# Sign Regulations in Rochester Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Rochester Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/rochester-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12721736#12721736)

## At a glance

Rochester Town, New York regulates 34 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Residential Districts (R-1, R-2) zoning district are capped at 15 feet tall and No individual sign to exceed 32 square feet, with a Signs exceeding 24 square feet must be set back at least 5 feet from front and side lot lines, except as provided for official traffic signs and H Districts. (140-21D(2)) setback (Sec. Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Freestanding). Most commercial signs in Rochester Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2) | 22 | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Hamlet and Rural District (H & R-5) | 28 | 36 feet (pole height) | 64 square feet/unit/lot aggregate | — |
| All Other Districts (AR-3, AB-3, B, I and NR) | 28 | 7 feet | 64 square feet/unit/lot aggregate | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential Districts (R-1, R-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bus Shelter Sign | — | 10 square feet per sign | — | — | 2 per shelter or lot | Bus shelters | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Entrance/Exit Sign | 5 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | Parking lot entrance/exit | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Directional Sign | 7 feet | 8 square feet per sign, 16 square feet aggregate | — | — | — | Parking lot | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Sports Patron Advertising Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Sports venues | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Multifamily Building Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Residential Development Entrance Ground Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 2 per road | Development entrance | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet | No individual sign to exceed 32 square feet | — | Signs exceeding 24 square feet must be set back at least 5 feet from front and side lot lines, except as provided for official traffic signs and H Districts. (140-21D(2)) | — | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Freestanding |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 square feet per unit/lot aggregate | — | — | — | On building facade | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, Residential Districts (R-1, R-2), Wall Signs |

### Hamlet and Rural District (H & R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bus Shelter Sign | — | 10 square feet per sign | — | — | 2 per shelter or lot | Bus shelters | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Entrance/Exit Sign | 5 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | Parking lot entrance/exit | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Directional Sign | 7 feet | 8 square feet per sign, 16 square feet aggregate | — | — | — | Parking lot | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Sandwich Board or A-frame Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | 1 | Within 10 feet of principal building entrance | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Sports Patron Advertising Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Sports venues | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Multifamily Building Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Residential Development Entrance Ground Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 2 per road | Development entrance | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Projecting Sign - Nonresidential Use Identification | 10 feet above sidewalk/ground | 32 square feet per sign | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, H & R-5, Signs Allowed with Permits |

### All Other Districts (AR-3, AB-3, B, I and NR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bus Shelter Sign | — | 10 square feet per sign | — | — | 2 per shelter or lot | Bus shelters | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Entrance/Exit Sign | 5 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | Parking lot entrance/exit | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Parking Lot Directional Sign | 7 feet | 8 square feet per sign, 16 square feet aggregate | — | — | — | Parking lot | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Sandwich Board or A-frame Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | 1 | Within 10 feet of principal building entrance | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Sports Patron Advertising Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | — | Sports venues | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed Without Permits |
| Multifamily Building Sign | — | 4 square feet per sign | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Residential Development Entrance Ground Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 2 per road | Development entrance | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed with Permits |
| Changeable Letter/Fuel Price Sign | — | 36 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | Schedule of Sign Regulations, All Other Districts, Signs Allowed with Permits |

## Prohibited signs in Rochester Town

- No part of any sign shall project above the top or beyond the ends of the wall surface on which it is located. Signs shall also not extend above the roofline of the building to which they are attached.
- No sign shall exceed a height equal to one-half its distance from a road right-of-way, regardless of other height limitations.
- Advertising signs shall not be designed in a manner that could be interpreted by a motorist as being a public safety warning or traffic sign.
- No sign shall be attached to a utility pole.
- Portable signs, except as provided herein, shall be subject to all freestanding sign regulations.
- Signs should not present an overhead danger or obstacle to persons below.
- No owner of any sign or lessee or owner of any land upon which the sign is located shall permit such sign to become unsafe, unsightly or in disrepair so as to endanger the public or to become a public nuisance.
- Signs shall be internally lighted or illuminated only by a steady, stationary (except for time and temperature reading) and shielded light source directed solely at the sign, with minimal spillover of light past the sign and without causing glare for motorists, pedestrians or neighboring premises.
- Any sign located within the boundaries of the Catskill Park shall be subject to the provisions of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law.

## Signs exempt from permit in Rochester Town

- Traffic directional signs shall be exempt from these regulations.
- Governmental signs are allowed without permits in all zones.
- Holiday decorations are allowed without permits in all zones.
- Interior signs not classified as window signs are allowed without permits in all zones.
- Warning of danger signs removed within 3 days of end of danger are allowed without permits in all zones.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs shall meet the standards herein and on the attached Schedule of Sign Regulations.
- Application for permits, where needed, shall be made to the Building Inspector together with any fees required.
- Written consent of property owners shall also be provided.
- Applications not requiring Planning Board review shall be acted upon within 30 days of receipt.
- Applications submitted to the Planning Board shall be acted upon within 45 days of receipt.
- Discretionary signs subject to Planning Board review shall be approved, approved with modifications or disapproved based on design criteria.

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

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