# Sign Regulations in East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/east-whiteland-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/6758323#6758323)

## At a glance

East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania regulates 43 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Long-Term Temporary Sign - Off-site Directionals in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 3 sq ft per sign, with a Not less than 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. §200-83D(1)(a)-(f)). Most commercial signs in East Whiteland Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 48 inches (4 ft) | 40 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 1 | 4 ft (if freestanding) | 2 sq ft | — |
| O/BP Office/Business Park District, O/BPS Office/Business Park Services District, PO District | 4 | 15 ft (one ground sign per lot) | 75 sq ft | — |
| VMX District, FC District, ROC District, I District | 4 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per side, 200 sq ft total for 2-faced sign | — |
| ROC/R Regionally Oriented Commercial-Residential District | 11 | 40 ft | 375 sq ft per side | — |
| Turnpike Interchange Overlay District | 11 | 48 inches (4 ft) if freestanding | 200 sq ft | — |
| Professional Office Zoning District | 1 | 50 ft (measured to top of structure) | 672 sq ft per face; Max 2 faces | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development/Neighborhood Identification Sign | 48 inches (4 ft) | 16 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per road entrance/intersection per development or neighborhood | At road entrance/intersection per development or neighborhood (max 2 per road entrance/intersection) | — | §200-83A(1)-(4) |
| Multiple-Family Development Identification Sign | 48 inches (4 ft) if freestanding | 16 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | One per street frontage from which vehicles gain access | — | §200-83B(1)-(5) |
| Religious and Quasi-Public Institution - Freestanding/Bulletin Board | 8 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per institution | On-site | — | §200-83C(1) |
| Long-Term Temporary Sign - Off-site Directional | 5 ft | 3 sq ft per sign | — | Not less than 5 ft from property line | 1 per intersection | Within 50 ft of intersection, no further than 2 miles from advertised site, not less than 5 ft from property line | — | §200-83D(1)(a)-(f) |
| Long-Term Temporary Sign - On-site Real Estate Sign (Non-O/BP, O/BPS Districts) | 5 ft (residential); 8 ft (nonresidential) | 6 sq ft (residential); 20 sq ft (nonresidential) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-site; 1 per street frontage | — | §200-83D(2)(a)-(e) |
| Long-Term Temporary Sign - On-site Construction Sign | 8 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1 per arterial or collector street frontage of the project/development | — | §200-83D(3)(a)-(e) |
| Short-Term Temporary Sign - Political Sign (Freestanding) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft per sign, 8 sq ft per property | — | — | No limit | On private property (not public except at polling places on election day). | — | §200-83E(1)(a)-(e) |
| Short-Term Temporary Sign - Civic Event Sign | 6 ft (if freestanding) | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | On private property with owner's permission (1 per lot) | — | §200-83E(2)(a)-(d) |

### ROC/R Regionally Oriented Commercial-Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign - Site Identification | 40 ft | 375 sq ft per side | — | — | Max 3 per UDA | At major access roads (max 3 per development); 1 may be at intersection of public roadways | — | §200-89.1B(1)(a) |
| Identification Sign - Entrance Column | 30 ft | 55 sq ft per side | — | — | Max 4 per UDA | At minor access roads within UDA (max 4 per UDA) | — | §200-89.1B(1)(b) |
| Identification Sign - Entrance Pylon | 22 ft | 200 sq ft per side | — | — | Max 2 per UDA | At entrance roads within UDA (max 2 per UDA) | — | §200-89.1B(1)(c) |
| Directional/Directory Sign - Master Vehicular | 17 ft | 55 sq ft per side | — | — | 3 per UDA | At major access roads within UDA | — | §200-89.1B(2)(a) |
| Directional/Directory Sign - Minor Vehicular | 14 ft | 32 sq ft per side | — | — | 5 per UDA | Strategic within UDA | — | §200-89.1B(2)(b) |
| Exterior Directory Sign | 7.5 ft | 25 sq ft per panel | — | — | Max 15 per UDA | Throughout UDA | — | §200-89.1B(2)(c) |
| Ground Monument Site Identification Sign | 8 ft (3), 6 ft (3) | Three at 95 sq ft/side (8 ft h), three at 45 sq ft/side (6 ft h) | — | — | 6 per UDA | Throughout UDA; three for bank buildings | — | §200-89.1B(2)(e) |
| Bank Directional Sign | 3 ft | 4 sq ft per side | — | — | 6 per UDA | To identify bank parking/drive-through areas in UDA | — | §200-89.1B(2)(f) |

### Turnpike Interchange Overlay District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Development Identification | 25 ft | 145 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per tract | On tract; identifies the Overlay development and users | — | §200-89.2A(2)(a)-(b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Commercial User | 12 ft | 50 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per tract | On tract | — | §200-89.2A(3)(a)-(b) |
| Wall Sign - Commercial Use (Not retail with gasoline/hotel) | — | 75 sq ft | — | — | 1 per front and one per side per use | Front and each side of building (not rear) | — | §200-89.2A(4)(a)-(c) |
| Wall Sign - Hotel | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | 2 per hotel building | On building | — | §200-89.2A(5)(a)-(b) |
| Freestanding Sign - Retail Gasoline | 25 ft | 100 sq ft per side (changeable portion max 35 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per tract | On tract | — | §200-89.2B(2)(a)-(b) |
| Development Identification Sign (Freestanding) | — | 48 sq ft per sign | 24 ft length, 2 ft height | — | 2 per road entrance at intersection with arterial | At road entrances at arterial intersection per development | — | §200-89.2C(1)(a)-(b) |
| Development Use Identification Sign (Freestanding) | 10.5 ft max ground height | — | Max 6 ft length, 2 ft height per use panel; max 3 use panels per sign | — | 1 per road entrance at intersection with arterial | At road entrance at arterial intersection | — | §200-89.2C(2)(a)-(c) |
| Multifamily Development Identification Sign | 48 inches (4 ft) if freestanding | 16 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises containing the multifamily development | — | §200-89.2C(3) and §200-83B(1)-(5) |

## Prohibited signs in East Whiteland Township

- No sign may be erected unless it conforms to the regulations of this article and has an approved sign permit.
- Signs placed or painted on a vehicle or vehicle trailer and parked with the primary purpose of providing a sign for a business, use, event, or similar function are prohibited.
- Signs that copy, imitate, or approximate an official highway sign or carry words like 'STOP,' 'DANGER,' 'GO SLOW,' 'CAUTION,' or 'WARNING,' or similar terms are prohibited.
- Any sign in, or projecting into, a public right-of-way is prohibited.
- A sign or illumination that causes direct glare into or upon any building or street, other than the accessory building, is prohibited.
- Abandoned signs (signs that advertise an activity, business, product, or service no longer conducted or available on the premises) are prohibited.
- Any sign advertising activities, services, products or uses not located, made, sold, used, or served on the premises displaying such sign (off-premise advertising) are prohibited except as allowed in § 200-85.
- Billboard signs or off-premises signs are prohibited, except as specifically permitted.
- Roof signs or signs on dormers or balconies are prohibited.
- Strobe lights and signs containing strobe lights are prohibited.
- Except as permitted under § 200-85F, any sign that is animated, flashing/message, glaring, or intermittent is prohibited (including signs with action, motion, color changes, or the illusion thereof; flashing or blinking illumination except time/temperature; signs that distract motorists with excessive brightness or glare; illuminated signs that change more than once every 12 hours).
- Signs that emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound, or odors are prohibited.
- Signs consisting of pennants, spinners, streamers, or inflatable signs are prohibited, except as short-term temporary on-site commercial event signs permitted elsewhere.
- Any sign that impairs or causes confusion to vehicular or pedestrian traffic due to design, color, or placement, as determined by the Police Department, is prohibited.
- Any sign mounted or attached to a tree or utility pole in the public right-of-way is prohibited.
- Any sign located in a rear yard is prohibited.
- Any sign not included among the permitted types of signs in district regulations or this article is prohibited.
- No sign may be located within a sight triangle area unless support structure(s) have a combined cross-sectional area of 36 square inches or less.
- When a sign extends over a vehicle area, the bottom of the sign must be at least 14 feet above grade.
- When a sign extends over a pedestrian area, the bottom of the sign must be at least 8.5 feet above grade.
- All signs and sign structures must be erected and attached totally within the site.

## Signs exempt from permit in East Whiteland Township

- Signs inside a building, not visible from a right-of-way, private or public road, or other private property.
- Building street address numbers.
- Signs carved into or part of materials that form an integral and permanent part of the building, indicating building name and date of erection.
- Garage or yard sale signs no larger than four square feet, displayed for a maximum of 48 hours per year.
- Public and/or government signs, including traffic or similar regulatory devices.
- Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection with a commercial promotion.
- Nonilluminated warning, private drive, posted, or no trespassing signs, not exceeding two square feet per face.
- Temporary, nonilluminated 'For Sale,' 'For Rent,' or real estate signs concerning the premises on which the sign is located, subject to § 200-83D(2).
- Nonilluminated window signs and posters not exceeding 10% of the window surface.
- One temporary sign for a seasonal roadside stand selling agricultural produce grown on the premises (max 6 sq ft, set back at least 10 feet, only during active use).
- Nonilluminated, on-premises directional signs for the general public (e.g. public parking, fire zones, entrances/exits), not exceeding four square feet per face and no more than six feet above ground.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In multiple owner/tenant occupancies, required identification signs should be coordinated and considered as part of a site plan and architectural feature of the proposed development (§ 200-80B and D). Drawings should show signs in conjunction with uses where land development approval is required.
- In the ROC/R Regionally Oriented Commercial-Residential District, identification and directional/directory signs may be erected only by the overall developer or successor, and must be shown on a Master Signage Plan prepared by the developer and approved by the Board of Supervisors after review by the Planning Commission (§ 200-89.1A(2)).
- Revisions to sign areas approved as part of a Master Signage Plan require review and approval by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors (§ 200-89.1A(3)).
- Other signs such as street signs, pedestrian directional signs, and banners on light poles in the ROC/R are governed by the Master Signage Plan (§ 200-89.1C).
- For off-premises signs, a detailed site plan must be included with the sign permit application (§ 200-85O).
- Permit applications must include a site plan showing all structures and the exact location of the proposed sign (§ 200-86B(3)).
- Applications for permits to erect, alter or modify signs are processed like building or site alteration permits (§ 101-7).

## 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 7 zoning districts in East Whiteland Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=East+Whiteland+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-east-whiteland-township

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