# Sign Regulations in Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/beaver-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31554681#31554681)

## At a glance

Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 16 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Building Sign (First Floor Business)s in the RC-1 Retail Core District zoning district are capped at 2.5 feet tall, 50 square feet, and Business storefront width wide (Sec. §27-1602.H.6(b)). Most commercial signs in Beaver Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 50 square feet or 40% of window area, whichever is less. | — |
| P Public District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2) | 5 | — | 6 square feet | — |
| Gateway Commercial West District (GCW) | 5 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| Service Commercial District (SC) | 6 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| Gateway Commercial East District (GCE) | 6 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| RC-1 Retail Core District | 8 | 2.5 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| RC-2 Retail Core District | 8 | — | 12 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Gateway Commercial East District (GCE)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Architectural Statue | — | — | — | — | 1 | Must be placed within 30 inches of the business; may not obstruct ordinary pedestrian traffic. | — | §27-1602.H.5(a) |
| Building Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | 1 | Only if no projecting or free-standing ground/monument sign. | — | §27-1602.H.5(b) |
| Decorative Flag | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per property | — | §27-1602.H.5(c) |
| Flag | — | — | — | — | 1 | Per property | — | §27-1602.H.5(d) |
| Free-Standing Ground or Monument Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 | Only if there is no building or projecting sign. | — | §27-1602.H.5(e) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | §27-1602.H.5(f) |

### RC-1 Retail Core District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Architectural Statue | — | — | — | — | 1 | Must be within 30 inches of the business; may not obstruct ordinary pedestrian traffic. | — | §27-1602.H.6(a) |
| Building Sign (First Floor Business) | 2.5 feet | 50 square feet | Business storefront width | — | 1 | Mounted above display window (and transom where present) and below second-story window sills or signboard cornice. | — | §27-1602.H.6(b) |
| Building Sign (Upper Floor Business) | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | §27-1602.H.6(b) |
| Bulletin Board | — | 6 square feet per face | — | — | 1 | No greater than 30 inches from face of storefront. Cannot obstruct ordinary pedestrian traffic. | — | §27-1602.H.6(c) |
| Decorative Flag | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per storefront | — | §27-1602.H.6(d) |
| Flag | — | — | — | — | 1 | Per storefront | — | §27-1602.H.6(e) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | One per business; in addition to building sign. | — | §27-1602.H.6(f) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | §27-1602.H.6(g) |

### RC-2 Retail Core District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Architectural Statue | — | — | — | — | 1 | Within 30 inches of the business; may not obstruct ordinary pedestrian traffic. | — | §27-1602.H.7(a) |
| Building Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | Only if no projecting or free-standing ground/monument sign. | — | §27-1602.H.7(b) |
| Bulletin Board | — | 6 square feet per face | — | — | 1 | No greater than 30 inches from face of storefront; cannot obstruct pedestrian traffic. | — | §27-1602.H.7(c) |
| Decorative Flag | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | §27-1602.H.7(d) |
| Flag | — | — | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | §27-1602.H.7(e) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 | One per business; only if there is no building or projecting signage. | — | §27-1602.H.7(f) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 | — | — | §27-1602.H.7(g) |
| Free-Standing Ground or Monument Sign | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 | Only if no building or projecting signage. | — | §27-1602.H.7(h) |

## Prohibited signs in Beaver Borough

- No sign shall be located, designed or constructed in a manner to obstruct or interfere with any traffic control signal, sign or device, or intersection sight triangle.
- No sign shall be permitted that is deemed to constitute a hazard of any kind, obscures light or air from a building, or prevents ingress or egress from any window or exit.
- Signs may not be attached to utility poles or street trees, except for municipal purposes.
- A sign shall be removed within 30 days whenever the circumstances that led to its erection no longer apply or if safety violations occur.
- Signs or devices with flashing, moving or similar lighting or animation are prohibited in all zoning districts, including interior signage placed inside a window or other such transparent surface.
- Illumination for signs must concentrate light upon the sign and not cast glare upon the street, sidewalk, or adjacent property.
- No electrical bulbs shall be exposed unless satisfactorily shielded from view by a globe or other visible barrier.
- No sign may be mounted on the roof of a building.
- No business or industrial sign shall be placed to face an abutting residential district except when authorized as a use by special exception.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs which flash, rotate, have motorized moving parts, or contain reflective elements are prohibited.
- Moving, animated, flashing, revolving, inflatable or wind operated signs are prohibited.
- Any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is defunct or not located on the premises is prohibited.
- Signs which by reason of position, shape or color may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device are prohibited.
- Signs which constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic because of intensity or direction of illumination are prohibited.
- Backlit awnings or signs, and individually backlit lettering, are prohibited.
- Changeable letter signs, either electronic or manual, are prohibited, except for churches in GCW, GCE, SC, P, R-1 and R-2 zoning districts.
- No person shall willfully or maliciously destroy, remove, deface, obliterate or cover up any lamp, flare, warning sign or barricade erected by the Borough or by any person doing work by permission of the Borough on any street, alley, sidewalk or bridge.
- No sign shall be permitted in a public right-of-way (for exempt temporary signs and political campaign signs).

## Signs exempt from permit in Beaver Borough

- Signs of a duly constituted local, state or federal governmental body, including traffic or similar safety and regulatory devices, legal notices, railway warning signals, memorial signs or tablets, are exempt from sign regulations and do not require a permit.
- Small signs with a surface area not exceeding two square feet, displayed for the direction or convenience of the public which identify landmarks, parking areas, convenience facilities, meeting times and place of public, nonprofit, service or charitable organizations, subject to approval of the Zoning Officer, are exempt from permit requirements.
- One temporary nonlighted sign on a construction site, not exceeding 32 square feet per side, denoting developer, engineer, architect, contractor, marketing agency, funding agencies, or related project information, is exempt from permit requirements, subject to specified conditions (commercial construction or renovation over 5,000 sq ft, multifamily construction for 10+ units, no more than two-sided, removed within 6 months or at first occupancy).
- One temporary nonlighted real estate property sign, plus up to two riders, relating to sale or lease of the property, not exceeding seven square feet per side, is exempt from permit requirements, subject to specified conditions (height, two-sided, removed within three days after sale or lease, not for storage properties, and open house sign no more than 6 sq ft for no more than 24 hours).
- Temporary signs advertising yard sales, street fairs or other temporary activities, or a temporary sign directing persons to such activity, not exceeding 9 sq ft, erected no earlier than 14 days prior to the event and removed within 24 hours after, where permission is granted by the property owner; permit required unless otherwise exempted.
- Political campaign signs not exceeding six square feet, erected no sooner than 30 days before election, removed within seven days after, and only on sites with owner's permission, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Decorative flags do not require a sign permit.
- Historic signage restored or preserved that does not comply otherwise is exempt if designated as historic by Borough Council, subject to their requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs must comply with the provisions of Part 16 and any other applicable ordinances and regulations of Beaver Borough.
- An application for a sign permit must include two scaled blueprints or ink drawings, or computer-generated drawing of the design, including plan, specifications, materials, lighting, method of construction and attachment.
- Sign permits will not be issued for noncompliance with this Part or fee payment.
- A traffic control signage plan and supporting documentation shall be submitted for approval (for street signage), to be installed prior to occupancy of any dwellings.
- Street name signs and all traffic control/no parking/speed limit signs must meet specified standards and be approved by Council.
- Parking and signage design and construction shall comply with standards in Part 16 regardless of zoning district.
- There is no explicit mention in the provided ordinance text of a 'Master sign plan' or a requirement for a comprehensive sign plan or variance meeting for signage within the sections reviewed; permitting appears to be handled through the regular sign permit application process, and special exceptions may be required for business or industrial signs facing residential districts.

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

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