# Sign Regulations in Tonawanda Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Tonawanda Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/tonawanda-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10932669#10932669)

## At a glance

Tonawanda Town, New York regulates 22 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the MU-N, MU-GC, CF, OS zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall and 24 square feet, with a 15 feet setback (Sec. §215-34.18C). Most commercial signs in Tonawanda Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1, R-2, MR | 2 | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — |
| MU-N, MU-GC, CF, OS | 5 | 4 feet | 50% of awning valence area | — |
| MU-W, MU-I, GI | 5 | 15 feet above roof (site of attachment) | 40 square feet | — |
| Nonresidential Districts (MU-N, MU-GC, CF, OS, MU-W, MU-I, GI) | 4 | 30 feet | 120 square feet (60 square feet each) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 45 feet | 672 square feet; up to 20% additional for temporary embellishments | — |

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

### MU-N, MU-GC, CF, OS

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 4 feet | 24 square feet | — | 15 feet | 1 per lot | On lot with principal structure set back at least 15 feet; 15-foot minimum setback | — | §215-34.18C |
| Wall Sign | 4 feet | 3 square feet per foot of building frontage or 300 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | 1 per use | On wall of building | — | §215-34.18I |
| Projecting Sign | 2 feet | — | — | — | 1 per use | Attached to a building, projects more than 12 inches from building | — | §215-34.18F |
| Suspended Sign | 2 feet | — | — | — | 1 per use | Attached under horizontal plane/canopy | — | §215-34.18H |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | — | 50% of awning valence area | — | — | 1 per awning/canopy structure, max 2 per use | On valence area of awning/canopy | — | §215-34.18A |

### MU-W, MU-I, GI

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — | 15 feet | 1 per building | On lot with principal structure set back at least 15 feet; 15-foot minimum setback | — | §215-34.18C |
| Wall Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet per foot of building frontage | — | — | 1 per facade | On wall of building | — | §215-34.18I |
| Projecting Sign | 3 feet | — | — | — | 1 per use | Attached to a building, projects more than 12 inches from building | — | §215-34.18F |
| Suspended Sign | 3 feet | — | — | — | 1 per use | Attached under horizontal plane/canopy | — | §215-34.18H |
| Roof Sign | 15 feet above roof (site of attachment) | — | — | — | 1 per building | Supported on top of building or structure | — | §215-34.18G |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 feet | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 per use | Nonresidential districts only; may be permitted in public right-of-way on review | — | §215-34.13A |
| Directional Sign (Residential Districts) | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | See size restrictions | Entirely on the property to which they pertain | — | §215-34.13B |
| Directional Sign (Nonresidential Districts) | 3 feet | 12 square feet | — | — | See size restrictions | Entirely on the property to which they pertain | — | §215-34.13B |
| Lawn Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | See size restriction | On any lot | — | §215-34.13E |
| Neon Sign | — | 15% of window area | — | — | 3 per use | Mounted internally, located within a designated window area, nonresidential districts only | — | §215-34.13G |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of window area | — | — | — | On or within three feet of glass or other window material, visible from public place | — | §215-34.18J |
| Billboard Sign | 45 feet | 672 square feet; up to 20% additional for temporary embellishments | — | Minimum 50 feet from residential districts; follow district setbacks, 10 feet ground clearance | See spacing limitation | Minimum 50 feet from residential districts; not within public right-of-way | — | §215-34.18B |
| Posted - Private Land Warning Sign | — | At least 11 inches square | At least 11 inches | — | — | At property boundaries | — | §199-5 |

## Prohibited signs in Tonawanda Town

- No sign may be erected, altered, reconstructed, displayed, owned, maintained or operated except as provided by this article.
- Any sign for which no sign permit was issued, for which a sign permit was revoked, or any other sign not explicitly authorized is prohibited.
- Any sign that is not properly maintained, structurally unsound, hazardous, or unsafe is prohibited.
- Any sign on a utility pole, tree, rock, ledge or other natural feature, whether on public or private property, is prohibited.
- Any sign that is no longer applicable or relevant to the use of the premises is prohibited.
- Any sign that is located off-premise from the use and/or structure to which it serves, except for billboards as provided by the ordinance, is prohibited.
- Any sign that contains obscene or pornographic words or pictures is prohibited.
- Any sign that emits audible sounds, odor, or visible matter is prohibited.
- Any sign that may be confused with a traffic control device, or which hides from public view any traffic or street sign, device, or signal, is prohibited.
- Any sign that flashes, blinks, rotates, or revolves, or uses unshielded lighting devices, mirrors, or reflective materials is prohibited.
- Any sign that is mounted on wheels or mounted on any structure on wheels is prohibited.
- Any sign placed on or affixed to a motor vehicle or trailer parked for the primary purpose of serving as signage is prohibited.
- Any permanent sign on an undeveloped site, except for subdivision signs, is prohibited.
- Any sign overhanging, encroaching upon, or located within the public right-of-way except as provided by the ordinance is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tonawanda Town

- Normal maintenance and repair of a sign not involving structure changes, including repainting, repairing, changing of parts, or cleaning, do not require a sign permit.
- Changes to the content or message of a sign, provided no change is made to the type, size, design, illumination, location, or other physical sign feature; a zoning permit may still be required.
- Changes in the sign user, owner, or owner of the property do not require a new sign permit.
- A-frame signs in nonresidential districts that meet specific requirements do not require a permit.
- Freestanding directional and incidental signs (including address, warning, hours, etc.) meeting size and location criteria are exempt from permit.
- Governmental signs erected and maintained pursuant to official function, or required by law, are exempt from permit.
- Flags, emblems, or insignias of the U.S., New York, other countries and states, the United Nations, or similar organizations are exempt from permit.
- Internal signs within a building not legible from the public right-of-way or adjacent lots, or within enclosed outdoor spaces, are exempt from permit.
- Lawn signs on any lot that meet height, size, duration, and illumination restrictions are exempt from permit.
- Memorial or historic signs, including those cut in masonry or constructed of bronze or other noncombustible material, are exempt from permit.
- Neon signs mounted internally within a designated window area in nonresidential districts, meeting size and quantity limits, are exempt from permit.
- Permits are not required for signs listed in §215-34.13, and their area and number are not counted toward compliance calculations, although all other ordinance requirements still apply.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer for any sign to be erected, enlarged, altered, rebuilt, extended, relocated, or used, except for exempted sign types listed in §215-34.13.
- Permit requirements for each sign type (e.g., awning, billboard, ground, marquee, pole, projecting, roof, suspended, wall, temporary signs) are indicated in a regulatory table (§215-34.3C).
- An amended or new sign permit is required for any modification, relocation, alteration, or replacement of an existing permitted sign.
- Sign permit applications require specific drawings, site plans, illumination plans, and other details as listed in §215-34.4.
- Application materials may be required to be prepared by a licensed engineer or sign professional if deemed necessary by the Code Enforcement Officer.
- Sign permits expire if the sign is not constructed within 180 days, with possible extensions.
- A variance from the article's requirements may be sought by application to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- The Planning Board reviews and approves location, dimensional, and illumination requirements for marquee signs, and for painted wall signs or wall signs exceeding maximum size.
- A plan for removal and restoration of the building or site must be included in the sign permit application.

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

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