# Sign Regulations in Alfred Town, Maine

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Alfred Town, Maine, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Alfred Town, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/alfred-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/7150775#7150775)

## At a glance

Alfred Town, Maine regulates 16 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Center Village Zone zoning district are capped at 15 ft above street grade tall and 32 sq ft, with a both signs at least 40 ft from right-of-way corner setback from the right-of-way (Sec. §160-104C(4)(b)[1-6], §160-104C(4)(d), §160-104D). Most commercial signs in Alfred Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Center Village Zone | 3 | 15 ft above street grade | 32 sq ft | — |
| Shoreland Zone | 3 | 15 ft above street grade | 6 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District, Mixed Use District | 3 | 15 ft above street grade | 32 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 6 ft (top edge) | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Center Village Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per business occupancy. One additional allowed on second public way. | Mounted flat against the building exterior face | — | §160-104C(4)(a)[1-5], §160-104C(4)(d), §160-104D |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft above street grade | 32 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street right-of-way; at least 12 ft to either side lot line; corner lot: both signs at least 40 ft from right-of-way corner | One per building. Two on corner lots meeting criteria. | Freestanding, not closer than 10 ft to street right-of-way or 12 ft to either side lot line. | — | §160-104C(4)(b)[1-6], §160-104C(4)(d), §160-104D |
| Perpendicularly Mounted Building Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | Mounted perpendicular to building face | — | §160-104C(4)(a)[5], §160-104C(4)(b)[1-2], §160-104D |

### Shoreland Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per business occupancy. | Mounted flat against building face | — | §160-104C(4)(c), §160-104D |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 ft above street grade | 6 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from street right-of-way, 12 ft from side lot lines | One per building | Freestanding | — | §160-104C(4)(c), §160-104D |
| Perpendicularly Mounted Building Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Perpendicular to building face | — | §160-104C(4)(c), §160-104D |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official Business Directional Sign (OBDS) | — | 4 sq ft | 4 ft | — | Max three per business/service/point of interest. Only one sign at one intersection approach. | Within public way right-of-way on approaches to intersections where travelers must change direction. Not allowed within ROW abutting Center Village Zone except along Route 111. | — | §142-3A-E, §142-5A-B |
| Home Occupation Sign | 6 ft (top edge) | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Surface mounted or freestanding. Inside window also counts as sign. | — | §160-104C(3) |
| Educational or Religious Institution Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per building | One sign per building | — | §160-104C(2) |
| Commercial Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per agent per property | — | — | §160-104B(2) |
| Rental Vacancy Sign (Residential) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | One per property | — | — | §160-104B(3) |
| Private Residential Identification/Safety Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Surface mounted or freestanding | — | §160-104B(8) |
| Yard Sale Sign (Residential) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | On and off premises (if permitted) | — | §160-104B(9) |
| Little League Sponsorship Sign | — | 32 sq ft (4 ft x 8 ft) | 8 ft | — | — | Mounted on outfield fence between foul posts of municipal recreational facilities | — | §160-104E(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Alfred Town

- No sign may be positioned so as to prevent or block the free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, or in a manner which confuses, impedes or impairs traffic movement or visibility.
- No sign, including any flag or banner, may be erected adjacent to any public way in such a manner as to obstruct clear and free vision of roadways or where, by reason of its position, shape, color, illumination or wording, it interferes with, obstructs the view of, or is confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device or where it otherwise constitutes a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Except for state business directional signs which are regulated by the Town of Alfred Official Business Directional Signs Ordinance, all signs must relate to goods and services available on the premises where the sign is located, or to the availability of the premises themselves for sale, rent or lease.
- No roof-mounted signs are permitted.
- No sign may be illuminated with flashing, moving, or animated-type lights.
- Externally illuminated signs may be illuminated with white lights only.
- Outdoor neon signs are prohibited.
- Any directional sign erected or existing in violation of this chapter is a nuisance and shall be abated by the Superior Court at the request of the Town.
- No sign within the Shoreland Zone may have a sign area exceeding six square feet.

## Signs exempt from permit in Alfred Town

- Flags and insignia of any government and 'OPEN' flags, with maximum dimensions of three feet by five feet, are exempt.
- Legal notice, identification, information, or directional signs erected or required by government bodies are exempt.
- Little League sponsorship signs located on municipal recreational facilities, subject to specified size, color, location, maintenance, and time of display requirements, are exempt.
- Signs erected by the State of Maine or the Town of Alfred, within street rights-of-way or on other public properties, to direct traffic, indicate parking rules, or offer directions, are allowed without a permit.
- Commercial real estate 'For Sale' or 'For Lease' signs no larger than six square feet are allowed without a permit, with limits per agent and property.
- Rental vacancy signs for residential properties no larger than three square feet are allowed without a permit, with one per property and only while vacancies exist.
- Temporary political signs erected within the public right-of-way for the specified period are allowed without a permit. Temporary political signs on private property are also allowed without a permit.
- Temporary signs for noncommercial public or private special events, subject to duration and size limitations, are allowed without a permit.
- Signs which post land with respect to allowing or not allowing trespassing and/or hunting, not to exceed three square feet, are allowed without a permit.
- Signs erected for public safety and welfare by the Town, county, or other public agencies are allowed without a permit.
- Private residential signs used for names, property name, and safety/caution messages, not exceeding three square feet, are allowed without a permit.
- Private residential yard sale signs not exceeding three square feet, including off-premises with permission, are allowed without a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The Planning Board may approve land use permits allowing expanded business signage in the Commercial and new Mixed Use Districts after a nonbinding review and comment from the Design Review Committee.
- Written application to the Code Enforcement Officer is required for some temporary and commercial signs.
- Applicants for Official Business Directional Signs (OBDS) must submit the state's form to the Code Enforcement Officer, who reviews for compliance and certifies approval if requirements are met.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Alfred Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Alfred+Town+ME&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-alfred-town

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/alfred-town