loss of privilege of displaying the sign or signs for a period of up to three months, or both.
