# Sign Regulations in Westbrook, Maine

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Westbrook, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/westbrook
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-27
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/33911438#33911438)

## At a glance

Westbrook, Maine regulates 46 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Highway Services District, Gateway Commercial District zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall, 100 sq ft, and 16 ft wide, with a Building must be set back at least 40 ft setback (Sec. § 335-10.5C(2)). Most commercial signs in Westbrook require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 10 ft | 10 ft x 20 ft | — |
| Residential Growth Area 1, Residential Growth Area 2, Residential Growth Area 3, Rural Districts | 9 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Highway Services District, Gateway Commercial District | 9 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per 25 ft building frontage | — |
| Industrial Park District | 8 | 25 ft | 200 sq ft per face | — |
| Manufacturing District, Highway Commercial 1 | 8 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per 25 ft building frontage | — |
| City Center District | 15 | 12 inches incl. frame | 50 sq ft | — |
| Village Review Overlay Zone | 1 | — | — | — |
| Rock Row Contract Zone #12 District | 20 | 25 ft incl. base | 500 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Highway Services District, Gateway Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign / Building-Mounted Sign | 10 ft above cornice line | 100 sq ft per 25 ft building frontage | — | — | 2 per face per occupant | Face of building fronting on public street or parking lot | — | § 335-10.5A(2), 335-10.5C(1), 335-10.5D |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | 16 ft | Building must be set back at least 40 ft | 1 per qualifying property | Within open space fronting a public street, for buildings set back ≥40 ft | — | § 335-10.5C(2) |
| Changeable Message Board (Attached to Permitted Signs) | — | 60 sq ft | — | — | — | Component of permitted wall or freestanding sign | — | § 335-10.5C(3) |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | § 335-10.5C(4) |
| Awning Sign | No lower than 9 ft above ground; text max 12 in high on front flap. | Included in allowable building sign area | — | — | — | Front flap of awning on building | — | § 335-10.5C(6) |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot for lease, sale, rent | — | § 335-10.5C(7)(a) |
| New Business Sign (Temporary) | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per opening business | Building mounted | — | § 335-10.5C(7)(b) |
| Construction Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per project | On premises under construction/renovation | — | § 335-10.5C(7)(c) |

### City Center District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-Mounted Sign | May not extend above roofline/parapet | 5% of exterior wall per permitted face | — | — | 1 per wall face per business | Exterior wall facing public way or parking lot | — | § 335-10.6C(1), 335-10.6D |
| Identification Sign (Street Number) | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | — | 1 per face facing public way/parking lot | First-floor facade | — | § 335-10.6C(1)(b) |
| Ground-Mounted Monument Sign | 6 ft including base | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | Ground-mounted | — | § 335-10.6C(2)(a) |
| Ground-Mounted Pylon Sign | 9 ft including base | 18 sq ft | — | — | — | Ground-mounted | — | § 335-10.6C(2)(b) |
| Blade Sign | Placed 10-20 ft above ground beneath sign | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 25 ft building frontage | Perpendicular from building wall | — | § 335-10.6C(3), 335-10.6B(3) |
| Changeable Message Board (Freestanding Signs) | 12 inches incl. frame | 12 inches high (height), 2 lines of text | — | — | — | Component of freestanding sign | — | § 335-10.6C(4) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per 25 ft building frontage | On sidewalk adjacent to business (Main St or Bridge St) | — | § 335-10.6C(5), 335-10.6B(3) |
| Entry Point Tenant Listing Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | At entry point to building | — | § 335-10.6C(6) |

### Rock Row Contract Zone #12 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building-Mounted Sign (1-2 story or first story in multistory residential, Phase 1) | — | 2 sq ft/linear ft tenant frontage | — | — | Max 2 per corner tenant | Façade that business occupies fronting public/private way or parking area; corner tenants may have up to 2. | — | § 335-10.7C(1)(a)[1] |
| Building-Mounted Sign (1-2 story or first story in multistory residential, Phases 2-5) | — | 2 sq ft/linear ft tenant frontage | — | — | Max 2 per face per tenant | Exterior face fronting public/private way or parking for each tenant. | — | § 335-10.7C(1)(a)[2] |
| Building-Mounted Sign (Multistory business/office, ≥3 floors) | 18-60 ft: 4 ft / 61-150 ft: 6 ft | 18-60 ft: 200 sq ft / 61-150 ft: 300 sq ft | Max 66% of façade length | — | 1 per tenant per facade, up to 5 tenants/facade | At or above third floor; up to 5 tenants per facade; if part of building under 3 floors, may have signs below 3rd floor as per (1)(a). | — | § 335-10.7C(1)(b) |
| Ground-Mounted Monument Sign | 25 ft incl. base | 100 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per major entrance (4 total) | 4 major entrances to development | — | § 335-10.7C(2) |
| Ground-Mounted Pylon Sign | 25 ft incl. base | 100 sq ft per side | — | — | — | See monument signs | — | § 335-10.7C(2) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Entry Point Sign) | 6 ft incl. base | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entry point per phase II-IV area | Entry point for place/building, restricted to Ph II–IV & not adjacent to right-of-way | — | § 335-10.7C(6) |
| Blade Sign | 10-20 ft above grade | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per tenant per wall (or as described for corners) | Perp. from building wall; one each per tenant, may have two or a single vertical corner sign for corner tenants with frontage on >1 way/parking area. | — | § 335-10.7C(3) |
| Internal Message Board (Kiosk/Display/Projection) | 6 ft freestanding; projections: as determined by Planning Board | Freestanding sign: 6 ft tall x 4 ft wide, 16 sq ft per side; total location and area per phase determined by Planning Board. | 4 ft freestanding | — | By Planning Board determination | Throughout development on sidewalks within Rock Row right-of-way (not public); not visible from public ways. | — | § 335-10.7C(11) |

## Prohibited signs in Westbrook

- A sign or advertising device of any nature may not be erected on or affixed to any building except as specifically permitted by Article X.
- Except as otherwise provided herein, a sign or advertising device of any nature may not be erected on a lot or affixed to the exterior of any building or structure without first obtaining a sign permit from the Code Enforcement Officer (CEO).
- Signs bearing a commercial message are prohibited on public property or within the public right-of-way, except as otherwise allowed.
- A temporary sign shall not result in a sight, traffic, health or welfare hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic due to placement, or manner of construction or display.
- Temporary signs may not be illuminated.
- No signs are permitted below the normal high-water line of a water body or within a wetland.
- Signs shall not be erected or maintained on a traffic control sign or device, a public utility pole or fixture, a rotary traffic island, a tree on public property or within a public right-of-way, a control-of-access right-of-way area, or a median less than six feet wide.
- Temporary signs are prohibited from being affixed to the grounds of Saccarappa Park, Warren Memorial Sculpture Garden, Riverbank Park, Westbrook Commons, public school grounds, cemeteries, and, unless set back at least 250 feet from Bridge Street, the Westbrook Community Center parcel.
- Overhanging signs may not overhang the public right-of-way unless otherwise expressly permitted.
- No sign shall be constructed of banners, ribbons, spinners, feather flags, or other similar devices that represent a visual distraction to the motoring public (unless otherwise expressly permitted in a specific section/zone).
- No sign, whether new or existing, shall be permitted that causes a visual obstruction or a traffic, health or welfare hazard or results in a nuisance due to illumination, placement, or manner of construction or display.
- No sign, except traditional barber poles for licensed and operating barbershops, shall have visible moving parts, blinking, moving or glaring illumination, or any part consisting of pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, feather flags or other similar devices that represent a visual distraction to the motoring public.
- Signs not directly related to a principal business within the building or premises shall be prohibited.
- The granting of a variance from the provisions of Article X, Signs, is prohibited.
- No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any street an unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be, or is an imitation of, or resembles an official traffic control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal.
- No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any street any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.
- Prohibited sign materials in the Rock Row District include: banners signs, feather flags, and inflatable signs.
- Temporary signs shall not be placed within 30 feet of another temporary sign bearing the same or substantially the same message.

## Signs exempt from permit in Westbrook

- Temporary noncommercial signs on public property or within the public right-of-way are allowed without a permit for a period of up to 12 weeks in a calendar year provided specified criteria are met.
- Temporary real estate, construction, and new business signs not located on public property or within the public right-of-way are allowed without a permit, provided they meet size and time limits.
- Nonconforming signs may continue to exist as long as the use remains the same, the business remains open to the public, and the signs are maintained in a safe, neat, and clean condition.
- Repair or replacement of a panel within a nonconforming sign is permitted without reduction provided no other components of the sign, including but not limited to sign frame, supports and illumination, are altered or relocated.
- The Code Enforcement Officer may permit the repair of a nonconforming sign without reduction if the repair benefits public health and safety or if damage was caused by a weather or third-party event.
- Individual lawfully nonconforming signs in developments seeking amended site plan approval and not altered as part of the proposed project are not required to be brought into conformance with the ordinance unless the development proposal involves at least a twenty percent increase in the total on-site building footprint or a change in use of the property.
- Highway guide signs may be erected by the City of Westbrook or the Westbrook/Gorham Community Chamber of Commerce at entrances to the city, subject to certain regulations.
- Service clubs may have a consolidated service club sign in any district on designated roads, subject to specified requirements.
- Banner signs containing only the use of 'Rock Row' terminology and/or branding (in the Rock Row district) are exempt from the standards of the chapter if not used with any other commercial advertising or wayfinding, not directed internal to the contract zone, not a building-mounted sign, and not located along/adjacent to a public right-of-way.
- Certain signs (such as sandwich board signs, directional (wayfinding) signs, window signs, and menu boards in the Rock Row District) do not require a permit.
- Temporary subdivision signs to advertise an approved subdivision while construction is under way are allowed without a permit, subject to size limits.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All permit applications for a sign must include a color drawing showing all sign dimensions and building dimensions as necessary, types of materials, wording, colors to be used, any proposed illumination, and a visual depiction of where the sign would be located on the site.
- Day and night renderings for illuminated signs may be required with the permit application.
- Applicant must contact the Code Enforcement Office once the sign is installed for verification by CEO that the sign was installed per approved plans.
- Any entity proposing a development requiring site plan review shall, as a condition of approval, be required to bring any signs into conformance with the provisions of this article except as specified for nonconforming signs.
- The total number, area, and placement of internal message board signs or projections (Rock Row Contract Zone) shall be determined for each phase by the Planning Board at its reasonable discretion based upon the standards provided.
- Variance from the sign ordinance is prohibited and not available as a form of relief.
- Banner sign permit applications must be accompanied by evidence of liability insurance and submitted to the Department of Public Services.
- Fee for each banner sign permit application (and sign permit applications generally) shall be established by order of the City Council or as set forth in the Master Fee Schedule.

## 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 8 zoning districts in Westbrook — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Westbrook+ME&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-westbrook

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