# Sign Regulations in North Syracuse, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Syracuse, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/north-syracuse
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10881285#10881285)

## At a glance

North Syracuse, New York regulates 29 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the C-1 Zone zoning district are capped at 25 feet tall and 30 square feet, with a At least 15 feet from street right-of-way and 10 feet from other lot lines (§240-33C(2)) setback (Sec. §240-33G(1), §240-33C(4)(b)). Most commercial signs in North Syracuse require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 23 | — | 50% of the gross surface area of the face of the awning | — |
| Residential District, RM Zone, R-SR Zone, R-9 Zone | 2 | 25 feet | 24 square feet | — |
| C-1 Zone | 4 | 25 feet | 30 square feet | — |
| C-2 Zone, Planned Development District (PD) | 5 | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| C-3 Zone | 3 | 6 feet | 24 square feet viewing area | — |
| C-T Zone | 4 | 6 feet | 24 square feet viewing area | — |
| C-2A Zone | 1 | — | — | — |
| R-9 Zone | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Political Sign | — | 16 square feet per face | — | — | — | Not attached to public utility poles, street sign poles, etc.; approval required from occupant/property owner. | — | §240-33F(1) |
| Construction Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Premises where work is under construction | — | §240-33F(3) |
| Directional Sign (Residential Zone) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | Private property | — | §240-33F(4) |
| Directional Sign (Commercial / PD Zone) | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Private property | — | §240-33F(4) |
| Home-Grown Agricultural Product Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | Displayed on a residence | — | §240-33F(5) |
| Household and Personal Goods Sale Sign (Off-premises) | — | 4 square feet per face | — | — | 2 | Off the street; not on any property without prior permission. | — | §240-33F(6)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Zone) | — | 6.5 square feet | — | — | 2 | On property being sold or leased | — | §240-33F(9)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign (Commercial Zone) | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 2 | On property being sold or leased | — | §240-33F(9)(a) |

### C-1 Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 30 square feet | — | At least 15 feet from street right-of-way and 10 feet from other lot lines (§240-33C(2)) | 1 | — | — | §240-33G(1), §240-33C(4)(b) |
| Monument Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet viewing area | — | — | — | On grade | — | §240-33G(6), §240-33C(4)(b) |
| Freestanding Time and Temperature Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §240-33G(5), §240-33C(4)(b)(4) |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | §240-33G(8) |

### C-2 Zone, Planned Development District (PD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 50 square feet | — | At least 15 feet from street right-of-way and 10 feet from other lot lines (§240-33C(2)) | 1 | — | — | §240-33G(2), §240-33C(4)(b) |
| Monument Sign | 6 feet | 24 square feet viewing area | — | — | — | On grade | — | §240-33G(6), §240-33C(4)(b) |
| Freestanding Time and Temperature Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §240-33G(5), §240-33C(4)(b)(4) |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | §240-33G(8) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | 15 feet from ROW; must clear grade by 10 feet | 1 | On vertical surface; not permitted if a freestanding sign is also on property; set back 15 feet from ROW; shall not project more than 4 feet from building, minimum 6 inches from wall | — | §240-33I(1)-(4) |

## Prohibited signs in North Syracuse

- No unauthorized person shall remove, mutilate or interfere with any lights, warning signals, barriers erected for public safety, any street sign, or any monument placed to locate public improvements within the Village.
- Any sign or signs erected must not exceed 10 items of information per face (with limited exceptions for names with more than 10 items of information and no other info).
- No freestanding sign shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to project over or above any street. All freestanding signs must be set back at least 15 feet from any street right-of-way and at least 10 feet from any other lot line.
- Illuminated signs in residential districts are prohibited except for street address signs, doctors' signs, worship places, holiday displays, and public safety signs.
- All illuminated signs or lighting devices must employ lights of constant intensity and cannot create glare or reflection constituting a traffic hazard or nuisance.
- Use of unshielded lighting (including unshielded bulbs hung or strung) to illuminate signs is prohibited.
- Flashing signs are generally prohibited, except time and temperature signs may have intermittent display for time and temperature.
- A-frame signs, except as a temporary sign, are prohibited.
- Banners, pennants, streamers, balloons and other gas-filled figures, except as a temporary sign, are prohibited.
- Billboards and off-premises signs are prohibited (except as specifically regulated in separate sections).
- Home occupation signs are prohibited.
- Moving and flashing signs which flash, revolve, rotate, swing, undulate, or otherwise attract attention through movement or flashing, including automatic electronic copy changes or with impression of movement or flashing (except temporary signs), are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited except as a temporary sign subject to specific provisions.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs on parked vehicles, trailers, or public right-of-way/properties for advertising are prohibited; exception made when incidental to the vehicle's primary use or for-sale signs for that vehicle.
- Signs affixed to trees or living vegetation are prohibited.
- Signs attached or applied to utility poles, bus shelters, benches, trash receptacles, newspaper vending machines, or unapproved structures on public property or rights-of-way are prohibited.
- Signs imitating traffic control devices or obstructing/interfering/confusing authorized traffic controls are prohibited.
- Signs that obstruct free ingress/egress from fire escape, door, window, or exitway are prohibited.
- Signs with untruthful or misleading information are prohibited.
- Signs or structures constituting a hazard to public safety or health are prohibited.
- Obsolete signs or supports no longer advertising a bona fide business or product, as per defined removal requirements, are prohibited.
- All nonconforming signs prohibited by this chapter must be removed or altered to conform when the business or sign is changed, or when more than 50% damaged. Nonconforming signs may not be enlarged, altered, or replaced to continue/increase nonconformity.
- Illuminated signs and those with electrical wiring must comply with applicable codes, rules, and regulations.
- Electronic message signs are allowed only as freestanding signs, not as projecting, roof, awning, marquee, or canopy signs.
- Electronic message signs must have static display with permitted transitions only (fade/dissolve/static); movement, optical illusion, flashing, full animation, or video is prohibited.
- No electronic message sign may include audio or sound-producing devices.
- No advertising on electronic message signs is allowed except information specific to the permitted business.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Syracuse

- Any sign with an area of one square foot or less is exempt from regulation.
- Signs not visible off the lot on which they are situated are exempt from regulation.
- Traffic signs, legal notices, and signs for public safety or welfare placed by a government agency are exempt.
- Street numerals (no larger than 12 inches), identification less than 1.5 inches high, and federally/state/local law-mandated signs are excluded from the sign item count and some sign calculations.
- Political signs do not require a permit and are permitted in all districts, subject to size/duration rules.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Electronic signs: New electronic signs are subject to site plan approval as required by § 240-69; replacing an existing sign with an electronic sign (same location/size) is exempt from site plan approval but still requires permit approval by the Codes Enforcement Officer.
- Any request exceeding the legal limits of the section must be referred to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- All shopping center wall signs must conform to an overall scheme or arrangement design, subject to approval by the Planning Commission (materials, lighting, sign location, size).
- Subdivision signs must be approved by the Planning Commission.
- Billboard and off-premises sign applications must be reviewed by the Planning Commission (with submission to the Onondaga County Planning Board) in addition to Code Enforcement Officer review; Planning Commission may impose conditions and time-limit for approvals.
- All signs: permit application must be submitted with required details to the Codes Enforcement Officer, including drawings, location plans, and other details; permit is required for most signs except specified exemptions (e.g., political signs, some real estate signs, some open-house signs).

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

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