# Sign Regulations in Clarion Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clarion Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/clarion-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/10698429#10698429)

## At a glance

Clarion Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Directional Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 2 sq ft (Sec. §210-29E(6)). Most commercial signs in Clarion Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| C-1 Zoning District | 4 | 14 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| C-2 Commercial District | 5 | 14 ft | 130 sq ft | — |
| C-I Commercial and Industrial District | 4 | 20 ft | 130 sq ft | — |
| E Educational District | 4 | 6 ft | 150 sq ft | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Event/Campaign/Political) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-29E(1) |
| For Sale or For Rent Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Premises offered for sale or rent | — | §210-29E(2) |
| Temporary Contractor Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On the premises where work is performed | — | §210-29E(3) |
| No Trespassing / Private Road Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-29E(4) |
| Directional Sign | 6 ft | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per compass direction | On the property of the use to which it relates; see educational use details | — | §210-29E(6) |
| Banner | — | 4.5 sq ft (18" x 36") | — | — | — | On site of use to which it relates; not in public right-of-way except as permitted for University campus | — | §210-29F(9) |
| Building Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft per sign per street frontage | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Permanently inscribed into building masonry or stone face | — | §210-29F(8) |
| Projecting Wall Sign | 5 ft | — | 36 inches (depth from wall) | — | — | Min. 8 ft vertical clearance above grade if over public right-of-way | — | §210-29F(12) |

### C-1 Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (On-premises, Front Facade) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | Front building facade adjoining a public street | — | §210-29F(1), §210-29C(1),(2) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per occupancy or 1 per 30 ft | On public sidewalks within building frontage | — | §210-29F(7) |
| Freestanding Sign | 14 ft | — | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line; min 10 ft from ROW if within 25 ft of intersection; unobstructed 3 ft vertical area at intersection | — | — | — | §210-29F(6), §210-29D(5) |
| LCD/LED/Pixelized/Animated Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §210-29D(25) |

### C-2 Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (On-premises, Front Facade) | — | 130 sq ft | — | — | — | Front building facade adjoining public street | — | §210-29F(2), §210-29C(1),(2) |
| Freestanding Pylon ID Sign | 14 ft | 12 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 | — | — | §210-29F(3) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per occupancy or 1 per 30 ft | Public sidewalk within building frontage | — | §210-29F(7) |
| Freestanding Sign | 14 ft | — | — | Min 5 ft from property line; min 10 ft from ROW at intersections | — | — | — | §210-29F(6) |
| LCD/LED/Pixelized/Animated Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §210-29D(25) |

## Prohibited signs in Clarion Borough

- No person shall destroy, remove, deface, obliterate, or cover up any lamp, warning sign, or barricade erected by the authorities or by permitted persons as a warning of danger.
- No person shall artificially increase the maximum height of a sign by altering the grade at the base of the sign by any means.
- No sign shall be higher than the height limitation imposed by this chapter.
- Wall signs may not extend higher than the top of the wall; no signs may be erected on a roof except for mansard roofs.
- All signs shall be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and secured in a safe manner.
- When a sign becomes unsafe, the owner must make it safe or remove it immediately upon written notice.
- Areas surrounding all signs shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and attractive condition.
- Signs must be removed within 12 months if the purpose for which they were erected no longer exists.
- No sign shall be located within a street right-of-way.
- No freestanding sign shall be located any closer than five feet from the property line, except as otherwise provided.
- All signs within 25 feet of a street intersection must be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the street right-of-way, and permit a clear 3-foot vertical area.
- No sign may be attached in any manner to utility poles, traffic signal poles, poles displaying regulatory signs, trees, fences, fire hydrants, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs in the right-of-way, except as may be permitted by Borough Council policies.
- No sign may obstruct any door, stairway, window, fire escape, or other means of egress or ingress.
- No sign may obstruct ventilation or light from a building.
- No flat wall sign shall project more than 12 inches from the wall over a public sidewalk.
- No sign may have lights or illuminating devices that constitute a public safety or traffic hazard.
- No sign may imitate or be confused with official traffic signs/signals/warnings (e.g., using words like 'Stop', 'Danger', 'Caution', or similar colored lights).
- No sign or window display may include a revolving beam or beacon of light resembling emergency vehicles/facilities. Rotating, traveling, pulsing, flashing, oscillating light sources, lasers, beacons, or strobe lighting are prohibited.
- No sign shall advertise activities or products illegal under federal, state, or local laws.
- No sign may contain statements, words, or pictures considered vulgar, obscene, or pornographic, or depict specified anatomical areas or specified sexual activities.
- No sign shall emit smoke, particles, sound, odors, or vapors visible within the public right-of-way.
- Signs may not be placed on stationary vehicles parked for the primary purpose of displaying such signs.
- Inflatable signs are prohibited, except as special promotional elements limited to the period three days prior through three days following the promotional event.
- No open flames are permitted as part of a sign or for attention-getting purposes.
- Advertising painted upon or displayed upon a building or other structure is considered a sign and must comply with this section.
- Except as provided, signs with LCD, LED, plasma, CRT, pixelized lights or other animated/video-like displays are limited to specified commercial and industrial districts and must follow requirements.
- Portable signs are not permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clarion Borough

- Temporary signs announcing a campaign, drive, event of a civic, philanthropic, education or religious organization, or political signs, provided the sign does not exceed 20 square feet, not erected more than 10 days prior and removed within 48 hours after the event.
- Signs offering sale or rental of the premises, limited to one sign per street frontage, not exceeding six square feet.
- Temporary contractor/developer/engineer/builder/artisan signs on premises where work is being performed, not exceeding 32 square feet, not erected before work starts and removed within 48 hours after completion.
- "No trespassing," "private road," and similar signs, not exceeding two square feet.
- Informational signs (e.g. "no parking", "handicapped space"), limited to two square feet.
- Directional signs meeting specified requirements: no information other than name/logo/direction/distance, limited to two square feet, six feet in height, on the same property, limited illumination (no illumination except reflective material as necessary), and not within the public right-of-way.
- Sail-style banners not located or affixed in the public right-of-way or within 30 feet of another sail banner.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Except as set forth in Exemptions, all signs require a zoning/building permit, which may be identified as a sign permit.
- No indication in the provided text of a master sign plan or a required variance/meeting as a general rule.
- A sign may be exempted as a special exception if proven historically significant and accurate for its location, subject to Zoning Hearing Board approval.

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

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