# Sign Regulations in Cheektowaga Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cheektowaga Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/cheektowaga-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37515975#37515975)

## At a glance

Cheektowaga Town, New York regulates 17 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Single Business)s in the Business Districts, Manufacturing Districts, Commercial District (C), Commercial Manufacturing District (CM), Main Street District (MS), Manufacturing 1 District (M1), Manufacturing 2 District (M2) zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 80 sq. ft. (one face), with a Not in corner visibility area (§260-59E); not within 10 ft of R District boundary or residential property setback (Sec. §260-50F(2)(b)[3], §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][i], §260-50E(1)). Most commercial signs in Cheektowaga Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Districts, Manufacturing Districts, Commercial District (C), Commercial Manufacturing District (CM), Main Street District (MS), Manufacturing 1 District (M1), Manufacturing 2 District (M2) | 9 | 30 ft | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Neighborhood Services District (NS) | 4 | 30 ft | 200 sq. ft. or 20% of wall area (whichever is less) | — |
| Community Facilities District (CF) | 1 | — | 200 sq. ft. (total all signs per building lot except incidental and building markers) | — |
| Residential District (R), Residential Special District (RS) | 1 | — | 16 sq. ft. (total all signs per building lot except incidental and building markers) | — |
| Residential Agricultural District (RA), Agricultural District (AG) | 1 | — | 80 sq. ft. (RA); 140 sq. ft. (AG) (total all signs per building lot except incidental and building markers) | — |
| Residential Mobile Home District (RMH), Residential Senior Citizen District (RSC) | 1 | — | 80 sq. ft. (RMH); 22 sq. ft. (RSC) (total all signs per building lot except incidental and building markers) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | Pole not over 20 ft in height | As allowed for the applicable district in maximum total sign area (§260-50I). | — |

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

### Business Districts, Manufacturing Districts, Commercial District (C), Commercial Manufacturing District (CM), Main Street District (MS), Manufacturing 1 District (M1), Manufacturing 2 District (M2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Business) | 30 ft | 80 sq. ft. (one face) | — | Not in corner visibility area (§260-59E); not within 10 ft of R District boundary or residential property | 1 per building lot/parcel | One per building lot/parcel; not located in corner visibility area or required interior side yard, or within 10 feet of any R District boundary or property line of residential use; not over a public right-of-way | — | §260-50F(2)(b)[3], §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][i], §260-50E(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Group of Stores ≤ 25,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 100 sq. ft. | — | Not in corner visibility area (§260-59E); not within 10 ft of R District boundary or residential property | 1 per group of stores | One per group of stores; same location limitations as other freestanding signs | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][ii] |
| Freestanding Sign (25,000 < Group of Stores ≤ 200,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 120 sq. ft. | — | Not in corner visibility area (§260-59E); not within 10 ft of R District boundary or residential property | 1 per group of stores | One per group of stores/shopping center; same location limitations | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][iii] |
| Freestanding Sign (Group of Stores > 200,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 200 sq. ft. | — | Not in corner visibility area (§260-59E); not within 10 ft of R District boundary or residential property | 1 per shopping center/group | One per shopping center/group of stores | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][iv] |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center ID Sign) | 30 ft | Within district and site plan; must not exceed max for district | — | Same as other freestanding signs | 1 per group of stores/plaza | As shown on site plan; not in corner visibility area or ROW or within 10 ft of R district | — | §260-50F(1) |
| Wall Sign | Shall not extend above the eave line or top of wall | 200 sq. ft. or 20% of wall area (whichever is less) | — | — | — | On exterior wall; not to project above eave or wall | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[1], §260-50F(2)(c)[2][b][vi] |
| Portable or Temporary Business Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. per face | — | — | 1 per premises at a time | One per premises; not in public ROW | — | §260-50G(2), §260-50E(2) |
| Variable Message Signage/LED (as part of Freestanding Sign) | — | Max 40 sq. ft. or 50% of freestanding sign face | — | — | As part of permitted sign only | As part of permitted freestanding sign | — | §260-50K |

### Neighborhood Services District (NS)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | Not over ROW, not in visibility area, not within 10 ft R or residential property | 1 per business | One per business; standard setbacks and restrictions | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[2][a] |
| Wall Sign | Not above eave or wall | 200 sq. ft. or 20% of wall area (whichever is less) | — | — | — | Exterior wall; not above eave or wall | — | §260-50F(2)(c)[1] |
| Window Sign | — | 50% of total glass area | — | — | — | Mounted behind glass | — | §260-50G(1) |
| Portable or Temporary Business Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. per face | — | — | 1 per premises at a time | One per premises; not in public ROW | — | §260-50G(2), §260-50E(2) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs (General Provisions) | — | — | — | — | — | No sign in street right-of-way, public property, or utility pole/tree; no roof-mounted signs (except FAA) | — | §260-50D, §260-50E |
| Building Marker | — | — | — | — | — | On building masonry surface | — | §260-50B |
| Flag (U.S., State, Town, or recognized nations) | Pole not over 20 ft in height | 40 sq. ft. | — | At least pole height from property line. | — | Not on roof or top of wall/other covered structure; must be located from property line at least the height of the pole. | — | §260-50J |
| Incidental Sign (No Parking, Loading Only, etc.) | — | — | — | — | — | On-premises only | — | §260-50B, §260-50C |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | — | — | Minimum 5 ft inside property line if no building. | — | Located between front property line and building, or if no building, minimum 5 ft inside property line. | — | §260-50D(17) |
| Noncommercial Message Sign | — | As allowed for the applicable district in maximum total sign area (§260-50I). | — | — | — | Any zoning district | — | §260-50A(2), §260-50D(18), §260-50E(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Cheektowaga Town

- No sign shall be used to attract attention to an object, product, place, activity, institution, organization or business not available or located on the premises where the sign is located, except for noncommercial messages which are expressions of constitutionally protected free speech.
- Any illuminated sign or lighting device shall employ only lights emitting a light of constant intensity; no flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving lights allowed.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device may be placed so as to cause glare or reflection on public streets, highways, sidewalks, or adjacent premises that may constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance.
- Overhead wires or exposed wires on a sign or its supporting members are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in any street right-of-way or on other public property.
- No signs, except directional devices required by the Federal Aviation Agency, shall be placed, inscribed, or supported upon or above the highest part of the roofline.
- No banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, tethered balloons, inflatable signs or other similar moving, fluttering or revolving signs or devices or strings of lights shall be permitted.
- Sign-mounting structures and supports must be designed and constructed to support live loads, dead loads, and wind loads as required by the Building Inspector.
- No sign shall be maintained at any location where it may obstruct, impair, or be confused with any traffic control sign, signal or device or otherwise interfere with, mislead, or tend to confuse vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- No sign shall be attached to a utility pole or tree.
- All signs utilizing electrical lighting must be installed and maintained in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
- Signs utilizing electric power that are connected to a distant power source by an extension cord are prohibited if the cord is exposed on the ground or supported in the air by props.
- No sign shall rotate or otherwise be in physical motion or have parts or elements in motion.
- All signs, frames, mounts, and support structures must be kept in a safe and structurally sound condition and maintained by replacement of defective or worn parts, painting, repainting, leveling, and cleaning.
- Signs, frames, mounts, and support structures that are in disrepair or abandoned for 180 days must be removed from the premises.
- No sign shall be mounted in an inverted fashion or be mounted in a manner that is not at a ninety-degree angle to a horizontal plane or projects more than 12 inches from a wall.
- Search lights, rotating lights, and flashing lights are not permitted for any purposes.
- Signs containing manually interchangeable letters must be constructed and/or maintained to protect individual letters from dislocation.
- Temporary real estate signs shall not be placed on existing signs or their structures, and must be placed between the front property line and the building or at least five feet inside the property line if no building exists.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cheektowaga Town

- Signs erected and maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental function.
- Signs prohibiting trespassing.
- Integral, decorative, or architectural features of buildings, except letters or trademarks.
- Signs not exceeding four square feet per face directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property and bearing no advertising.
- Signs not exceeding one square foot per face advertising the cost of motor fuel when attached to a fuel pump or service island canopy.
- No permit is necessary to erect a sign with no commercial message.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, created, or maintained only in conformance with the standards, procedures, and other requirements of this chapter.
- A permit is required for the erection, construction, or maintenance of any sign or support structure, unless exempted (e.g. noncommercial messages).
- For identification of a group of stores as a shopping center or plaza, the sign must be shown on a site plan submitted with a building permit application.
- A permit from the Building Inspector is required for portable or temporary business signs prior to being erected.
- A new temporary sign permit is required for each instance of a temporary sign (maximum one sign for 30 days, up to four times per year per user).

## 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 Cheektowaga Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cheektowaga+Town+NY&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cheektowaga-town

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