# Sign Regulations in Emsworth Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Emsworth Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/emsworth-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12038612#12038612)

## At a glance

Emsworth Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 25 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Residential)s in the R-3 zoning district are capped at 5 ft. tall and 2 sq. ft., with a 3 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to an intersection. setback (Sec. §245-55, Table A, C, D, E). Most commercial signs in Emsworth Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1, R-2 | 5 | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| R-3 | 7 | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| C-1, C-2 | 17 | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| LI | 15 | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| O/C | 6 | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 2 sq. ft. | — |

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

### R-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential) | 5 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — | 3 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to an intersection. | 1 per 15 ft. of street frontage | On private property, minimum 3 ft. setback from lot lines, not closer than 10 ft. to intersections. | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D, E |
| Freestanding Sign (Other) | 10 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 3 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to an intersection. | 1 per 15 ft. of street frontage | On private property, minimum 3 ft. setback from lot lines, not closer than 10 ft. to intersections. | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D, E |
| Building Marker Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Identification Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, D, E |
| Incidental Building Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, notes |
| Residential Building Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, notes |
| Flag | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On private property | — | §245-55, Table A, D, notes |

### C-1, C-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential) | 5 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — | 3 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to intersection. | See above | On private property, minimum 3 ft. setback from lot lines, not closer than 10 ft to intersections. | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D, E |
| Freestanding Sign (Other) | C-1: 12 ft.; C-2: 20 ft. | C-1: 16 sq. ft.; C-2: 40 sq. ft. | — | 3 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to intersection. | See above | On private property, minimum 3 ft. setback from lot lines for both C-1 and C-2, not closer than 10 ft to intersection. | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D, E |
| Banner (Building Sign) | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Building Marker Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, D, notes |
| Canopy Sign | — | 25% of canopy's vertical surface | — | — | 1 per building | On canopy of building | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Plaza Sign | — | C-1: 32 sq. ft. (16 sq. ft. for plaza name, 16 sq. ft. for establishments); C-2: 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per development | On site | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D and notes |
| Projecting Sign | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building, may project over right-of-way where permitted. | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Flag | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On private property | — | §245-55, Table A, D, notes |

### LI

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Other) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. from lot lines; not closer than 10 ft to intersection. | 1 per 20 ft. of street frontage | On private property, min. 5 ft setback from lot lines, not closer than 10 ft to intersections. | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D, E |
| Freestanding Sign (Incidental) | — | — | — | 5 ft. | — | On private property, min. 5 ft. setback. | — | §245-55, Table A, notes |
| Banner (Building Sign) | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Building Marker Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building | — | §245-55, Table A, D, notes |
| Canopy Sign | — | 25% of canopy's vertical surface | — | — | 1 per building | On canopy | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Plaza Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per development | On site | — | §245-55, Table A, C, D |
| Projecting Sign | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | On building, may project over right-of-way where permitted. | — | §245-55, Table A, D |
| Flag | 40 ft. (flagpole) | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On private property | — | §245-55, Table A, D, notes |

## Prohibited signs in Emsworth Borough

- All signs that are not expressly permitted under this chapter or exempted from its regulations by § 245-58 are prohibited from the Borough of Emsworth.
- Sign types such as beacons, pennants, strings of lights that are not permanently mounted to a rigid background (except those exempted), inflatable signs, and tethered balloons are prohibited.
- No sign shall be located closer than 10 feet to an intersection between public and/or private roads and/or driveways unless that sign allows a clear view between the intersecting roads and/or driveways at all heights between three and 10 feet.
- No sign shall exceed any applicable maximum numbers or dimensions shown in the ordinance tables, and no sign shall encroach on applicable minimum clearances.
- Any sign that was illegally erected or painted under a previous zoning ordinance or land use regulation remains illegal under this chapter, even if it conforms to this chapter's regulations.
- Nonconforming signs shall not be enlarged or relocated within the Borough.
- Nonconforming signs shall not be altered except to make safety improvements, keep the sign maintained, or bring the sign into conformance.
- Signs that do not conform to the area, height, setback, maximum percentage, or number requirements based on their zoning district are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Emsworth Borough

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.
- Any sign that is inside a building, not attached to a window or door, or not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the involved lot or parcel.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
- Signs on the scoreboard or outfield fence of an athletic field.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message.
- Traffic control signs on private property, such as 'STOP,' 'YIELD,' and similar signs, the face of which meet the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards and which contain no commercial message of any sort.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- There is no explicit mention of a 'sign plan,' 'master sign plan,' or required variance meeting for signage in the provided ordinance text.
- Permits (zoning and/or occupancy) are required for certain signs as specified by district and sign type, particularly for temporary, building, and other regulated signs, as indicated in Tables A and related sections.
- Replacement of a nonidentical sign is considered the same as erecting a new sign and may or may not require a zoning and/or occupancy permit, depending on type and location.
- For temporary signs, both in private and public rights-of-way, occupancy permits with time limits and quantity restrictions are required.

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

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