# Sign Regulations in Cazenovia, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cazenovia, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/cazenovia
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10475717#10475717)

## At a glance

Cazenovia, New York regulates 27 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Business Identification Sign - Projecting Signs in the B-1 District zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall, 10 sq ft, and 4 ft wide (Sec. § 180-117C(16), § 180-117G(1)). Most commercial signs in Cazenovia require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| B-1 District | 8 | 4 ft | ≤ 25% of window area | — |
| B-2 District, VEN District, VES-MU District | 12 | 9 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| C-1 District, C-2 District | 6 | — | ≤ 25% of window area | — |
| R-20 District | 1 | — | 8 sq ft | — |
| LM District, RM District, PD District | 4 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| WG District | 3 | 5 ft | 12 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | One sign, four inches in height with a one-half-inch stroke, or such other minimum dimensions as may be required under the New York State Fire Code | — | — | One per property | Prominently displayed, visible to pedestrian and vehicular traffic | — | § 180-117D(5) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | — | On-premises; for direction of traffic flow, parking, fire zones, entrances, exits | — | § 180-117D(7), § 180-117F(2) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (One- and Two-family Residences) | — | 5 sq ft | — | 5 ft inside sidewalk/street line or 1/2 distance if structure <10 ft from street line | One primary, one additional directional | On-premises; 5 ft inside sidewalk or street line, or at least 1/2 the distance between street line and principal structure if structure is <10 ft from street line | — | § 180-117D(7)(a) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Other properties) | — | 20 sq ft | — | 5 ft inside sidewalk/street line or 1/2 distance if structure <10 ft from street line | One | On-premises; 5 ft inside sidewalk or street line, or at least 1/2 the distance between street line and principal structure if structure is <10 ft from street line | — | § 180-117D(7)(a) |
| Political Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises; not on Village property | — | § 180-117D(7)(c) |
| Temporary Nonprofit/Activity Sign or Banner | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises; Village property only by Board of Trustees permission | — | § 180-117D(7)(d) |
| Gasoline/Fuel Price Sign | — | 1 sq ft per face | — | — | Up to 3 per dispenser | Attached to gasoline/fuel dispenser | — | § 180-117D(8) |
| Ground Sign (Governmental/Public Use, but not owned by government) | 5 ft | 24 sq ft per face | — | — | — | Premises of governmental/public use | — | § 180-117A(3) |

### B-1 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign - Wall Sign (Primary Entrance) | 1 ft (if multiple signs), 2 ft (if only sign on façade) | — | — | — | Max 2 per business, only 1 projecting | Affixed to wall of business establishment | — | § 180-117G(1) |
| Business Identification Sign - Projecting Sign | 4 ft | 10 sq ft | 4 ft | — | Only one projecting sign per business | Projecting from wall of business establishment | — | § 180-117C(16), § 180-117G(1) |
| Business Identification Sign - Rear Entrance | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One per secondary entrance | Over or beside secondary customer entrance at rear | — | § 180-117G(4) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | — | On-premises; see above for specific situations | — | § 180-117G(2) |
| Directory Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | One directory sign per building | Attached to building; for buildings with >1 business | — | § 180-117G(3) |
| Window Sign | — | ≤ 25% of window area | — | — | — | On or in windows of business | — | § 180-117C(3), § 180-117D(9) |
| Sidewalk Business Sign (Sandwich Board) | — | 8 sq ft | 2 ft | — | One per business | Immediately in front of or on the side of business, or in parking lot if it is between business and street/sidewalk and used exclusively by business patrons/employees | — | § 180-117D(7)(f) |
| Open Flag | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per business | Front of business establishment near entrance | — | § 180-117D(7)(e) |

### B-2 District, VEN District, VES-MU District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign - Option 1 (Wall Sign ≤250 ft from street line) | 2 ft | 8% of front building face or 75 sq ft (whichever less) | — | — | One | Affixed to building within 250 ft of street line | — | § 180-117F(1)(c) |
| Business Identification Sign - Option 2 (Wall Sign >250 ft from street line) | 3 ft | 8% of front building face or 75 sq ft (whichever less) | — | — | One | Affixed to building more than 250 ft from street line | — | § 180-117F(1)(d) |
| Business Identification Sign - Option 3 (Ground Sign) | 5 ft | 24 sq ft per face | — | — | One | On-premises | — | § 180-117F(1)(a)-(b) |
| Business Identification Sign - Grouped (for buildings with >1 business) | 2 ft per individual sign in group | 8% of area of building face or 75 sq ft (whichever less) | — | — | — | Central location visible from street | — | § 180-117F(1)(e) |
| Business Identification Sign - Secondary Entrance | Same as primary wall sign for the applicable distance | Same as primary wall sign for the applicable distance | — | — | One secondary allowed if two entrances | Attached to side of building directly opposite to side facing public street (for businesses with two entrances) | — | § 180-117F(5) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | — | On premises; for public safety | — | § 180-117F(2) |
| Shopping/Business Center Ground Sign | 9 ft | 60 sq ft | 10 ft | — | One per group of buildings as applicable | Ground, for buildings or group under common management with >2 businesses/enterprises | — | § 180-117F(4) |
| Sidewalk Business Sign (Sandwich Board) | — | 8 sq ft | 2 ft | — | One per business | Immediately in front of or on the side of business, or in parking lot if it is between business and street/sidewalk and used exclusively by business patrons/employees | — | § 180-117D(7)(f) |

## Prohibited signs in Cazenovia

- No sign shall create hazards to public safety by confusing, detracting from, or obstructing sight distance or the use of traffic regulatory devices; signs may not restrict vision or impair vehicular or pedestrian safety.
- No sign shall physically or visually obstruct any fire escape, window, door, or other opening providing ingress or egress for fire or safety equipment, any passageway, or any opening required for ventilation or required to remain unobstructed by law.
- Neon signs are prohibited in all districts except as window signs in the B-1 District under specific limitations.
- No sign may be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving lights; only constant intensity lighting may be used, and illuminated signs must not cause glare or distraction to motorists or exceed allowed footcandle limits at the property boundary.
- No internally illuminated signs, except for individual, building-mounted, business identification signs in the VEN District and neon window signs in B-1.
- No part of a sign may project over a public street or right-of-way except as permitted upon site plan review or where a building is directly on the right-of-way. No part may project over sidewalks at less than 8 feet above grade or over vehicular rights-of-way at less than 14 feet above pavement.
- No sign may be placed or erected on public property except as permitted by the Board of Trustees.
- Billboards, roof signs, moving, fluttering, spinning or revolving signs, streamers, and pennants (except allowable flags) are prohibited in all districts.
- No advertising message may extend over more than one sign placed along a street or highway.
- Copy change signs are prohibited except as specifically allowed by ordinance (Subsection F).
- Signs may not be placed, attached to, or connected in any manner to any tree, lamppost, utility pole, or road sign owned by a public utility or government, except as expressly allowed by the owner.
- Advertising displays on vehicles are regarded as signs unless the vehicle is licensed, operable, and regularly used in the normal course of business.
- No sign may be painted upon or affixed to any rock, ledge, or other geologic feature naturally present on the premises.
- Business identification signs may not contain any advertising message other than the business' name, address, telephone number, email, or website.
- No sign may extend above the base of the roofline or above the first story of a multistory building; no building-mounted sign may extend more than 20 feet above ground; no ground sign may extend more than eight feet above ground unless otherwise permitted.
- All ground signs must be at least 10 feet from street and side lot lines, except as otherwise permitted.
- Projecting signs are only permitted for nonresidential uses and have specified size/extension limits.
- Except as expressly permitted, only one sign is allowed per nonresidential use.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cazenovia

- Signs established pursuant to governmental authority or used for identification of government-owned buildings and facilities, or used for governmental/public purposes (e.g., polling sites, athletic fields, activities sponsored by a governmental authority, traffic regulation devices, civil defense signs, railroad crossing, bus stop signs, etc.), are exempt.
- Signs authorized and required under local, state, or federal law, or which contain information required and designed for public protection and safety (e.g., danger areas, work areas, parking, utility installation warnings, safety warnings, etc.) are exempt.
- Historic signs (as defined) may remain and may be reconstructed/replaced to match the original, regardless of regulations, provided they are structurally sound.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Site plan approval by the Planning Board is required for all signs associated with a use that requires site plan approval or a special use permit under the zoning chapter, except where expressly permitted otherwise.
- Signs in certain districts (e.g., B-1, B-2, VEN, VES-MU, LM, RM, PD, WG, C-1, C-2) may require sign permits and/or site plan approval and (for properties in the Historic Overlay District) review by the Historic Preservation Committee.
- Applications for sign permits must be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer with specified plans and must be routed to the Planning Board and/or Historic Preservation Committee when required.
- Copy change signs, shopping/business center ground signs, and certain other signs are only permitted as components of site plans, subject to review.
- No explicit mention of a master sign plan is found, but coordinated/group signage (e.g., for multi-tenant buildings) requires grouping and are treated as a single application/plan.
- Replacement of existing nonconforming signs requires conformity to current regulations, unless otherwise specifically permitted.

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

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