# Sign Regulations in Chester Heights Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Chester Heights Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/chester-heights-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12777998#12777998)

## At a glance

Chester Heights Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 24 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Billboards in the Business districts, Nonresidential districts, Limited Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 35 feet (as measured from base or adjacent roadway, whichever is lower) tall and 150 square feet (per display face); 2 faces (back to back, max 4 ft apart), with a 35 ft from street line, 25 ft from other property lines setback (Sec. §185-101D(2)-(3)). Most commercial signs in Chester Heights Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residence and multifamily districts | 10 | — | 200 square inches | — |
| Business districts, Nonresidential districts, Limited Industrial Districts | 10 | 35 feet (as measured from base or adjacent roadway, whichever is lower) | 200 square inches | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residence and multifamily districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As required for traffic control, should be combined or stacked on the same pole where possible. | — | §185-100A |
| Street Identification Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Location determined by Borough; must be uniform and approved. | — | §185-100B |
| Professional, Accessory Use, or Identification Sign (Dwelling) | — | 200 square inches | — | — | 1 per permitted use or dwelling | On the dwelling. | — | §185-100D |
| Identification Sign (School, Church, Similar Use - not dwellings) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises; 1 per street frontage if abutting >1 street | On premises held in single and separate ownership; one per street frontage if premises fronts on more than one street. | — | §185-100E |
| Real Estate Sign (Sale or Rental) | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per property | Only on premises, not on rights-of-way or utility poles. | — | §185-100F(1) |
| Development Directional Sign (On-site, In Process of Development) | — | 12 square feet (except as permitted under §185-61C(8); not included here) | — | 10 ft from street line | 1 per 500 ft street frontage | On site, must be set back min 10 feet from street line. | — | §185-100F(2) |
| Trespassing/Private Drive Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | On premises or driveway. | — | §185-100G |
| Temporary Mechanic/Artisan Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On premises where work is being performed. | — | §185-100H |

### Business districts, Nonresidential districts, Limited Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As required for traffic control, should be combined or stacked on the same pole where possible. | — | §185-101A; inherits from §185-100A |
| Professional, Accessory Use, or Identification Sign (Dwelling) | — | 200 square inches | — | — | 1 per permitted use or dwelling | On the dwelling. | — | §185-101A; inherits from §185-100D |
| Identification Sign (School, Church, Similar Use - not dwellings) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per premises; 1 per street frontage if abutting >1 street | On premises held in single and separate ownership; one per street frontage if premises fronts on more than one street. | — | §185-101A; inherits from §185-100E |
| Real Estate Sign (Business, Nonresidential, Limited Industrial) | — | 24 square feet | — | — | 1 per property (or per street if multi-frontage) | On premises. One per property in single/separate ownership; one per street for properties with multiple street frontages. | — | §185-101B |
| Business Sign (Wall, Freestanding, Letter, etc.) | — | 50 square feet (per sign) | — | — | — | On premises where use is conducted. | — | §185-101C(1)(a)-(f) |
| Directional Sign | — | 9 square feet (per side) | — | — | — | On premises; to aid motorists using parking/service facilities; may not draw attention to the use. | — | §185-101C(1)(d) |
| Temporary/Portable/Mobile Sign | — | 12 square feet (per side) | — | — | 1 per 100 ft street frontage | On premises | — | §185-101C(1)(e) |
| Billboard | 35 feet (as measured from base or adjacent roadway, whichever is lower) | 150 square feet (per display face); 2 faces (back to back, max 4 ft apart) | — | 35 ft from street line, 25 ft from other property lines | 1 per lot | Limited Industrial District, freestanding, not mounted to any building/tree. Min lot size 2 acres, min lot width (at street line/front yard) 100 ft. | — | §185-101D(2)-(3) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Sign Types (General Placement and Safety) | — | — | — | — | — | No sign may be placed where it causes traffic danger by obscuring view. | — | §185-102A |
| All Sign Types (Within Public ROW) | — | — | — | No closer than 10 ft to curb/right-of-way unless authorized | — | No sign other than permitted by article can be erected within public street or sidewalk lines, or closer to curb/ROW than 10 ft unless specifically authorized. | — | §185-102B |
| Animated/String/Flashing/Banner Sign | — | — | — | No closer than 10 ft to curb/right-of-way | — | — | — | §185-102C |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | No sign to project over public sidewalk or street unless as special exception from Zoning Hearing Board. | — | §185-102D |
| Wall Sign (Projection) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-102E |
| Ground Sign (Clearance) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-102H |
| All Signs (Building Height and Architecture) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-102J |
| Permit Requirements (General) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §185-102K |

## Prohibited signs in Chester Heights Borough

- Any sign hereafter erected or maintained must conform with the provisions of the sign ordinance and any other Borough regulations.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street by obscuring the view.
- No sign, other than signs authorized by this article, shall be erected within the lines of any public street or public sidewalk, or be closer to a curb or right-of-way than 10 feet, unless specifically authorized.
- No stringing of lights, animated signs, revolving, swinging, or signs with movable parts, flashing lights or reflectors shall be permitted after the effective date of the chapter.
- No advertising sign, banner, pennant, balance, spinners or display constructed of cloth, canvas, wall board, or other like materials shall be erected, suspended or hung on any property, except as specifically allowed for temporary use.
- No sign or display shall be permitted to be placed across a public street or highway.
- No sign shall project over a public sidewalk or street unless specifically authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board.
- Wall signs shall not project more than 12 inches from the face of a building.
- No commercial building, including multiple dwellings or apartments in any residential district, shall be illuminated on the exterior by flood lighting or spot lighting or similar type lighting.
- No sign shall protrude above the building height as defined in the district.
- Advertising signs within 400 feet of a public park or scenic area shall not be located to obscure or detract from the view.
- Posting of any printed, painted, or written sign, placard, circular, or advertisement on any telegraph, telephone or electric light pole within the Borough is unlawful.
- No sign, display, or billboard shall create distraction, confusion, nuisance, or hazard to traffic safety, aircraft or other properties.
- No billboard shall be animated or utilize devices that move or create the illusion of motion (billboards in Limited Industrial Districts).

## Signs exempt from permit in Chester Heights Borough

- The Zoning Officer may permit the use of temporary advertising signs, banners, or displays constructed of cloth, light fabric or other like materials for a period of not more than 30 days in any one calendar year, provided these do not exceed permitted area, do not obscure traffic, and are not within street or sidewalk lines and are not across a public street.
- Signs less than or equal to two square feet in area (other than overhanging or otherwise regulated signs) are generally exempt from the permit requirement except as otherwise provided.
- Official traffic and street identification signs, erected by authority, are generally exempt from standard sign regulations.
- Signs required by law or by public agencies or utilities (not explicitly stated above, but inferred as common exemption by official sign sections and not being subject to general prohibitions).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Sign permits are required for all overhanging signs and all other signs more than two square feet in area, except real estate signs.
- To apply for a permit, a sign submission must include a drawing showing size, layout, materials, illumination, and location on a site plan, to be reviewed by the Borough's Architectural Review Committee.
- Architectural Review Committee reviews sign plans as part of commercial construction or major alterations.
- Application for a billboard shall be accompanied by a site plan and meet additional Conditional Use and land development/engineering requirements.
- Any applicant to construct or erect a billboard is required to obtain land development approval under Subdivision and Land Development Code in addition to the sign/site plan approval.
- Billboards require a building permit and related permits, as well as compliance with local and International Construction Code standards.
- All signs must be part of the architectural design of new commercial construction or major alterations.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Chester Heights Borough, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Chester+Heights+Borough+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-chester-heights-borough

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