# Sign Regulations in Walden, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Walden, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/walden
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14618051#14618051)

## At a glance

Walden, New York regulates 29 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Professional Announcement Signs in the Business B-4 zoning district are capped at 6 ft above ground tall and 2 sq ft, with a 15 ft from all property lines setback (Sec. §305-35A, §305-35D-E, Table (§305-34)). Most commercial signs in Walden require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential | 5 | 6 ft above ground level | 24 sq ft | — |
| Business B-4 | 6 | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Business B-1, Business B-2, Business B-3, MX Mixed Use District | 9 | 18 ft | 35% of window area (opaque signs) | — |
| Industrial, OLI | 5 | 8 ft from ground | Cumulative max 60 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | 20 ft pole | 150 sq ft per face | — |

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

### Business B-4

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Announcement Sign | 6 ft above ground | 2 sq ft | — | 15 ft from all property lines | 1 per public street frontage | On building wall or in required front yard with at least 15 ft setback from property lines | — | §305-35A, §305-35D-E, Table (§305-34) |
| Identification Sign - Wall | — | 2 sq ft per horizontal foot of building wall | 75% of building wall’s horizontal measurement, or 90% if wall is 20 ft or less | — | 1 wall sign per public street frontage | Attached/incorporated in building wall | — | §305-36B(1)-(6), Table (§305-34) |
| Identification Sign - Detached Pole or Monument | 18 ft | 40 sq ft | — | At least 20 ft from property line or average setback | 1 per public street frontage | May be erected only where building setback is 40 ft or greater from street line; at least 20 ft from property line (or average of setbacks if less than 10 ft front setback for block) | — | §305-36C(1)-(4), Table (§305-34) |
| Projecting Sign | Not above cornice between 2nd/3rd floor, or 15 ft above ground if no 2nd floor | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per storefront per street frontage | One per storefront/street frontage (< 4 ft from building or <1/2 sidewalk width); min 8 ft clearance above pedestrian areas, min. 15 ft from building corner at intersection | — | §305-36E(1)-(8) |
| Real Estate "For Sale" or "For Rent" Sign or Construction Sign | — | 8 sq ft (single lot/building), 24 sq ft (subdivision) | — | 5 ft min from property line | 1 per public street frontage (single lots/buildings); 2 subdivision signs per public street frontage | At least 5 ft from property line | — | §305-39A, §305-41L(8), Table (§305-34) |
| Temporary Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §305-41K, Table (§305-34) |

### Business B-1, Business B-2, Business B-3, MX Mixed Use District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Announcement Sign | 6 ft above ground | 2 sq ft | — | 15 ft from property lines | 1 per public street frontage | On building wall or in required front yard at least 15 ft from property lines | — | §305-35A, Table (§305-34) |
| Identification Sign - Wall | — | 2 sq ft per horizontal foot of building wall | 75% of building wall's horizontal measurement | — | 1 wall sign per public street frontage | Attached/incorporated on building wall | — | §305-37A, §305-37C |
| Identification Sign - Monument | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 10 ft from street line | 1 monument sign per public street frontage | If building is set back at least 30 ft from street line; at least 10 ft from street line | — | §305-37H(1)-(5) |
| Identification Sign - Detached Pole | 18 ft | 30 sq ft | — | 15 ft from property line or average setback | 1 detached pole sign per public street frontage | If building is set back at least 30 ft from street line; at least 15 ft from property line (or average if front setback < 10 ft on block) | — | §305-37I(1)-(4) |
| Projecting Sign | Not above cornice between 2nd/3rd floor, or 15 ft above ground if no 2nd floor | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per storefront per street frontage | No more than 1 per storefront per street; extends max 4 ft from building or 1/2 sidewalk width, min 8 ft clearance over pedestrian area, not within 15 ft of corner | — | §305-37D(1)-(8) |
| Window Sign | — | 35% of window area (opaque signs) | — | — | 1 per window | One per window | — | §305-37E(1)-(2) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed flat to front of awning | — | §305-37G(1)-(9) |
| Real Estate "For Sale" or "For Rent" Sign or Construction Sign | — | 8 sq ft (single lot/building), 24 sq ft (subdivision) | — | 5 ft min from property line | 1 per public street frontage for single lots/buildings; 2 subdivision signs per frontage | Minimum 5 ft from property line | — | §305-39A, §305-41L(8), Table (§305-34) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 sq ft | 2 ft | — | 1 per business | Must not impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic; must be removed daily | — | §305-41L(1) |
| Historical Marker/Tablet/Statue/Memorial Sign/Plaque/Emblem | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §305-41L(2) |
| On-Premises Directional Sign | 4 ft | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | — | — | — | §305-41L(4) |
| Resident Nameplate | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | — | — | House, apartment or mailbox | — | §305-41L(6) |
| Gasoline Pump Price Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Attached to gasoline pump | — | §305-41L(10) |
| Construction Listing Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per construction site | Premises where work is in progress | — | §305-41L(12) |
| Analog Clock | 20 ft pole | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | Mounted on pole | — | §305-41L(13) |
| Rear Building Identification Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per business | Rear of building where public entrance exists | — | §305-41M |

## Prohibited signs in Walden

- No sign shall be located so that it constitutes a hazard to vehicular traffic.
- The outlining by direct illumination of all or part of a building (such as gable, roof, wall, side, or corner) is prohibited.
- Temporary or permanent signs resting on or attached to vehicles shall not be used to circumvent the provisions of this code.
- Signs with intermittent or flashing lights are prohibited.
- Signs painted on the side of a building are prohibited.
- Off-premises billboards are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited except those specifically permitted by the Board of Trustees.
- Moving or animated signs are prohibited.
- Internally illuminated signs or awnings are prohibited.
- Signs which may obstruct Village security cameras are prohibited.
- Off-premises real estate 'for sale' signs are prohibited.
- Digital time-and-temperature signs are prohibited.
- No fluorescent colors are permitted on awnings.
- Painting over existing awnings is prohibited.
- Signs are prohibited in the Village-owned parks known as Firemen’s Triangle Park located at Scofield Street and Orchard Street and McKinley Monument Park located at Orange Avenue and East Main Street.
- Signs violating the code are subject to removal or penalties as provided in the ordinance.
- Number and nameplates identifying residents must not exceed 1.5 square feet in area.
- Political yard signs and banners must comply with other general requirements.
- No sign may project from an awning.

## Signs exempt from permit in Walden

- Sandwich board signs (one per business, not exceeding six square feet in area or two feet in width, and must be removed at the close of each business day; shall not impede traffic).
- Historical markers, tablets, statues, memorial signs and plaques, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze, stainless steel or similar material, and emblems installed by governmental agencies or religious/nonprofit organizations (not exceeding six square feet).
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion; limited to 150 square feet per face.
- On-premises directional signs for public convenience (public parking, fire zones, entrances/exits, etc.), internally illuminated or nonilluminated, not exceeding four square feet per face and four feet in height; no business names allowed.
- Nonilluminated warning, private drive, posted, or no trespassing signs not exceeding two square feet per face.
- Number and nameplates identifying residents mounted on house, apartment or mailbox not exceeding 1.5 square feet in area.
- Private owner merchandise sale signs (garage sales, auctions) not exceeding four 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 as per ordinance.
- Holiday decorations, including lighting.
- Gasoline price signs attached to gasoline pumps not exceeding two square feet.
- Temporary on-premises directional signs for meetings, conventions, and other assemblies not exceeding four square feet.
- One sign (not exceeding 10 square feet) listing architect, engineer, contractor and/or owner on premises where construction, renovation, or repair is in progress.
- On-premises analog clocks not exceeding 24 square feet and mounted on a pole not exceeding 20 feet in height.
- Political yard signs and banners.
- Customary 'open' or 'closed' and 'out to lunch' signs not exceeding two square feet in size.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All permanent identification signs in business, mixed use, industrial and OLI districts are subject to review by the Architectural Review Board.
- Erection, alteration, or relocation of any sign requires first filing an application and obtaining approval from the Architectural Review Board.
- Applications for special event signs must be submitted to the Village Board at least 30 days prior to placement; such signs require Village Board approval (with exceptions possible for special circumstances).
- Registration of all existing signs is required within six months of the effective date to establish/document all conforming and nonconforming signs.
- Nonconforming signs must be brought into compliance or removed upon subsequent applications for site plan approval, amendment, modification, or building permit.
- Sign permit applications must include location, elevation plan, placement and appearance, method of illumination, graphic design, and content of the sign.
- Preexisting nonconforming signs may be maintained, but if altered, relocated, or replaced, must comply immediately with all current provisions.
- Sign directories (freestanding off-premises) must be authorized by the Village Board.
- Temporary signs and banners require a sign permit and must indicate dates of display and responsible contact person.

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

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