# Sign Regulations in Chittenango, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Chittenango, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/chittenango
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10542250#10542250)

## At a glance

Chittenango, New York regulates 18 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Business District (GB), Service Business District (SB), Business District, Commercial Zones zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 32 sq ft per side; up to 40 sq ft if containing time/temperature (special permit required), with a Minimum 10 ft from street right-of-way unless alignment/terrain/visibility issues justify closer placement. setback (Sec. 148-42E(1)(c), 148-42E(3), 148-42E(4), 148-42E(6)). Most commercial signs in Chittenango require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Business District (GB), Service Business District (SB), Business District, Commercial Zones | 9 | 20 ft | 48 sq ft | — |
| Residential District | 8 | — | 16 sq ft per side | — |
| Industrial District | 2 | — | See general business district/commercial regulations | — |
| Design Overlay Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Historic Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 12 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — |

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

### General Business District (GB), Service Business District (SB), Business District, Commercial Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | See 148-42E(2): Up to 2 advertising or identification signs per parcel; detailed rules depending on frontage and frontage on more than one street. | On building wall; each street frontage allowed signs as permitted | — | 148-42E(1)(a), 148-42E(2)(a)-(c), 148-42E(4) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 32 sq ft per side; up to 40 sq ft if containing time/temperature (special permit required) | — | Minimum 10 ft from street right-of-way unless alignment/terrain/visibility issues justify closer placement. | Businesses with <=50 ft frontage: one freestanding, projecting, or wall sign per street frontage; >50 ft: one freestanding and one wall sign or other combo per frontage, min 40 ft apart (see 148-42E(2)(a)-(c)) | On parcel | — | 148-42E(1)(c), 148-42E(3), 148-42E(4), 148-42E(6) |
| Projecting Sign / Overhanging Sign | 20 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | See sign number rules, generally 1 per street frontage (see 148-42E(2)). | On wall | — | 148-42E(1)(b), 148-42E(2) |
| A-type/Portable Standing Sign | 4 ft | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Front of premises | — | 148-42E(1)(d) |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of window area | — | — | — | In window | — | 148-42E(5) |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | As required for site direction | — | 148-42E(2)(d), 148-42L(2) |
| Changeable-Text/Bulletin Board Sign | — | 16 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft from inside property line | — | On premises of institution (places of worship, libraries, museums, social clubs, political party principal offices) | — | 148-42B(2) |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 148-42E(1)(e) |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Nameplate | — | 1 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | On premises | — | 148-42A(1), 148-42D(1) |
| Occupant Name/Address Sign | — | 1 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | On premises | — | 148-42A(2), 148-42D(1) |
| Architect/Contractor/Engineer Construction Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | On premises where construction/repair/renovation is in progress | — | 148-42A(3), 148-42D(1) |
| For Sale/Lease/Rental Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | ≤1 per street, max 2 | On premises | — | 148-42A(4), 148-42B(1), 148-42D(1) |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side or same size as commercial sign allowed without permit (whichever larger) | — | — | — | Facing each street/public right-of-way | — | 148-42A(5), 148-42D(1) |
| Temporary Free-Speech Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side or same as commercial sign without permit, whichever larger | — | — | — | Facing each street/public right-of-way | — | 148-42A(6), 148-42D(1) |
| Changeable-Text/Bulletin Board Sign for Community Facilities | — | 16 sq ft per side | — | 5 ft | — | On premises of the facility | — | 148-42B(2), 148-42D(1) |
| Advertising Sign (Residential Commercial Use) | — | 10 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | Max 2 | On premises | — | 148-42B(3), 148-42D(1) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Nameplate | — | 1 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | — | — | 148-42A(1) |
| Occupant Name/Address Sign | — | 1 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | — | — | 148-42A(2) |
| Architect/Contractor/Engineer Construction Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | — | Where construction/repair/renovation is in progress | — | 148-42A(3) |
| For Sale/Lease/Rental Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side (2 sides allowed) | — | — | ≤1 per street, max 2 | — | — | 148-42A(4), 148-42B(1) |
| Temporary Political Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side or same as commercial sign allowed without permit for zone (whichever larger) | — | — | — | Facing each street/public right-of-way | — | 148-42A(5) |
| Temporary Free-Speech Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side or same as commercial sign allowed without permit for zone (whichever larger) | — | — | — | Facing each street/public right-of-way | — | 148-42A(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Chittenango

- Roof signs in any General Business (GB) District are prohibited.
- Advertising devices that contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar moving or fluttering devices are prohibited when used for advertising or attracting attention if not part of a sign.
- Strings of lights shall not be used for the purpose of advertising or attracting attention when not part of a sign.
- No nonofficial sign or advertising material may be erected, affixed, or maintained upon any utility pole or structure, streetlight, parking meter, traffic sign or other traffic control device or upon any publicly visible fence, tree, shrub, boulder or other natural object, unless specifically authorized by the government.
- Signs painted directly on buildings, fences, etc., are prohibited except those painted upon a constructed sign background structure.
- No sign, advertising material, or windstream device (other than an authorized official sign) may be placed in, over, or upon any public street, highway, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or government property, unless specifically authorized by the relevant government agency.
- Publicly visible windstream devices or signs with moving parts are prohibited, except flags and bunting for specific governmental or ceremonial purposes and the display of national/state flags.
- Mirrored or mirror-like surfaces, or other highly reflective elements in signs, are prohibited if they deflect and redirect sunlight or intense light onto others’ property or public rights-of-way.
- Any sign advertising or referencing an entity that is defunct or no longer at the premises cannot remain in place for more than 120 days.
- Nonofficial signs which imitate or mimic the appearance or function of official signs or traffic control devices are prohibited.
- All signs must not be constructed of inadequate or improper materials.
- All signs must not pose fire or electrical hazards or threaten health and safety.
- Signs must not remain in place if substantially damaged, deteriorated, or dilapidated.
- Signs must not remain in place if substantially damaged or defaced due to accident, vandalism, mischief, fire, storm, or disaster.
- Signs must not obstruct or impair access to or egress from any door, window, entryway, fire exit, or opening in a building.
- Signs must not obstruct or impair the movement or flow of natural light and air to any occupied or habitable space.
- Signs must not obstruct or interfere with architectural components or the functioning of building systems (electrical, plumbing, etc.).
- All signs must conform to the provisions of this chapter and all other local laws and regulations to be lawful.

## Signs exempt from permit in Chittenango

- Professional nameplates not exceeding one square foot in area on each of two sides.
- Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises, not exceeding one square foot on each of two sides.
- Signs denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor at construction, repair, or renovation sites (max 12 square feet per side, removed within 7 days of completion).
- Signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located (max 6 square feet per side, up to two signs per property, removed within 7 days of sale or lease).
- Temporary political signs (max 12 square feet per side or size allowed in the district without permit, whichever is larger, one per party/candidate/street frontage).
- Temporary free-speech signs (max 12 square feet per side or size allowed in the district without permit, whichever is larger, one per street/public right-of-way per parcel).
- Signs or directional devices erected by federal, state, county, or local governments or their agencies.
- Parking lot markers, directional signs, entrance and exit signs, and similar signs erected on the premises that do not exceed two square feet per side and do not contain advertising of the use on the premises.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any sign proposed to be erected on a structure listed on the National or State Register of Historic Places or in a designated historic district must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Review Board before permitting.
- Any sign proposed to be erected on a nonresidential structure within a design overlay district is subject to review and must comply with Village of Chittenango Site and Architectural Design Standards for Commercial Design Overlay Districts.
- Where design overlay district standards conflict with General Business (GB) or Service Business (SB) District regulations, the design overlay standards prevail.
- Temporary signs, except specified political or free-speech signs, require a temporary permit not to exceed 60 days and must comply with additional enumerated standards.
- A permit is required for most signs not specifically exempted; application must include detailed site plans, construction details, and owner consent as applicable.

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

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