# Sign Regulations in Wilbraham, Massachusetts

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Wilbraham, Massachusetts (MA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/massachusetts/wilbraham
- **Data last verified:** 2025-08-25
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://wilbraham-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1887/Zoning-By-Law-2024?bidId=#page=177)

## At a glance

Wilbraham, Massachusetts regulates 19 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Business District (GB), Industrial, Professional Office Park, and General Business District (I-POP-GB) zoning district are capped at Height of principal building/structure or 20 feet, whichever is lesser tall and 100 sq ft maximum, with a 10 ft from property line setback (Sec. Sections 12.7.3.1 through 12.7.3.6). Most commercial signs in Wilbraham require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residence-15 District (R-15), Residence-26 District (R-26), Residence-34 District (R-34), Residence-40 District (R-40), Residence-60 District (R-60), Residential Multiple Dwelling District (RMD) | 4 | — | 6 square feet (other institutional uses); 32 square feet (public schools and municipal buildings) | — |
| Neighborhood Office District (NO), Neighborhood Shopping District (NS) | 3 | — | Variable, determined by frontage (minimum 12 sq ft for 40 ft frontage, scaled thereafter) | — |
| General Business District (GB), Industrial, Professional Office Park, and General Business District (I-POP-GB) | 3 | Height of principal building/structure or 20 feet, whichever is lesser | 100 sq ft maximum | — |
| Adult Care Facilities District (ACF) | 2 | — | — | — |
| Flood Plain District (Overlay), Ridgeline and Hillside District (Overlay) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 20 ft, or roof line (whichever is less) | 36 inches wide x 24 inches high; max 7 ft total height (single pole) or 42 inches total height (double pole) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Residence-15 District (R-15), Residence-26 District (R-26), Residence-34 District (R-34), Residence-40 District (R-40), Residence-60 District (R-60), Residential Multiple Dwelling District (RMD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Board/Facility Sign (Institutional Use) | — | 6 square feet (other institutional uses); 32 square feet (public schools and municipal buildings) | — | — | One per qualifying use | On premises of nursing homes, churches, places of worship, private schools, public libraries, public museums, public parks, playgrounds, public schools, and municipal buildings | — | Section 12.5.1 |
| Real Estate Sign (Subdivision or Real Estate Development) | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One, may allow more than one with approval | Within the subdivision or approved location (may be outside original subdivision if Planning Board approved) | — | Section 12.5.2 |
| Identification Sign (Subdivision/Development Name) | — | — | — | — | One | At entrance or appropriate location to identify existing subdivision, real estate development, or area | — | Section 12.5.3 |
| Announcement Sign (Special Permit Residential Use) | — | 3 square feet (limit: 18 inches by 24 inches) | 24 inches | — | One per permitted property | On premises for rooming/boarding house, bed & breakfast, home professional office, home occupation, family day care home (with special permit) | — | Section 12.5.4 |

### General Business District (GB), Industrial, Professional Office Park, and General Business District (I-POP-GB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Affixed) | — | 100 sq ft maximum | — | — | Unspecified, limited by aggregate area | Affixed to building (parallel to frontage wall), with intermediary removable surface. | — | Sections 12.7.2, 12.7.2.1 through 12.7.2.4 |
| Freestanding Sign | Height of principal building/structure or 20 feet, whichever is lesser | 100 sq ft maximum | — | 10 ft from property line | 1 per lot; 2 per lot with special permit | On property (minimum 10 ft from property line) | — | Sections 12.7.3.1 through 12.7.3.6 |
| Boston Road Business Corridor Enhancement Sign | — | — | — | — | Unspecified (per plan) | Boston Road Business Corridor; affixed to poles | — | Section 12.7.4 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | First floor level; only where business wall signs are permitted | — | Section 12.9.1 |
| Special Event Sign | 20 ft, or roof line (whichever is less) | 20 square feet | — | — | Max two per event per lot | On-premises only; location designated on permit | — | Section 12.9.2 |
| Directory Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet | — | — | — | Free standing or affixed to building | — | Section 12.9.3 |
| Menu Board Sign | 6 feet | 30 square feet | — | — | One per business | Premises of food service establishment (drive through) | — | Section 12.9.4 |
| Street Banner Sign (Off-Premises) | — | — | — | — | — | Above or across public way with written permission of Select Board | — | Section 12.10.1 |
| Identification Sign (Off-Premises, Town Property) | — | — | — | — | — | On Town owned land in any district | — | Section 12.10.2 |
| Identification Sign (Off-Premises, Private Property) | 7 ft | 36 inches wide x 24 inches high; max 7 ft total height (single pole) or 42 inches total height (double pole) | 36 inches | 10 ft from travelled way | — | On private property by Special Permit from Planning Board | — | Section 12.10.3 |

## Prohibited signs in Wilbraham

- Billboards, movable signs, projecting signs and roof signs are not permitted.
- Streamers, pennants, ribbons, balloons and other inflatable objects, spinners or similar devices are not permitted, except for flags and buntings on patriotic holidays and temporary banners announcing charitable or civic events.
- Moving, flashing or animated signs, including signs containing reflective elements which sparkle, are not permitted. Electronic variable message signs are not permitted except for those indicating only current time and/or temperature.
- No sign shall resemble traffic signals or traffic control signs or otherwise impair or cause confusion for vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- Any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is defunct or no longer located on the premises is not permitted and must be removed.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited except as expressly provided elsewhere in the Section.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained in a way that creates a hazard or disturbance to the health, safety, or welfare of the public.
- No sign shall obstruct or impair traffic visibility for motorists at street corners, intersections, or driveway entrances/exits.
- No sign shall be placed on Town property or within the Town right-of-way without Select Board approval.
- Lighting for illuminated signs must be steady (not moving or intermittent or designed to attract attention by changing intensity or repeated motion).
- Any illumination for signs must be white only.
- The light source for any illuminated sign must be shielded from off-premises view so that no direct light extends past the property lines above ground level.
- No sign illumination shall be of an intensity or direction that causes a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Except as provided under Section 12.4, no sign shall be erected, altered, or relocated without a permit from the Building Inspector.

## Signs exempt from permit in Wilbraham

- Signs displaying the street number and/or name of the occupant of the premises, not exceeding three square feet; may be attached to the building or on a post behind the property line.
- Incidental signs as defined in the ordinance.
- Signs necessary to warn of danger (e.g., 'High Voltage') and signs prohibiting trespassing and hunting (not exceeding two square feet and limited to one sign per fifty feet of frontage).
- Signs erected, posted, or maintained for public safety and welfare pursuant to governmental function, law, or regulation.
- Temporary signs advertising property for sale or lease, provided only one sign is erected, not exceeding six square feet, located only on the property for sale or lease, and removed within fifteen days of sale or lease.
- Temporary sign of an architect, engineer or contractor during work on the premises, not exceeding six square feet.
- Political signs, provided they are only on private property.
- Decorative flags of a non-commercial nature displayed accessory to a residential use.
- Window signs, provided they do not exceed twenty-five percent of the total window area in which they are displayed.
- Temporary signs, banners or flags for special events sponsored by religious, governmental, or legitimate charitable organizations, to be removed immediately following the event.
- A temporary sign announcing the opening of a new business, subject to limitations as to size, location, and duration for special event signs in section 12.9.2.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Where groups of three or more commercial or industrial units are to be located together in a development on the same lot, or where two or more individual businesses on contiguous lots elect to be considered together as a planned development, the Planning Board may approve a Sign Master Plan by special permit (Section 12.11).
- The Sign Master Plan must include a site plan and be approved by the Planning Board at a public hearing, detailing placement, design, color coordination, visibility, information messages, and compatibility with general design of the development.
- In the Adult Care Facilities (ACF) District, the Planning Board may require a Sign Master Plan if multiple buildings are to be located together in a development on the same lot, or if two or more developments on contiguous lots share a common entrance way (Section 12.8.2).

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

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