# Sign Regulations in Urbana Town, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Urbana Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/urbana-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31972902#31972902)

## At a glance

Urbana Town, New York regulates 18 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Business Districts zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 100 sq ft per side for double-faced sign, with a 15 ft side property, 50 ft from other freestanding signs, min 10 ft from property line (Title 105) setback (Sec. §86-9E, §86-8A(2)(b), (3)(b), §105-34B). Most commercial signs in Urbana Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural Districts | 4 | 20 ft (cumulative for all signs and structure per lot above road grade) | 100 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — |
| Business Districts | 7 | 25 ft (cumulative for all signs) | 150 sq ft total (75 sq ft per side) | — |
| Industrial Districts | 3 | 25 ft (cumulative for all signs and structure per lot above grade) | 150 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — |
| Residential Districts | 5 | 6 ft (cumulative—all signs and supporting structure above grade) | 32 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | Post: up to 10 ft in height above grade | 450 sq ft | — |

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

### Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Permanent Signs | 25 ft (cumulative for all signs) | 100 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — | — | Max 3 per business, max 1 freestanding | On-premise | — | §86-8A(1–3), §86-8B(2)(a), §86-3, §86-4, §86-5 |
| Freestanding Sign – Common for Shopping Center | Bottom panel not more than 8 ft above grade | 150 sq ft total (75 sq ft per side) | — | — | One common sign for center | On-premise (at shopping center) | — | §86-8B(2)(a) |
| Wall/Projecting/Soffit Signs | 25 ft (cumulative per lot) | 100 sq ft (part of cumulative total per business) | — | — | Part of 3 sign total per business | Attached to building | — | §86-8A, §86-8B(2)(a), §86-9C |
| Representational Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | Attached to building, not more than 5 ft projection | — | §86-8B(2)(b), §105-34C |
| Illuminated (Time/Temp/Date/Public Service) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premise | — | §86-8B(2)(c) |
| Temporary or Portable Sign | — | 72 sq ft | — | — | — | Not in public right-of-way or attached to fences, trees, utility poles etc. | — | §86-9A(1-2), §86-6J, §105-34J, §105-34K |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per side for double-faced sign | — | 15 ft side property, 50 ft from other freestanding signs, min 10 ft from property line (Title 105) | Max 1 per business within 3 sign total | No freestanding sign shall be located within the right-of-way, nor less than 15 ft from a side property line, nor be located less than 50 ft from any other freestanding sign | — | §86-9E, §86-8A(2)(b), (3)(b), §105-34B |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Permanent Signs | 6 ft (cumulative—all signs and supporting structure above grade) | 32 sq ft (cumulative per lot) | — | — | Max 3 per nonresidential use, only 1 freestanding | On-premise | — | §86-8A, §86-8B, §105-34A, §86-5 |
| Freestanding Sign (Permitted nonresidential uses) | 6 ft (per general), but specific sign 5 ft for ground signs under Zoning §105-34A(1) | 16 sq ft | — | 15 ft from property boundaries (Title 86); 10 ft (Title 105) – use more restrictive. | 1 per permitted nonresidential use | On-premise | — | §86-8B(1)(a), §105-34A(1) |
| Projecting Sign (Permitted nonresidential uses) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per permitted nonresidential use | Attached to nonresidential building | — | §86-8B(1)(a), §86-9D, §105-34A(1) |
| Wall Sign (Permitted nonresidential uses) | — | 30 sq ft (aggregate total face area per property) (from Zoning §105-34A(1)) | — | — | — | On-principal building (parallel to wall) | — | §105-34A(1), §86-9C |
| Temporary or Portable Sign (Event/Activity) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | Not in right-of-way, not attached to trees, fences, poles, etc. | — | §86-8B(1)(c), §86-9A(1), §105-34J, §105-34K |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Window Sign | — | 25% of window area, max 4 sq ft | — | — | One per window, max 2 per business | Interior, visible from exterior | — | §86-9F(1) |
| Sign Directory | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §86-9F(2) |
| Awning Sign | — | Counts against permitted wall sign surface area | — | — | — | On awning | — | §86-9F(3) |
| Copy-Change Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §86-2 (definition), §86-7C |
| Representational Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per establishment | On building | — | §105-34C |
| Billboard | — | 450 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §105-34D |
| Off-Premises Directional (OPD) Sign | Post: up to 10 ft in height above grade | 36 in x 12 in (3 sq ft per sign) | — | 15 ft from adjoining property, 100 ft from intersections | Max 6 per business | With owner's written permission, not within 15 ft of adjoining property line, not closer than 100 ft from intersections | — | §86-13A-G |

## Prohibited signs in Urbana Town

- No sign in any district shall be placed or located as to obstruct the right-of-way of any public highway or roadway.
- No off-premises signs shall be allowed, other than as permitted under the exempt signs provision or under the off-premises directional signs provisions.
- No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating or revolving 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 the motorist at a street corner or intersection by placement and location within right-of-way of the intersection of the street or highway lines.
- No sign or sign supports that exceed five feet above the roof line shall be placed upon the roof of any building.
- No sign shall consist of banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices.
- No advertising message shall be extended over more than one sign.
- All signs shall comply with applicable construction standards and be securely anchored, clean, neatly painted, and free from hazards.
- All signs must bear the permit number, permanently and visibly displayed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Urbana Town

- Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial signs and plaques; names and dates of buildings; and nonadvertising on-premises signs installed by religious or nonprofit organizations, not exceeding six square feet.
- Signs, notices, or emblems installed by governmental bodies.
- Flags or insignias of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
- On-premises non-advertising directional signs for the convenience of the general public, identifying public parking areas, fire zones, entrances and exits, and similar signs not exceeding six square feet per face. Freestanding signs shall not exceed six feet in height. Business names and personal names shall be allowed, excluding advertising messages.
- Nonilluminated warning, private drive, posted or no-trespassing signs, not to exceed six square feet per face.
- One on-premises sign, either freestanding or attached, in connection with any residential building in any zoning district, for permitted professional offices or home occupations, not to exceed three square feet. Such sign shall state name and vocation only. Illumination shall not produce a direct glare beyond the limits of the property line.
- Number and name plates identifying residents, mounted on 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. Such signs are to be nonilluminated except by a light which is an integral part of a lamp post if used as a support, with no advertising message thereon.
- Private-owner merchandise sale signs for garage sales and auctions, not exceeding six square feet, for a period not exceeding seven days.
- Temporary, nonilluminated, 'for sale,' 'for rent,' real estate signs and signs of similar nature, concerning the premises upon which the sign is located.
- Two temporary signs for a roadside stand selling agricultural produce, in season, provided that such sign shall not exceed 32 square feet and shall not be located within any public right-of-way.
- Temporary, nonilluminated window signs and posters.
- Holiday decorations, including lighting, are exempt from the provisions of this chapter and may be displayed in any district without a permit.
- At gasoline stations: Integral graphic or attached price signs on gasoline pumps; Two auxiliary signs per station, each not exceeding six square feet; One portable sign per station, not exceeding 12 square feet and four feet in height.
- Directional signs for meetings, conventions, and other assemblies, each not exceeding six square feet, for the period from five days before until two days following the event.
- One sign, not exceeding six square feet in the residential districts nor 32 square feet in the business, industrial, and agricultural districts, listing the architect, engineer, contractor and/or owner, on premises where construction, renovation, or repair is in progress.
- Promotional signage, including banners, for nonbusiness public events of limited duration not exceeding 32 square feet in the residential districts nor 72 square feet in the business, industrial, and agricultural districts, providing placement shall not exceed 15 days before nor five days following the event and the names and addresses of the sponsors and persons responsible for removal are identified.
- Political posters, banners, and similar signs, not exceeding six square feet in the residential districts nor 32 square feet in the business, industrial, and agricultural districts, subject to placement and removal timeframes, setback requirements, and that such signage be freestanding and not affixed to utility/telephone poles.
- Display of one permanent sign by a permitted business for the purposes of displaying its product, providing such sign does not exceed 12 square feet.
- General repair or maintenance of any permitted sign does not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs in the Town of Urbana, other than those mentioned in Exempt Signs, shall require a sign permit and submission of an application including a plan, drawn to scale, with sign structure and placement details.
- A plan must be provided with each permit application, including scaled drawing and placement description.
- All signs may be subject to site plan review by the Planning Board.
- Nonconforming signs may require a variance to be maintained, with application to the Zoning Board of Appeals and a public hearing.
- Variances to chapter provisions must be requested through written application to the Town Clerk and acted on by the Board of Appeals after public notice and hearing.
- OPD (Off-Premises Directional) signs require completion of a specific application and permitting process.
- Section 105-34 references permit requirements for all signs and specifies renewal requirements.
- No separate mention of a Master Sign Plan requirement.

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

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