# Sign Regulations in Emmaus Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Emmaus Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/emmaus-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30877468#30877468)

## At a glance

Emmaus Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 27 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the B-C District zoning district are capped at 8 ft. tall and 25 sq. ft. per side (max 2 sides), with a 4 ft. from right-of-way, not within 25 ft. of residential/conservation boundary setback (Sec. § 27-707.1.A(2)(f), § 27-704.16). Most commercial signs in Emmaus Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | — | 35 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential Districts, CR District | 8 | — | 10 sq. ft. | — |
| B-C District | 7 | 25 ft. | 40 sq. ft. for all wall signs except as provided for multiple uses (see below) | — |
| B-H District, B-L District | 7 | 50 ft. | 300 sq. ft. | — |
| I-L District | 4 | No higher than roof line | 50 sq. ft. per permitted sign | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | Minimum 4 feet from the street right-of-way line. | — | On ground, supported by poles or structure, not primarily supported by a building. | — | § 27-701.4, § 27-704.16, § 27-704.5 |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential/Conservation District) | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 if more than one street frontage | Within lot lines | — | § 27-704.6 |
| Real Estate Sign (Business/Industrial District) | — | 23 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 if more than one street frontage | Within lot lines | — | § 27-704.6 |
| Construction/Proposed Development Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. total per construction site per frontage | — | — | One per street frontage | On construction/rehabilitation sites (current/approved/official review, value > $100,000) | — | § 27-704.7 |
| Nonprofit Event Sign | — | 35 sq. ft. | — | — | — | As permitted by Borough Council motion | — | § 27-704.8 |
| Political Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Every district except not on Borough property or in street right-of-way or on utility poles. | — | § 27-704.22 |
| Auctioneer Sign (Residential/Conservation District) | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 if more than one street frontage | Within lot lines | — | § 27-704.24 |
| Auctioneer Sign (Business/Industrial District) | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 if more than one street frontage | Within lot lines | — | § 27-704.24 |

### B-C District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 25 ft. | 40 sq. ft. for all wall signs except as provided for multiple uses (see below) | — | — | Max 2 signs facing 1 street, 3 facing 2 streets (no more than 2 per street) | On wall facing street; if facing more than one street, calculated separately. | — | § 27-707.1.A(2), § 27-704.10 |
| Wall Sign (Shopping Center, Multiple Establishments) | 25 ft. | 15% of building face area for each establishment | — | — | 1 per establishment | On the wall of each principal establishment in a shopping center or multi-use lot | — | § 27-707.1.A(2)(e) |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft. | 25 sq. ft. per side (max 2 sides) | — | 4 ft. from right-of-way, not within 25 ft. of residential/conservation boundary | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | § 27-707.1.A(2)(f), § 27-704.16 |
| Projecting Sign (Encroaching ROW) | — | 6 sq. ft. per side, 2 sides max | — | — | 1 projecting sign per establishment | Projecting from building into the right-of-way | — | § 27-707.1.A(3) |
| Projecting Sign (Not Encroaching ROW) | — | 10 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Projecting from building but not encroaching right-of-way | — | § 27-707.1.A(3)(g) |
| Parking Identification Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Must not encroach into street right-of-way | — | § 27-704.21 |
| Commercial Movable Advertising Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per business | In front of business | — | § 27-704.25 |

### B-H District, B-L District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not higher than height of building (excluding nonstructural extensions) | 15% of vertical area of building side (each side, including windows/doors) | — | — | — | On wall, max 2 sides of building | — | § 27-708.1.A(2) |
| Window Sign (Nonpermanent/Unilluminated) | — | — | — | — | — | Inside window/door | — | § 27-708.1.A(3) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 50 sq. ft. or 1 sq. ft. per 2 ft. of lot frontage (whichever more restrictive) | — | Min. 15 ft. from side/rear lot lines abutting dwellings unless sign ≤8 sq. ft. | 1 or 2, based on lot frontage | On lot | — | § 27-708.1.B(1–3), § 27-704.16, § 27-704.19 |
| Freestanding Sign (Multi-Use Lot or New Car Dealer) | 25 ft. | 100 sq. ft./side (up to 3 signs); plus 20 sq. ft. changeable copy sign per side | — | See general setback and clearance (e.g. § 27-704.16, 19, 21) | Up to 3 | On lot with ≥4 principal businesses or car dealership with 3+ manufacturers. | — | § 27-708.1.B(5) |
| Parking Identification Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | — | — | — | § 27-704.21 |
| Commercial Movable Advertising Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per business | In front of business | — | § 27-704.25 |
| Off-Premises Sign (Billboard) | 50 ft. | 300 sq. ft. | — | 30 ft. from ROW and lot lines unless noted; 100 ft. from residential, 500 ft. from another billboard. | 1 per lot | Restricted to B-H district; must be ≥100 ft from residential district or lot line (unless sign/illumination not visible); min. 30 ft from ROW and any lot line; min 500 ft from another billboard. | — | § 27-708.1.D |

## Prohibited signs in Emmaus Borough

- Signs may be erected, altered, maintained, used, removed, or moved only in compliance with the provisions of this section and other Borough regulations.
- No sign shall be erected containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted by zoning.
- On-premises signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product no longer available must be removed or changed within 30 days after cessation, except for actively for-rent spaces.
- No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, blocking sight lines, confusion with traffic controls, or other means.
- All signs (except temporary signs) must be constructed of durable material and kept in good repair.
- Illuminated signs must have shielded lighting so no direct light will shine on abutting properties or public ways; no flood/spotlights mounted higher than 25 feet.
- No signs except those of a duly constituted governmental body are allowed within street right-of-way unless specifically authorized.
- No sign except required directional aviation devices shall be extended above or be inscribed upon the roof or on any structure extending above the roof.
- Any vehicle with a sign affixed such that the sign's display is a primary purpose is considered a freestanding sign and subject to freestanding sign regulations.
- No internally illuminated sign shall face a residential or conservation district on the same side of the street, unless at right angles to the right-of-way.
- Flashing signs, flood lights, promotional/advertising flags, spotlights, lasers, banners, twirling, 'A' sandwich signs, sidewalk/curb signs, balloons permitted only for new/existing businesses for special occasions (total 15 days per year, max four times). Otherwise prohibited.
- Freestanding signs must be set back a minimum of four feet from street right-of-way (except as otherwise specified).
- Wall signs shall not extend beyond the edge of the wall nor project more than 18 inches.
- No projecting sign shall project more than 3.5 feet from the wall or interfere with traffic.
- All signs projecting more than three inches from a building must maintain at least nine feet vertical clearance above a sidewalk and shall not project over a street.
- All sign provisions apply to smoke stacks, water towers, and similar structures.
- Signs in all districts must comply with all regulations, regardless of whether a permit is required.
- Signs once removed must be replaced only by conforming signs.
- Auctioneer signs must be removed within 7 days after the sale.
- Garage sale signs are subject to restriction per separate ordinance.
- The following signs are prohibited in all districts: signs simulating official/government signs; banners, spinners, flags, pennants or moving objects used for commercial advertising except as allowed for special events for limited periods; any flashing, electronically changing messages, LED, blinking, twinkling, animated or electrically moving signs of any type except time/temperature signs and as permitted in certain business districts; mobile/portable signs for commercial advertising over eight square feet not permanently attached to the ground, except as specifically permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Emmaus Borough

- No permit is required for real estate and auctioneer signs of six square feet or less, nonpermanent window signs, permitted garage sale signs, or permitted political signs.
- No permit is required for a mere change of copy on a sign, provided the sign is not increased in area, changed in location, or made more nonconforming.
- Flags of government units or branches and of charitable or religious organizations, interior signs not visible from a public right-of-way or adjoining property, and cornerstones built into or attached to a building wall are not regulated by the sign ordinance.
- Signs necessary for direction, regulation and control of traffic, official street name signs, legal notices, warnings at railroad crossings, and other official signs authorized or erected by government are specifically permitted in all zones.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign may be erected or replaced without a sign permit unless specifically exempted (see 'General Exemptions').
- All signs are subject to regulations regardless of whether a permit is required.
- Flags used as signs by commercial establishments require a sign permit, though the fee is waived if the establishment has already obtained a permit for other signs.
- No explicit reference is found in the provided text to a requirement for a comprehensive 'master sign plan,' sign plan, or required variance meeting beyond the special exception procedure for off-premises signs (billboards) in the B-H district.

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

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