# Sign Regulations in Blawnox Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Blawnox Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/blawnox-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/41921716#41921716)

## At a glance

Blawnox Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 19 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (R-1, R/C-1)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall, with a 5 ft from property line (residential) setback (Sec. §550-407D(1), §550-407C(4)). Most commercial signs in Blawnox Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential districts (R-1, R-2) | 5 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| Mixed-use districts (R/C-1) | 4 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts (C-1), Conservation Districts (CD) | 2 | — | 30 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts (I-1) | 3 | 20 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 20 ft | 6 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential districts (R-1, R-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Attached to wall of residence | — | §550-407B(1)(a) |
| Principal Identification Sign - Conditional/Planned Uses | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | Either attached to building or freestanding | — | §550-407B(1)(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage, max 2 per lot | — | — | §550-407B(1)(c) |
| Development Sale/Lease Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage, max 2 per lot | — | — | §550-407B(1)(d) |
| Construction Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage, max 2 per lot | — | — | §550-407B(1)(e) |

### Mixed-use districts (R/C-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs for Permitted/Conditional Residential Use | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §550-407B(2)(a) |
| Business/Identification Sign - Commercial, Office, or Industrial Uses | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §550-407B(2)(b) |
| Nameplate/Identification Sign - Conditional Uses | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §550-407B(2)(c) |
| Construction Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage, max 2 per lot | — | — | §550-407B(2)(d) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (R-1, R/C-1) | 8 ft | — | — | 5 ft from property line (residential) | — | Freestanding, minimum 5 ft from property line | — | §550-407D(1), §550-407C(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (Other Districts) | — | — | — | 10 ft from street right-of-way | — | Freestanding, minimum 10 ft from street right-of-way | — | §550-407C(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (I-1 Districts) | 20 ft | — | — | — | — | Freestanding | — | §550-407D(2) |
| Wall Sign (R/C-1, C-1) | — | — | — | — | — | Front or side wall of building, parallel to façade | — | §550-407C(3) |
| Business Identification Sign (I-1) | 20 ft (if freestanding) | — | — | — | — | Freestanding or attached to main building | — | §550-407C(3), §550-407D(2) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises of special activity | — | §550-407G(1)-(5) |
| Political Sign | 15 ft | — | — | — | No limit in public right-of-way | Private property or public right-of-way (with restrictions) | — | §550-407G(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Blawnox Borough

- No sign shall be erected, altered, painted, relocated, remodeled, expanded, or maintained that is not in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and all other applicable Borough Codes.
- No sign shall be erected except on the property to which it is related, except in accordance with specific exemptions.
- No sign shall be erected upon or applied to any roof.
- No sign shall project beyond any property line.
- Freestanding signs in required residential districts must be set back a minimum of five feet from the property line; in other districts, ten feet from the right-of-way.
- A freestanding sign shall not obstruct in a required clear sight triangle.
- Signs that are animated or have flashing illumination are prohibited in all districts.
- Signs shall not be illuminated in such a way as to interfere with, distract, confuse, or blind operators of motor vehicles or affect neighbors.
- Floodlighting shall not be visible from off the lot, shall only directly illuminate the sign, and shall not affect neighbors.
- All signs must be constructed of durable materials and maintained in good condition and repair; dilapidated or hazardous signs shall be ordered repaired or removed.
- If a use ceases for a period of 30 days, all signs for that use must be removed.
- No sign shall be attached to any tree or utility pole on public or private property.
- No more than three permanent signs shall be permitted for any single commercial or industrial establishment, unless they are distributed per frontage as allowed and within total square footage limits.
- Temporary signs must not be animated or flashing, and any illumination must not create unsafe conditions or glare.
- Temporary political signs shall not project higher than 15 feet and must not interfere with or obstruct access, activity, or vision along any public right-of-way; must not be attached to traffic signals, utility poles, trees, or vegetation.
- A nonconforming sign cannot be enlarged or altered in any aspect, except to make safety improvements or changes which bring the sign into conformity.
- Nonconforming projecting signs must be replaced with conforming signs upon change of ownership or change of use.
- If repairs to a nonconforming sign equal or exceed 50% of its replacement value, the sign must be brought into conformance as part of the repairs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Blawnox Borough

- Flags or emblems of a government, political, civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organization displayed on private property.
- Signs placed by a governmental body, including but not limited to promotional activities, traffic or directional devices, legal notices, and warning, instructional or regulatory signs.
- Address numerals and other signs required to be maintained by law or governmental regulation, provided content and size do not exceed such requirements.
- Small signs, not exceeding five square feet, displayed on private property for the convenience of the public (e.g. entrance/exit, restrooms, parking, one-way drives, freight entrances).
- Incidental signs displayed inside a window of a commercial establishment to advertise special sales, credit cards accepted, or those required by law or ordinance.
- Official notices posted by public officers or employees in the performance of their duties.
- Directional signs for hospitals, medical clinics, ambulances, essential services, libraries, and churches, up to four square feet and under 10 feet high (no more than three at different locations, not in the public right-of-way).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A zoning permit must be obtained from the Borough Zoning Officer for any new, expanded, or altered sign. The same applies to temporary signs.
- Zoning permits for the erection, alteration, relocation, or replacement of any sign must be obtained according to ordinance provisions.
- Permit is required for temporary signs from the Zoning Officer; temporary permit period shall not exceed 30 days and may be replaced only twice a year.
- If a sign is not maintained, the Zoning Officer may order it repaired, replaced, or removed; noncompliance leads to violation and fines.

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

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