# Sign Regulations in Fairview Borough, New Jersey

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Fairview Borough, New Jersey (NJ)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-jersey/fairview-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/35766747#35766747)

## At a glance

Fairview Borough, New Jersey regulates 15 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Industrial Zone zoning district are capped at 20 feet tall and 24 square feet, with a 10 feet from street right-of-way and side lot lines setback (Sec. § 25-1601.4.a). Most commercial signs in Fairview Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Anderson Avenue corridor | 4 | 14 feet or first story, whichever is lesser; vertical dimension of any wall sign not exceeding 24 inches | 60% of area of awning/canopy (excluding end elevations) | — |
| Business Zones | 4 | 36 inches | 24 square feet | — |
| Industrial Zone | 6 | 36 inches | 24 square feet | — |
| Residential Zones | 1 | — | See § 25-1601.2c for size limits (not specified in provided text) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 12 square feet (unless permitted by Mayor and Council for banners in right-of-way) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Anderson Avenue corridor

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 14 feet or first story, whichever is lesser; vertical dimension of any wall sign not exceeding 24 inches | 10% of first floor area of facade (main entrance); 75% of main entrance wall sign for other facades | 75% of the facade width | — | One per qualifying facade. If more than one wall sign, see dimension limits for non-main facades. | Building facades with main entrance and any facade with street frontage. A wall sign may also be placed at the building entrance from a parking area, provided the parking area is not between the building and a street line. | — | § 25-1104.a |
| Wall Sign (Entrance from On-site Parking Area) | 2 feet vertical dimension | 12 square feet | — | — | — | Building entrance from on-site parking area (not between building and street line) | — | § 25-1104.a.7 |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of window area | — | — | Max two per business use, one per window | First story windows of facades with street frontage | — | § 25-1104.b |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 60% of area of awning/canopy (excluding end elevations) | — | — | — | First story of facades with street frontage, only on portion parallel to street line, not on end elevations. | — | § 25-1104.c |

### Industrial Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street right-of-way and side lot lines | 1 per lot | Min 10 feet from street right-of-way and side lot lines. | — | § 25-1601.4.a |
| Wall Sign (40 ft or less building wall width) | 2 feet | — | 30% of width of the building wall | — | One per business, plus one if building has more than one street frontage | On building wall | — | § 25-1601.4.b, (3) |
| Wall Sign (More than 40 ft, less than 80 ft wall width) | 2.5 feet | — | 30% of width of the building wall | — | One per business, plus one if building has more than one street frontage | On building wall | — | § 25-1601.4.b, (3) |
| Wall Sign (80 ft or more wall width) | 3 feet | — | 30% of width of the building wall | — | One per business, plus one if building has more than one street frontage | On building wall | — | § 25-1601.4.b, (3) |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of total window area | — | — | — | On interior of business use windows | — | § 25-1601.4.b.2 |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | 36 inches | — | — | — | — | Attached to building | — | § 25-1601.4.c |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | 12 square feet (unless permitted by Mayor and Council for banners in right-of-way) | — | — | — | — | — | § 25-1601.6 |
| Garage Sale Sign (On-Premises) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 1 | On-premises (location of sale) | — | § 4-18.5.a.1, b |
| Garage Sale Sign (Off-Premises, Municipal ROW) | — | 3 square feet | — | — | 2 | Municipal right-of-way (not on private property) | — | § 4-18.5.a.2, b, c |
| Smoking/No Smoking Signs | — | — | — | — | — | All doorways of public buildings subject to chapter; 'Smoking' signs only in areas so designated. | — | § 3-26.4 |
| Handicapped Parking Signs | — | — | — | — | As required per space | Each parking space reserved for handicapped use | — | § 7-35.7, § 7-37.5 |
| Street Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At least 2 at each 4-way intersection, 1 at each T-intersection, free of visual obstruction | — | § 25-904 |

## Prohibited signs in Fairview Borough

- No billboard or billboard signs shall be permitted.
- No sign shall be placed or located or displayed upon any sidewalk or area between sidewalk and curb, nor shall they project on or over a sidewalk.
- No roof sign, often known also as a 'sky sign,' shall be permitted.
- No signs shall be erected or painted or composed of fluorescent or phosphorescent or similar material.
- No sign shall be, in whole or part, moving, mobile or revolving.
- No sign shall consist of more than four colors, inclusive of its background, frame and decorative parts; black and white are considered colors.
- No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- No sign or other advertising structure shall be erected at intersections or other locations where it may obstruct vision or be confused with authorized traffic signs, signals or devices, or interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
- No commercial outdoor advertising signs, billboards or other signs which are not expressly and directly related to the business being conducted on the premises and which do not conform to the applicable requirements and standards shall be permitted.
- It is unlawful to display upon any sign or other advertising structure any obscene, indecent or immoral matter.
- No signs shall be permitted to be posted on structures such as telephone poles, street signs, trees or fences.
- No window tinting on any type of glazing shall be permitted.
- No sign shall cover any portion of a wall opening.
- No sign shall impede egress from any door, window, or fire escape.

## Signs exempt from permit in Fairview Borough

- Outdoor umbrellas located in outdoor café areas shall be exempt from the Sign Ordinance.
- Temporary lawn signs or street banners as set forth elsewhere in the chapter are not prohibited as political signs on poles or trees are.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Street signs must be approved by the approving authority on advice of the Borough Engineer.
- Any nonconforming sign associated with a change in occupancy or ownership necessitates an application to the approving authority.
- All signs must be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the BOCA Code, and unsafe signs determined by the Zoning Officer must be altered or removed as ordered.
- Permit required for temporary signs except as specifically exempted under this article.
- Installation of business backlight fixtures requires a permit from the Building Department and an inspection by the Electrical Inspector.
- Any sign unlawful under any prior ordinance must comply with the provisions of this chapter and have a sign-erection permit issued by the Zoning Officer.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Fairview Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Fairview+Borough+NJ&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-fairview-borough

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