# Sign Regulations in Baldwin Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Baldwin Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/baldwin-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/7028646#7028646)

## At a glance

Baldwin Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 20 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Single Building)s in the Nonresidential zoning districts, Commercial zoning districts zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 40 sq ft per sign face, with a min 5 ft from property line, 18 in from abutting street right-of-way (§168-420S(5)(b)) setback from the right-of-way (Sec. §168-420S(7)(b)[2][b], [2][c], [2][a], [2][f]). Most commercial signs in Baldwin Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential zoning districts | 3 | 4 ft | 30 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Nonresidential zoning districts, Commercial zoning districts | 7 | 10 ft | 60 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Industrial districts | 1 | 20 ft (structure + sign face) | 100 sq ft per sign face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 4 ft (except 1 attached to structure may be attached higher) | 32 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Sign (Home Occupation/No-Impact Home-Based Business) | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | 1 per home occupation/no-impact home-based business | On the building | — | §168-420S(6)(a)[1] |
| Monument Sign (Residential Development/Neighborhood Identification) | 4 ft | 18 sq ft per sign face | — | — | Not specified | At development/neighborhood entrance | — | §168-420S(6)(a)[2] |
| Monument Sign (Public Institutions/Churches/Schools/Publicly Owned or Operated Buildings) | 4 ft | 30 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 monument sign per property; 1 building sign per building | On institution property; may not obstruct traffic sight visibility | — | §168-420S(6)(a)[3] |

### Nonresidential zoning districts, Commercial zoning districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Single Building) | 10 ft | 40 sq ft per sign face | — | At least 10 ft from property/right-of-way line; monument signs: min 5 ft from property line, 18 in from abutting street right-of-way (§168-420S(5)(b)) | 1 per building | On property of single building | — | §168-420S(7)(b)[2][b], [2][c], [2][a], [2][f] |
| Freestanding Sign (Multiple Occupied Tenant Building) | 10 ft | 50 sq ft per sign face | — | At least 10 ft from property/right-of-way line; monument signs: min 5 ft from property line, 18 in from abutting street right-of-way (§168-420S(5)(b)) | 1 per building | On property of multi-tenant building | — | §168-420S(7)(b)[2][d] |
| Freestanding Sign (Two or More Buildings, Single Lot, Common Ownership) | 10 ft | 60 sq ft per sign face | — | At least 10 ft from property/right-of-way line; monument signs: min 5 ft from property line, 18 in from abutting street right-of-way (§168-420S(5)(b)) | 1 per lot | Per lot of common ownership | — | §168-420S(7)(b)[2][e] |
| Wall/Building/Awning/Canopy/Marquee Sign (Per Building) | — | 30 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building; 1 per tenant where Borough occupancy permit is issued (see next entry) | On facade (wall, awning, canopy, marquee) of building | — | §168-420S(7)(b)[3] |
| Wall/Building/Awning/Canopy/Marquee Sign (Per Tenant) | — | 30 sq ft | — | — | 1 per tenant | On facade (wall, awning, canopy, marquee) of tenant's building | — | §168-420S(7)(a)[3] |
| Directional Sign | — | 5 sq ft per sign face | — | — | Up to 4 per property | On property as needed for directions | — | §168-420S(7)(a)[4] |
| LED Sign | — | — | — | — | As allowed by sign type to which the LED is attached | Where sign types above are permitted | — | §168-420S(7)(b)[4] |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Marker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §168-420S(3)(a) |
| Government/Utility Information Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §168-420S(3)(b) |
| For Sale/For Lease Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On property for sale or lease | — | §168-420S(3)(c) |
| Temporary Event Sign (Nonprofit Civic Organizations, Noncommercial Event) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On property related to event | — | §168-420S(4)(a) |
| Temporary Special Event/Promotion Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant space | On property of the event | — | §168-420S(4)(b) |
| Portable Sign (A-frame, Sandwich Board, Tent Sign) | — | 5 sq ft per face (max 2 faces) | — | — | 1 per building | Front sidewalk immediately in front of building | — | §168-420S(4)(c)[1] |
| Temporary Construction/Contractor Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On property under construction | — | §168-420S(4)(c)[2] |
| Other Temporary Sign (Community, Civic, School, Charitable, Religious, Special Event, Political Campaign, Election Event) | 4 ft (except 1 attached to structure may be attached higher) | 12 sq ft per side (except 1 per property may be up to 20 sq ft) | — | — | — | On property related to event/campaign | — | §168-420S(4)(d) |

## Prohibited signs in Baldwin Borough

- Animated signs are not permitted.
- Signs illuminated by a flashing, pulsating or intermittent internal or external light source are not permitted. Internal illumination that changes intensity with a frequency of less than 15 seconds shall be considered flashing.
- Signs that create glare on adjacent properties or any adjacent street are not permitted.
- Signs constructed from temporary materials, such as nonrigid plastic, nylon, fabric, or untreated or unpainted wood, except as permitted as a temporary sign by this section.
- No sign shall be erected in such a manner or location that would obstruct vision, ingress and/or egress, or interfere with safe traffic flow.
- No sign shall be located so as to block doors, operable windows or fire escapes, or access to them; nor shall a sign be attached to a fire escape.
- No sign shall project over a street, alley, or driveway, nor be closer than two feet from the closest perpendicular edge of the curb or paved edge of any such vehicular way.
- No sign lighting shall be installed in a manner or of such a brightness as to create excessive glare on adjacent property or uses such that such lighting inhibits the use and enjoyment of the adjacent property or uses.
- Flashing signs and signs with flashing lights are not permitted.
- Billboards shall be considered abandoned after a period of 12 months during which there is no occupied sign area within or on the billboard structure, excluding announcement that the billboard is available for rental. Abandoned billboards are prohibited.
- All billboards that are LED signs shall meet the applicable requirements of this section pertaining to LED signs.
- No sign or structure shall be mounted on a communications tower, except as may be required and approved by the FCC, FAA or other governmental agency.
- Rotating, traveling, pulsing, flashing or oscillating light sources, lasers, beacons, searchlights or strobe lighting shall not be permitted for billboards/signs.
- The use of highly reflective signage that creates nuisance glare or a safety hazard shall not be permitted.
- Off-premises billboards and signs shall be extinguished automatically by a programmable controller by no later than 11:00 each evening until dawn, except for establishments operating past 11:00 p.m. (then allowed until half hour past closing).
- LED billboard and sign lighting shall only be permitted in commercial and industrial districts, shall be static, shall not operate between 11:00 p.m. and dawn when visible from a residential district or use, and shall not be located within 1,000 feet of an approaching interchange or traffic-merging lanes.
- Signs shall not extend vertically past the roofline of the building upon which the sign is located.
- No sign shall be constructed on public or private drainage, utility or access easements without written consent of all affected easement or right-of-way holders.
- No sign shall be erected, displayed, altered, or relocated, except as provided, without a sign permit issued by the Zoning Officer.

## Signs exempt from permit in Baldwin Borough

- Address markers do not require a sign permit.
- Signs erected by a public agency or utility, and signs erected by the Borough or under direction of the Borough, do not require a permit.
- Signs denoting the availability of property for lease or sale, maximum 12 square feet in area and one per property, do not require a permit if the property is for lease or sale. Such signs may not be located within the public right of way.
- Political signs do not require a sign permit and must be removed within seven days after the political event.
- Regular, routine, and customary maintenance, including repainting of an existing sign where no changes in lettering size, new graphic elements or new content occur, does not require a sign permit.
- Repairs to damaged sign faces or sign structures do not require a sign permit.
- Replacement of a sign face with an identical sign face utilizing identical materials does not require a sign permit.
- Portable signs (excluding changeable letter signs), including A-frame, sandwich-board, or tent signs, meeting specified conditions, do not require a sign permit.
- Signs announcing new building or construction projects and identification of the contractors, provided signs are erected after the beginning of construction and removed upon completion of the project, do not require a sign permit.
- Temporary seasonal decorative lighting (not exceeding 60 days) is exempt from all but glare-control requirements.
- Emergency lighting required by any public agency for official duties, or for emergency egress illumination, are exempt from lighting requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign or sign structure shall be erected, displayed, altered, or relocated, except as provided, until a sign permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer. (See 168-420S(2)(a))
- A separate permit is required for each sign requiring a permit.
- Applications for permits must be submitted on a form provided by the Borough and accompanied by the applicable fee.
- Inspections by the Zoning Officer shall be made to determine compliance, and discrepancies must be corrected within 30 days or the permit may be revoked.
- Where site lighting is required by the ordinance or municipality, or is proposed by the applicant, lighting plans must be submitted for municipality review and approval for subdivision and land development, conditional use, variance, building permit and special exception applications.
- Submitted lighting plans must include a site plan showing all proposed and existing luminaires (including sign lighting), an illuminance grid, light-loss factors, equipment descriptions, and coordination with landscaping.
- Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or substitutions of lighting equipment must be submitted to the municipality for review and approval prior to installation.
- Outdoor recreational facility lighting plans must be accompanied by a visual impact plan demonstrating compliance with glare and light trespass limits, and include a narrative on mitigation steps.
- Any physical change or alteration to the structure of an existing, nonconforming sign (other than regular maintenance and in-kind face replacement) requires compliance with current requirements.
- Signs found to present an immediate hazard may be removed by the Zoning Officer without notice, at the sign owner's expense.

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

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