# Sign Regulations in Brewster Town, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Brewster Town, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/brewster-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/7606719#7606719)

## At a glance

Brewster Town, Massachusetts regulates 17 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Ladder Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall, 21 sq ft, and 3 ft wide (Sec. §179-20.6F). Most commercial signs in Brewster Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial District (C-H), Village Business District (V-B), Industrial District (I) | 6 | 36 inches | 25% of window glazing area | — |
| Residential District | 4 | 10 feet unless otherwise specified | 4 sq ft (home occupation), 12 sq ft (agriculture/farm stand), 16 sq ft (church, municipal, other uses) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 36 inches | 30 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Commercial District (C-H), Village Business District (V-B), Industrial District (I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground/Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 16 square feet (most uses); see specifics per use | — | — | — | On-premise, accessed directly from street, right-of-way, or parking area; not in road right-of-way or blocking sight lines | — | §179-20.1C, §179-20.1E, §179-20.1F, §179-20G |
| Wall Sign | — | Up to 16 square feet unless otherwise restricted by total signage limit | — | — | — | Affixed parallel to or painted on vertical exterior wall | — | §179-19; §179-20; §179-20.1I; §179-20.5B |
| A-frame/Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | 6 square feet OR 36" x 24" | 24 inches | — | — | On property; not to block sidewalk, driveway, etc. | — | §179-20.5A |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On awning | — | §179-20.5B; §179-20.3A |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window glazing area | — | — | — | Inside window within 24 inches of glass | — | §179-20.5S; §179-20.3S |
| Cluster Sign (Multi-Tenant Developments) | — | Maximum 16 sq ft or 3 sq ft per business (whichever is larger) | — | — | — | At development entrance or as permitted in master sign plan | — | §179-20.1E |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet unless otherwise specified | 4 sq ft (home occupation), 12 sq ft (agriculture/farm stand), 16 sq ft (church, municipal, other uses) | — | — | One per dwelling (home occupation); one per property for agricultural signs | On premises | — | §179-20.1C; §179-20.1G |
| Wall Sign (Residential Use) | — | Generally 4 sq ft (home occupation), up to 16 sq ft for church/municipal/other uses | — | — | — | Affixed parallel to external wall of home or building | — | §179-20.5E; §179-20.5F; §179-20.1C |
| Home Products Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | One per dwelling | On premises | — | §179-20.3G; §179-20.5F |
| Quarterboard (Residential, Non-Commercial) | — | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | §179-20.3N |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-frame/Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | 6 square feet OR 36" x 24" | 24 inches | — | — | On private property (not public right-of-way), must not block sidewalk, driveway, parking lot, or sight lines. | — | §179-20.5A |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of glazing area | — | — | — | Inside window within 24 inches of glass | — | §179-20.5S; §179-20.3S |
| Directional or Traffic Safety Sign | — | 1 square foot | — | — | — | On-premises | — | §179-20.5D; §179-20.3E |
| Construction Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | On work/property site | — | §179-20.5C |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | Not in public right-of-way | One per street frontage and waterfront | On premises, not in public right-of-way | — | §179-20.5M; §179-20.3O |
| "Open" Flag | — | 3 feet by 5 feet | — | — | One per business | On premises | — | §179-20.5K; §179-20.3J |
| Town and Community Event Sign | — | 30 square feet | — | — | — | On premises of event | — | §179-20.5P |
| Ladder Sign | 8 ft | 21 sq ft | 3 ft | — | One per intersection | At intersections of public ways servicing commercial or community facilities (selected by Select Board) | — | §179-20.6F |

## Prohibited signs in Brewster Town

- No sign shall be erected, altered, or moved without complying with all applicable requirements, and without a permit from a Building Official unless exempted.
- All signs shall be placed so as to not obscure other signs to the greatest extent possible.
- No signs shall be located within a road right-of-way, or so as to block all or part of any sidewalk, stairway, driveway, or parking lot, interfere with snow removal, or impair sight distances for motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians.
- Illumination of signs must be by a direct, shielded, external light source or by a light source internal to the sign. Light bulbs or tubes (including neon) shall not be visible to the motoring public from a public way.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Zipper signs (animated signs with a message in lights that travels across the surface of the sign) are prohibited.
- Flashing signs are prohibited, except for school crossing signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Brewster Town

- Awning signs identifying a product, not a specific business.
- Business operation signs.
- Cautionary signs.
- Construction signs.
- Directional or traffic safety signs.
- Home occupation signs.
- Home products signs.
- Intersection island signs.
- Municipal signs.
- One 'Open' flag.
- Open house and yard sale signs if displayed for not more than 48 hours.
- Political signs.
- Protected conservation land signs.
- Residential, non-commercial quarterboards.
- Real estate signs.
- Special event flyers measuring not more than two square feet in total area.
- Umbrella signs identifying a product, not a specific business.
- Outdoor vending machines: one per premises unless more are allowed by special permit.
- Window signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Non-municipal developments having more than one tenant or use shall provide a master sign plan for the entire structure or development prior to the issuance of a sign permit by a Building Official.
- Non-municipal developments with more than one tenant or use within a project or premises may construct, with an approved master sign plan, one cluster sign containing the name of the development and/or listings of individual tenants.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Brewster Town, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Brewster+Town+MA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-brewster-town

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