# Sign Regulations in Mount Morris, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mount Morris, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/mount-morris
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13745022#13745022)

## At a glance

Mount Morris, New York regulates 31 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Price/Product Sign (Gasoline Station)s in the Business District, Industrial District zoning district are capped at 8 ft above grade tall and 12 sq ft (6 sq ft per side), with a 10 ft from pavement edge if not on pump island setback (Sec. §186-4D(1)(g)). Most commercial signs in Mount Morris require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 10 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| Business District, Industrial District | 15 | 20 ft (if double-faced: 20 sq ft per side, 20 ft high) | Calculated per frontage/setback; max 150 sq ft per lot | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 6 ft | 20 sq ft per entrance on a different street/highway | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional/Occupation Sign (Residential Use) | — | 2 sq ft | — | 10 ft from highway right-of-way | 1 per use | On-premises, at least 10 ft from the highway right-of-way | — | §186-4A(5) |
| Nameplate/Address Sign (Residential) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Mounted on a house, apartment, or mailbox | — | §186-4A(6) |
| Lawn Sign (Residential) | — | 1 sq ft (2 sq ft if double-faced) | — | — | — | On premises | — | §186-4A(7) |
| Private Sale Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | §186-4A(8) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | §186-4A(9) |
| Construction Sign (Residential) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises where construction, renovation, or repair is in progress | — | §186-4A(15) |
| Subdivision/Development Sign (Residential) | — | 16 sq ft | — | 35 ft minimum from property line if not attached to building | 1 | Parallel to highway/setback 35 ft min from property line or attached to building | — | §186-4C(2)(b) |
| Multi-dwelling Availability Sign (Residential) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance on different street/highway | On premises; one per entrance on different street/highway | — | §186-4C(2)(d) |

### Business District, Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | 50 sq ft | — | 15 ft from all property lines | 1 | On premises, at least 15 ft from all property lines | — | §186-4A(9) |
| Construction Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises where construction/renovation/repair is in progress | — | §186-4A(15) |
| Wall Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | Calculated per frontage/setback; max 150 sq ft per lot | — | — | Total of 2 signs per lot, only 1 may be freestanding | On building wall | — | §186-4D(1)(a)-(c), §186-5B(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Business/Industrial) | 20 ft (if double-faced: 20 sq ft per side, 20 ft high) | Calculated per frontage/setback; max 150 sq ft per lot | — | — | 1 per lot | On premises | — | §186-4D(1)(a)-(d), §186-5B(3) |
| Projecting Sign (Business/Industrial) | No higher than second floor or 12 ft | Included in total sign area allowance | Extends max 5 ft from building or 1/3 width of sidewalk, whichever less | — | Included within 2 total signs per lot | Perpendicular to building wall | — | §186-5B(2) |
| Window Sign (Business/Industrial) | — | Max one sign per window, max two per enterprise, area not to exceed 25% of window area nor 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per window, max 2 per establishment | Within 4 ft inside window | — | §186-5B(4)(a) |
| Representational Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | Attached to structure | — | §186-4D(1)(e) |
| Price/Product Sign (Gasoline Station) | 8 ft above grade | 12 sq ft (6 sq ft per side) | — | 10 ft from pavement edge if not on pump island | 2 per station | On pump island or at least 10 ft from pavement edge | — | §186-4D(1)(g) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (General/Off-Premises) | 6 ft | 4 sq ft per face, 6 ft height (on-premises exempt) | — | — | Max 2 per establishment (permanent off-premises); 1 per location (on-premises) | On premises (exempt signs) and off-premises (permanent, not more than 2 per establishment, max 10 sq ft) | — | §186-4A(3), §186-4C(2)(a) |
| Temporary Event/Directional Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On/off premises as necessary | — | §186-4A(14) |
| Sign/Bulletin Board (Institutional) | — | 20 sq ft per entrance on a different street/highway | — | — | 1 per entrance on different street/highway | On premises of school, place of worship, library, museum, club, or society | — | §186-4C(2)(c) |
| Recreational Facility Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On premises of recreational area, day camp, golf club, similar | — | §186-4C(2)(e) |
| Utility Identification/Operation Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of public utility | — | §186-4C(2)(f) |
| Holiday Decorations | — | — | — | — | — | Any district | — | §186-4A(12) |

## Prohibited signs in Mount Morris

- No off-premises signs shall be allowed other than as permitted under the exempt signs provisions.
- No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving lights except to show time and temperature.
- No sign shall impair or cause confusion of vehicular or pedestrian traffic in its design, color or placement.
- No sign shall impair visibility for a motorist at a street corner or intersection by placement and location within 25 feet of the intersection of the street or highway lines.
- No sign or sign supports shall be placed upon the roof of any building.
- No advertising message shall be extended over more than one sign placed along a street or highway.
- All signs, including wall-mounted and projecting signs, shall be securely anchored and shall not swing or move in any manner.
- All wiring to freestanding signs shall be underground.
- Wall signs shall not extend beyond the ends or over the top of the walls to which attached and shall not extend above the level of the second floor of the building.
- Projecting signs shall not extend above the level of the second floor of the buildings to which attached or in any case be higher than 12 feet.
- No projecting sign shall be closer than 15 feet to the corner of a building located at a street intersection.
- No more than one window sign per window and a maximum of two per business enterprise shall be permitted.
- Sign directories shall contain no promotional advertising.
- No sign shall project from an awning.
- Signs shall not be attached to fences, trees, utility poles, rocks or other parts of a natural landscape, nor be placed in a position that will obstruct or impair traffic or in any manner create a hazard or disturbance to the health, safety and welfare of the general public.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mount Morris

- Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial signs and plaques; names of buildings and dates of erection, when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze, stainless steel or similar materials; and emblems installed by governmental agencies or religious or nonprofit organizations not exceeding six square feet in area.
- Flags and insignias of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- On-premises directional signs for the general public identifying public parking areas, fire zones, entrances and exits, not exceeding four square feet per face and six feet in height, with business or personal names allowed but advertising messages excluded.
- Nonilluminated warning, 'private drive,' 'posted' or 'no trespassing' signs, not exceeding two square feet per face.
- One on-premises sign, either freestanding or attached, in connection with any residential building for permitted professional offices or home occupations, not exceeding two square feet, set back at least 10 feet from the highway right-of-way, stating the name and profession or vocation only, and illumination shall not produce a direct glare beyond the property line.
- Numbers and nameplates identifying residents, mounted on a house, apartment or mailbox, not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Lawn signs identifying residents, not exceeding one square foot or two square feet if double-faced, nonilluminated except by a lamppost integral to the support, and no advertising message.
- Private-owner merchandise sale signs for garage sales, yard sales, auctions and the like, not exceeding four square feet for a period not exceeding seven days.
- Temporary, nonilluminated 'for sale,' 'for rent' and real estate signs and signs of similar nature on the premises, in residential districts not exceeding four square feet per side, in business or industrial districts not exceeding 50 square feet, set back at least 15 feet from property lines, to be removed within three days after closing sale or effective date of lease/rental.
- One temporary sign for a roadside stand selling agricultural produce grown on the premises in season, not exceeding 16 square feet, set back at least 10 feet from the public right-of-way, removed within three days after the produce is no longer offered for sale.
- Temporary, nonilluminated window signs and posters not exceeding 25% of the window surface.
- Christmas holiday decorations, including lighting, are exempt from the chapter and may be displayed in any district without a permit from three days before Thanksgiving through the first full week of the following year.
- At gasoline stations: integral graphics or attached price signs on pumps; two auxiliary signs per station not exceeding two square feet each; one portable sign per station not exceeding 12 square feet and four feet in height.
- Temporary directional signs for meetings, conventions and other assemblies, may not be displayed more than three days prior to the event, to be removed within three days after conclusion of the event.
- One sign not exceeding six square feet in residential districts or 16 square feet in business districts, listing architect, engineer, contractor and/or owner, on premises where construction, renovation or repair is in progress, to be removed within three days of completion.
- Political posters, banners, promotional devices and similar signs, not exceeding four square feet in residential districts or 16 square feet in business districts, provided placement does not exceed 30 days with 11 months between periods, and names/addresses of sponsor and remover are identified.
- Exempt signs must comply with general requirements of the chapter and other pertinent regulations, but are exempt from permits and fees.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for the erection, alteration, or relocation of any sign unless specifically exempted; applications must include elevation and plan drawings, full description of placement and appearance, and owner consent if applicable.
- No permit is required for a sign to be repainted, repaired, or to have its message changed after the initial application.
- Temporary signs (unless exempted) require a permit and cash deposit to ensure removal at permit expiration.
- Appeals and variances from sign requirements may be sought from the Board of Trustees following zoning regulations procedures.
- No explicit master sign plan or coordinated sign plan is required by the ordinance; however, shopping centers with four or more contiguous stores or with 20,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area must coordinate attached signs in material, shape, lettering, color, and decorative elements (implying internal sign coordination but not a formal master plan submission).

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Mount Morris, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Mount+Morris+NY&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-mount-morris

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/mount-morris