The Mercury, ADVERTISEMENT NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Trappe Borough Council will hold a public hearing commencing at 7:00 p.m., August 4, 2015, to be held at its offices located at Borough Hall, 525 West Main Street, Trappe, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of considering the enactment of an Ordinance, the title and summary of which is as follows: BEFORE THE BOROUGH COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF TRAPPE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ORDINANCE NO. 2015- AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 340, ARTICLE XI OF THE TRAPPE BOROUGH CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO SIGNS BY EXPANDING DEFINITIONS OF SIGNS, ADDING SIGNS NOT REQUIRING A PERMIT, REDUCING THE EMISSION OF ILLUMINATED SIGNS AT THE PROPERTY LINE, ADDING RESTRICTIONS FOR VARIOUS ON-PREMISES SIGNS AND OFF-PREMISES SIGNS AND ADDING PROVISIONS FOR FINES AND PENALTIES The proposed ordinance substantially revises provisions in Chapter 340, Article XI of the Code of Ordinances relating to signs. It substantially expands definitions of signs to include additional categories of signs to which regulations apply. It expands the categories of signs not requiring permits. Further, it reduces the allowable illumination from illuminated signs at the property line from one half (1/2) to one tenth (1/10) foot candle. Also, it requires that if any non-conforming sign is destroyed, removed or abandoned, it may be replaced only with a conforming sign. It also requires that every property with a free-standing sign must include the street number thereon. It further requires that all residential properties have the address posted thereon. Relative to signs permitted in residential districts, the ordinance reduces the permissible square footage of open house signs to four-square feet from six-square feet, and the height of open house and directional signs is reduced from six feet to four feet. Further, the permissible square footage of auction signs in such districts is increased from nine-square feet to thirty-square feet and the requirement for removal of said signs following the auction is reduced from ten days to five days. Concerning signs in commercial and limited industrial districts, the permitted duration of special event signs is increased to thirty-five days from thirty days, and a requirement is added limiting such signs to three times every twelve months. Further, a requirement is added that illuminated open/closed window signs not exceed six square feet. In addition, the requirement for removal of real estate signs is changed from seven days after sale or lease to five days thereafter. The proposed ordinance changes the allowable increase in the square footage of free-standing signs for multi-use buildings from 25% for each additional use/tenant to 8.75 square feet for each additional use/tenant. It also removes separate dimensional requirements for special event signs. With respect to off-premises advertising signs, the requirement that double-faced signs not exceed a length of twenty feet, a height of eighteen feet and a total copy area of 100 square feet has been changed to a requirement that the total surface area not exceed 300 square feet on each side. The requirement that off-premises signs be located at least 500 feet apart has been changed to 1,000 feet. Also, a requirement that off-premises signs not exceed thirty-five feet in height has been added. Also added is a requirement that no such sign obstruct a right-of-way or interfere with a 200 foot line of site in any direction. Further, a provision has been added allowing illumination of off-premises signs but requiring that illumination be external, shielded and mounted directly above each illuminated face, that the lighting be designed to prevent direct off-site transmission of light and that the illumination be screened from adjacent roadways and properties and prohibiting rotating, flashing, moving, or oscillating light sources. The proposed ordinance expands the kinds of signs which are prohibited and adds provisions for fines, each day constituting a separate offense. A full copy of the Ordinance is available for review at Trappe Borough Hall, 525 West Main Street between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard. By the Order of Borough Council Robert T. Umstead Trappe Borough Interim Manager MER 7/21,28 a-1
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