# Sign Regulations in Saugerties Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Saugerties Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/saugerties-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13646350#13646350)

## At a glance

Saugerties Town, New York regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. School/Institutional Freestanding Signs in the LDR District, MDR District, HDR District zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 24 sq ft per side, with a Set back at least 15 ft from highway ROW or 35 ft from highway center line, whichever is greater. setback (Sec. [§ 245-21D(5)](44766565#44766565)). Most commercial signs in Saugerties Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| LDR District, MDR District, HDR District | 8 | 8 ft | 25 sq ft per side if double-faced | — |
| RH District, GB District, HB District, RB District, I District, OLI District | 6 | 5 ft + 1 ft for each 2 ft additional setback from ROW, maximum 15 ft | 32 sq ft per face for single business; for multi-businesses, each may have max 12 sq ft, total max 96 sq ft | — |
| Residential District | 8 | 8 ft | 25 sq ft per side if double-faced | — |
| Commercial District | 5 | 5 ft + 1 ft for each 2 ft additional setback from ROW, maximum 15 ft | 32 sq ft per face for single business; for multi-businesses, each may have max 12 sq ft, total max 96 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### LDR District, MDR District, HDR District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Multiple-Dwelling Project Sign | — | 25 sq ft per side if double-faced | — | — | 1 per project | Permitted for multiple-dwelling projects | — | [§ 245-21D(1)](44766561#44766561) |
| Home Occupation Sign (Freestanding) | 5 ft above finished grade | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home occupation | Not in road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(2)](44766562#44766562) |
| Home Occupation Sign (Wall-Attached) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home occupation | Not in road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(2)](44766562#44766562) |
| Nonresidential Wall Sign | — | 12 sq ft per surface area | — | — | 1 per establishment | For nonresidential uses within these districts | — | [§ 245-21D(3)](44766563#44766563) |
| Agricultural Use Wall/Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per agricultural premises | Wall or freestanding sign, set back out of road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(4)](44766564#44766564) |
| Agricultural Use Sandwich Board/Chalk Board/Reader Board (Off-premises) | 4 ft | 9 sq ft per face, no more than 2 signs | — | — | 2 per agricultural premises | Off-premises, not more than 2 per agricultural premises | — | [§ 245-21D(4)](44766564#44766564) |
| School/Institutional Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft per side | — | Set back at least 15 ft from highway ROW or 35 ft from highway center line, whichever is greater. | 1 wall sign per use | On school/institutional property | — | [§ 245-21D(5)](44766565#44766565) |
| School/Institutional Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 24 sq ft per side | — | Set back at least 15 ft from highway ROW or 35 ft from highway center line, whichever is greater. | 1 freestanding sign per use | On school/institutional property | — | [§ 245-21D(5)](44766565#44766565) |

### RH District, GB District, HB District, RB District, I District, OLI District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Use Signs (Follow LDR/MDR/HDR rules) | — | — | — | — | — | Residential uses in these districts | — | [§ 245-21E(1),(3)](44766567#44766567) |
| Wall/Fascia Sign (Nonresidential, Over 6 sq ft) | — | — | — | — | 1 per viewshed | One wall/fascia sign per viewshed/road frontage per nonresidential use | — | [§ 245-21F](44766570#44766570) |
| Projecting/Awning Sign (Over 4 sq ft) | — | 15 sq ft per face | Projection: ≤ 5 ft from building face; distance between faces ≤ 12 in | — | 1 per frontage | One per frontage on a public right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21G](44766575#44766575) |
| Freestanding Sign (Over 6 sq ft) | 5 ft + 1 ft for each 2 ft additional setback from ROW, maximum 15 ft | 32 sq ft per face for single business; for multi-businesses, each may have max 12 sq ft, total max 96 sq ft | — | Principal building/setback at least 15 ft from ROW; sign at least 6 ft from property & 10 ft from ROW to be over 5 ft in height. | 1 per site | On site where principal building is set back at least 15 ft from ROW | — | [§ 245-21H](44766582#44766582) |
| Changing Message Sign (Conditional) | — | — | — | — | 1 per parcel | Permitted for not-for-profit, government, fire, safety, police & emergency only (see conditions); only one per parcel; not within 50 ft of signalized intersection; not within 400-500 ft of another such sign based on road speed | — | [§ 245-21H-1](44766586#44766586) |
| Roof Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | Only if no suitable location exists and approved by Planning Board | — | [§ 245-21I](44766602#44766602) |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Multiple-Dwelling Project Sign | — | 25 sq ft per side if double-faced | — | — | 1 per project | For multiple-dwelling projects | — | [§ 245-21D(1)](44766561#44766561) |
| Home Occupation Sign (Freestanding) | 5 ft above finished grade | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home occupation | Not in road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(2)](44766562#44766562) |
| Home Occupation Sign (Wall-Attached) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home occupation | Not in road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(2)](44766562#44766562) |
| Nonresidential Wall Sign (in Residential District) | — | 12 sq ft per surface area | — | — | 1 per establishment | For nonresidential uses within these districts | — | [§ 245-21D(3)](44766563#44766563) |
| Agricultural Use Wall/Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per agricultural premises | Wall or freestanding sign, set back out of road right-of-way | — | [§ 245-21D(4)](44766564#44766564) |
| Agricultural Use Sandwich Board/Chalk Board/Reader Board (Off-premises) | 4 ft | 9 sq ft per face, not to exceed 2 signs | — | — | 2 per agricultural premises | Off-premises | — | [§ 245-21D(4)](44766564#44766564) |
| School/Institutional Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft per side | — | Set back at least 15 ft from highway ROW or 35 ft from highway center line, whichever is greater. | 1 wall sign per use | On school/institutional property | — | [§ 245-21D(5)](44766565#44766565) |
| School/Institutional Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 24 sq ft per side | — | Set back at least 15 ft from highway ROW or 35 ft from highway center line, whichever is greater. | 1 freestanding sign per use | On school/institutional property | — | [§ 245-21D(5)](44766565#44766565) |

## Prohibited signs in Saugerties Town

- No person, firm or corporation shall erect, re-erect, construct, structurally alter, enlarge or relocate a sign or sign structure without first obtaining a permit, unless exempted.
- No sign shall be erected which may cause hazardous or unsafe conditions, as determined by the Building Inspector.
- No sign, other than official traffic signs or DOT-permitted signs, shall be erected within the right-of-way of any public street or state or county highway.
- No temporary signs are allowed on state rights-of-way (ROW) as stated in state law.
- No sign shall be erected in a manner that obstructs vision for drivers, misleads or confuses traffic, or could be confused with authorized traffic signs (including use of certain words, shapes, or colors).
- Off-premises signs, including billboards, are not permitted in any district.
- No sign shall project beyond property lines or over public sidewalk areas or vehicular traffic areas.
- No sign shall be located higher than the building to which it is attached.
- No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving lights except to show time, date and temperature.
- No sign shall contain any moving, revolving parts or scrolling messages.
- No sign shall impair or cause confusion of vehicular or pedestrian traffic in its design, color or placement.
- No sign shall consist of or be supplemented by banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices.
- No signs shall be attached to exempt signs.
- No signs shall be within 10 feet of a highway, road, street right-of-way.
- No signs shall be attached to utility poles.

## Signs exempt from permit in Saugerties Town

- Decorative banners not containing any words, labels, figures or descriptions.
- Public service signs: promotional and directional signs.
- Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial signs and plaques; names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of durable metals; emblems installed by governmental, religious, or nonprofit organizations not exceeding six square feet.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- On-premises directional signs for public convenience (public parking areas, fire zone, entrances and exits), not exceeding four square feet per face and six feet in height. Business and personal names permitted, advertising messages excluded.
- Number and nameplates identifying residences or home occupation businesses mounted on house, building, apartment or mailbox, not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Lawn signs identifying residences, not exceeding one square foot per side if double-faced; must be nonilluminated except by lamppost and have no advertising.
- Private-owner merchandise sale signs for garage sales and auctions (on-premises), not exceeding four square feet, for up to seven days in any one month.
- On-premises 'No Trespassing' or 'Private Property' or similar signs.
- Temporary, nonilluminated 'For Sale,' 'For Rent,' 'For Lease' real estate signs and similar, on the premises: one sign, not exceeding four square feet per side in residential districts; one sign not exceeding 50 square feet total in commercial districts, set back at least 15 feet from property lines.
- Temporary, nonilluminated window signs and posters not exceeding 25% of window surface.
- At gasoline stations, integral graphics or attached price signs on gasoline pumps.
- Directional signs for meetings, conventions and other assemblies.
- One sign listing architect, engineer, contractor, and/or owner, on premises where construction, renovation or repair is in progress: not exceeding six square feet in a residential district or 12 square feet in a commercial district.
- Political/social messages, banners and similar signs, as long as they are not placed on Town-owned property.
- An event or campaign sign, not exceeding 24 square feet in area, erected by a municipal, charitable, political, or nonprofit organization for up to 30 days.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Every application for a sign permit must be accompanied by plans to scale showing the area, location, and design of the sign in relation to property lines and nearby buildings, structures, or other signs, including materials, method of illumination, and statements indicating compliance with construction standards.
- Application for a sign permit must include a scale drawing of the sign (dimensions, design, content, location), construction notes, description or sample of predominant materials, and description of illumination method, if any.
- Permit is not required for repainting or maintenance of an existing sign.
- A sign permit is required for all signs unless specifically exempted.
- For roof signs, approval by the Planning Board is required based on a finding that no other suitable location for signage exists on the building or property.

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

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