# Sign Regulations in Gates Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Gates Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/gates-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12243155#12243155)

## At a glance

Gates Town, New York regulates 46 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Institutional Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 25 sq ft, with a Future right-of-way setback (Sec. § 190-22B(5)). Most commercial signs in Gates Town 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 | 15 | 60 in (5 ft) | 30% of window area (no single area) | — |
| Residential Districts | 8 | 42 in (3.5 ft) | 32 sq ft | — |
| Business Districts | 9 | See § 190-26 (site-specific, e.g. up to 28 ft) | See § 190-26 (site-specific, e.g. up to 32-190 sq ft depending on road frontage) | — |
| Neighborhood Business (NB) District, Business, Nonretail (BN-R) District | 2 | 6 ft | Up to 350 sq ft per sign per table/§ 190-24B (see Business Districts entry) | — |
| General Business (GB) District | 5 | Up to 28 ft depending on road type | up to 350 sq ft per sign | — |
| Industrial Districts | 7 | Up to 28 ft per table | Up to 350 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Parks | 2 | Up to 28 ft per table | See § 190-26A table, up to 190 sq ft per sign | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises in any district | — | § 190-22B(1) |
| Regulatory Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On property in any district | — | § 190-22B(2) |
| Directional/Traffic Sign | 60 in (5 ft) | 3 sq ft | — | — | Not more than 2 per driveway entrance | On private property, at driveway entrance | — | § 190-22B(3) |
| Temporary Event/Construction Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On site where event/building is located | — | § 190-22B(4) |
| Institutional Freestanding Sign | 5 ft | 25 sq ft | — | Future right-of-way | 1 per institution | For each church, community center or educational institution | — | § 190-22B(5) |
| Political Sign (up to 16 sq ft) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | § 190-22R |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 9 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per business | On the business property | — | § 190-22U(2) |
| Projecting Sign (General Requirement) | — | — | — | At least 2 ft from right-of-way/curb | 1, or 1 per street frontage if multiple entrances | — | — | § 190-22O |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Non-illuminated) | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises for sale, rental or lease | — | § 190-23A |
| Illuminated Institutional/Public Safety Sign | — | 16 sq ft | — | Per future right-of-way | — | For churches, private schools, public safety | — | § 190-23C |
| Wall Sign (Apartment/Nonprofit/Fraternity etc) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | § 190-23D |
| Subdivision Sign (Permanent, Nonilluminated, <5 acres) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per subdivision site <5 acres | For each subdivision site <5 acres | — | § 190-23E |
| Subdivision Sign (Permanent, Nonilluminated, >=5 acres with 2+ street frontages) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 2 per subdivision site with 2+ street frontages | Subdivision sites >=5 acres in single ownership fronting on 2+ streets | — | § 190-23E |
| Seasonal Farm Product/Charitable Event Temporary Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | — | Associated with roadside stand or charitable/public service event | — | § 190-23F |
| Contractor Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises where construction/repair/renovation is in progress | — | § 190-23G |
| Public/Noncommercial Directional or Message Sign | 42 in (3.5 ft) | 2 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per property | On premises | — | § 190-23H |

### Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Number Sign | 1 ft (for characters) | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Prominently on face of structure | — | § 190-24A |
| Wall Sign (NB District) | 6 ft | See formula (max 50-350 sq ft depending on setback and frontage) | — | — | 1 per street frontage (NB) | Flat against building, per street frontage | — | § 190-24B and table |
| Wall Sign (BN-R District) | 6 ft | See formula (max 50-350 sq ft depending on setback and frontage) | — | — | 1 per street frontage (BN-R) | Flat against building, per street frontage | — | § 190-24B and table |
| Wall Sign (GB District) | 6 ft | See formula (max 50-350 sq ft depending on setback and frontage) | — | — | 1 per tenant per street (GB) | Flat against building, per tenant, per street frontage | — | § 190-24B, § 190-26B, and table |
| Wall Sign - Side Entrance (any business district) | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | — | Flat against building, sides not facing street with customer entrances | — | § 190-24C |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center, Business Districts) | See § 190-26 (site-specific, e.g. up to 28 ft) | See § 190-26 (site-specific, e.g. up to 32-190 sq ft depending on road frontage) | — | Min 15 ft from lot line or future right-of-way (§ 190-22H) | 1 per shopping center | One per shopping center, may include business directory | — | § 190-24D, § 190-26A |
| Projecting Sign (Business Districts) | — | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | Projecting from business premises | — | § 190-24F, § 190-22O |
| Freestanding Sign (Gasoline Service Station, Business Districts) | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per gasoline service station (if conditions met) | Where three or more distinct uses operate on same premises | — | § 190-24G(1)-(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Gates Town

- No sign shall be erected or placed on a site until a sign permit has been issued by the Building Inspector unless otherwise indicated herein.
- No illuminated sign or lighting device, such as a ground spotlight, shall be placed or directed so as to beam upon a street, highway, sidewalk or adjacent premises so as to cause glare or reflection that may constitute a traffic hazard or create a public nuisance.
- All illuminated signs shall employ only a light of constant intensity, and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain a flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving light or lights.
- Electronic message display signs must use static display only or subtle transitions, with no appearance of moving texts or images.
- No sign shall be animated, rotating, flashing or extended above the uppermost roof line of a building or project beyond property lines.
- No sign shall contain information regarding a business, product or service not conducted at or available from the premises at which the sign is located, except for noncommercial messages.
- No permanent or temporary sign shall be erected or placed at or near the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to cause a traffic hazard, or at any location where the sign may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device.
- Signs may not use words, phrases, symbols or characters that would interfere with, mislead or confuse vehicle operators.
- Where signs are permitted to be illuminated, they shall be illuminated only when the uses are open for business or turned off by 11:00 p.m., except where facing business or industrial zones and not visible from residential areas.
- All permitted freestanding signs must be set back a minimum of 15 feet from a lot line or future right-of-way line.
- No sign or signs erected or maintained in the window of a building or seen through such window, visible from any public or private street or highway, shall occupy more than 30% of the window surface.
- Any obsolete sign which no longer identifies a bona fide use shall be removed within 90 days after notice by the Code Enforcement Officer.
- No sign shall be installed, erected or attached to a fire escape or any door or window giving access to a fire escape.
- No projecting sign shall be closer than two feet to the face of the street curb or public right-of-way line.
- No portion of any projecting sign shall be less than 10 feet above grade level.
- There shall be no more than one projecting sign for any premises, unless the use has frontage or has public entrances to two or more public ways.
- No wall sign shall extend beyond the extremities of the wall to which it is attached.
- No sign may be erected on any premises without the permission of the owner of the premises. For highway rights-of-way, such permission must be in writing.
- No sign shall be attached to fences, trees or utility poles.
- No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or impair the vision of motorists.
- No sign shall be installed in any form, shape or manner to a fire escape or any door or window giving access to any fire escape.

## Signs exempt from permit in Gates Town

- Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing property numbers, post box numbers, names of occupants, or other identification of premises.
- Signs regulating the use of a property, such as 'no hunting', 'no fishing', etc., of no more than two square feet.
- Signs directing and guiding traffic for service and parking on private property, not to exceed three square feet in area and a height of not more than 60 inches. Not more than two such signs per driveway entrance.
- A nonilluminated temporary sign, not exceeding 20 square feet, announcing special public or institutional events, construction, architect, builder or contractors, may be erected for 60 days plus the construction period.
- A nonilluminated sign, not exceeding 25 square feet in area and five feet in height, for each church, neighborhood community center or educational institution.
- Official signs, notices or direction devices erected or maintained by federal, state, county or local government or agency.
- The provisions of section 190-22 do not apply to safety, directional, historical markers, or other signs erected and maintained by a public agency.
- State and national flags (specifically the American flag) are exempt from temporary sign regulations regarding mobiles, pennants and flags.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For multiple developments, a coordinated signage plan must be submitted to the Planning Board in addition to the application procedure.
- For multiple developments, the Planning Board must approve the coordinated signage plan prior to issuance of any permits.
- If a proposed sign does not comply with the ordinance, the applicant must submit for a variance to the Zoning Board.
- If the Planning Board or Building Inspector/Fire Marshal does not make a determination on a sign application within 45 days, the application is deemed denied and the applicant may appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- A color illustration of the sign must be presented to the appropriate Town authority for review of readability before approval.

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

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