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Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled Zoning and Planning, by providing for and regulating advertising signs on North Broad Street in support of the Avenue North Renaissance District; amending Subcode A (The Philadelphia Administrative Code) to provide for penalties for violations; and making conforming amendments to other provisions of The Philadelphia Code, all under certain terms and conditions.
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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Subcode "A" (The Philadelphia Administrative Code) is hereby amended to read as follows:
SUBCODE "A" (THE PHILADELPHIA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE)
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CHAPTER 6 PENALTIES
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A-601.3 Fines for Class III offenses: Notwithstanding subsection A-601.1, any person who violates any of the following provisions shall have committed a Class III offense and shall be subject to the fines set forth in subsection 1-109(3) of The Philadelphia Code:
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15. PM-406.3 (Cooling Facilities); [and]
16. PM-304.10 (Periodic Inspection of Exterior Walls and Appurtenances of Buildings)[. ] ;
17. § 14-906 (Market Street East Sign Regulations)[.]; and
18. §14-907 (North Broad Street Advertising District).
SECTION 2. Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING
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CHAPTER 14-900. SIGNS
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§ 14-905. Non-Accessory Signs.
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(12) Permits.
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(b) For each non-accessory sign erected in conformance with these provisions, an existing sign or signs encompassing equal or greater sign area [, other than a sign located in the Market Street East Advertising District, as defined in § 14-906,] shall be removed. This subsection (12)(b) shall not apply to any sign erected in the Market Street East Advertising District (§ 14-906)
or the North Broad Street Advertising District (§ 14-907).
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(13) Signs and Their Supporting Structures.
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(b) Non-accessory signs shall be considered as the main use of a property and as a main structure and not as an accessory or ancillary use; provided that, in the Market Street East Advertising District [, as defined in § 14-906] (§ 14-906), and the North Broad Street Advertising District (§ 14-907), non-accessory signs, where permitted, shall be allowed as an additional main use.
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§ 14-907. North Broad Street Advertising District.
(1) District Boundaries.
The North Broad Street Advertising District includes lots fronting on the east and west sides of North Broad Street from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Lehigh Avenue.
(2) Applicability.
Except as limited by subsection (5) below, the provisions of this §14-907 shall apply to accessory and non-accessory signs located in the North Broad Street Advertising District subject to the following:
(a) The sign shall be located on a property either with 50 ft. or more of frontage on North Broad Street, or belonging to a contiguous set of buildings under common ownership or management with a collective frontage on North Broad Street of 50 ft. or more. For the purposes of this subsection (a), two buildings are contiguous to one another if there are no other lots between them, even if there is a street between them.
(b) Any surface parking lot with frontage on North Broad Street shall be exempt from the provisions of this Section 14-907.
(c) No sign under this Section shall be erected or maintained on any building or site that has been designated historic under Chapter 14-1000, unless the Historical Commission determines that the sign is consistent with historic precedent with respect to such building and does not materially obscure the view of the building's key architectural, historic or character-defining features.
(3) Conflicts.
Where the provisions of this §14-907 conflict with other provisions that otherwise apply under this Zoning Code, the provisions of this §14-907 shall govern.
(4) Sign Regulations.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Zoning Code, accessory and non-accessory signs are permitted in the North Broad Street Advertising District subject to the following:
(a) Non-accessory freestanding signs are prohibited.
(b) Roof signs are prohibited, except if located on a building on which a roof sign was situated at any time prior to January 1, 1949.
(c) The maximum permitted sign area shall not exceed 1,200 square ft. per sign face. The total aggregate sign area on any lot, excluding any accessory sign area permitted under Table 14-904-1, shall not exceed 14 times the lot's linear frontage along North Broad Street.
(d) The top edge of any sign shall not exceed 90 ft.
(e) Signs with animated illumination or digital displays are permitted, provided that (i) they are not located within 200 ft. of a Residential district and (ii) the applicant submits documentation, prepared by a licensed professional traffic engineer, demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Commission that the sign will not create a material distraction to drivers of motor vehicles or otherwise present a safety hazard, or substantially interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of the neighborhood.
(.1) In the case of signs that are illuminated, the illumination shall be focused upon the sign itself, so as to prevent glare upon the surrounding areas.
(.2) For signs with animated illumination or digital displays:
(.a) Luminance. During daylight hours luminance shall be no greater than 2,500 nits. At all other times, luminance shall be no greater than 350 nits. Automatic dimming is required to maintain the appropriate illumination levels at all times.
(.b) Timing. For non-animated digital displays, the duration of each display shall be no less than eight seconds. The change time between messages shall be no more than 0.25 seconds.
(5) Limitations.
(a) For any individual property:
(.1) The provisions of subsection (4)(Sign Regulations), above, shall apply only for such periods of time when 60 percent or more of the property is either occupied or, in the judgment of the Commission, is being actively marketed, provided that no space shall be considered actively marketed, if vacant for more than three years.
(.2) The provisions of subsection (4), above, shall not apply if the property owner is delinquent for more than six months on any taxes, relating to the subject property, owing to the City or the School District, or has any outstanding Code violations, relating to the subject property, that remain uncured more than six months after notice. A property owner shall not be considered delinquent, and a violation shall not be considered uncured, when a bona fide legal dispute is pending concerning the tax liability or violation.
(.3) Upon failure to comply with the provisions of subsections (.1) or (.2) above, the owner of the property shall remove any sign authorized by this Section or, if the owner fails to do so, the Department may remove such sign and shall place a lien on the property for the costs of removal.
(b) No person shall place or maintain or allow to be placed or maintained, within 1,000 ft. of any school, public playground, recreation center, child-care center or library, any sign advertising a tobacco product.
[§ 14-907] § 14-908. Maintenance and Nuisance Abatement
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SECTION 3. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately.
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Explanation:
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted.
Italics indicate new matter added.
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