# Sign Regulations in Franconia Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Franconia Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/franconia-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8787899#8787899)

## At a glance

Franconia Township, Pennsylvania regulates 22 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding/Monument Signs in the Commercial District (C) zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 40 sq ft, with a 20 ft from curbline/shoulder setback (Sec. §145-132.A, §145-132.C(3)). Most commercial signs in Franconia Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (RR, R-175, R-130, R-100, R-50, MHD, MRD, OSR, OSR-200) | 7 | — | 25 sq ft per side | — |
| Commercial District (C) | 6 | 40 ft or lower as per district height limit | 50 sq ft (in limited-access highway zone) | — |
| Village Commercial District (VC) | 5 | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| LI Industrial District | 7 | 40 ft or district height limit, whichever is lower | 80 sq ft | — |
| Institutional District (IN) | 4 | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | — |
| Recreation Open - Space District (RE) | 2 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| Industrial District (I) | 1 | 40 ft or district height limit, whichever is lower | 50 sq ft (in limited-access highway zone) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 6 ft | 25 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Residential Districts (RR, R-175, R-130, R-100, R-50, MHD, MRD, OSR, OSR-200)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification/Address Sign | — | 2 sq ft per side, two-sided allowed | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On premises, 1 per dwelling | — | §145-130.A, §145-138.5.A(4), §145-138.3.H(2), §145-138.4.A(1)(a) |
| Trespassing or Private Ownership Signs | — | 1 sq ft per side, two-sided allowed | — | — | — | On premises | — | §145-130.B, §145-138.3.H(8) |
| Farm Stand Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | §145-130.C |
| Development Identification Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At development entrance | — | §145-130.D, §145-130.E, §145-138.5.A(3) |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | §145-131.A |
| Subdivision Sale/Development Sign (Temporary) | — | 25 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises | — | §145-131.B |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Artisan Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per property | On premises where work being performed | — | §145-131.C |

### Commercial District (C)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding/Monument Sign | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 20 ft from curbline/shoulder | 1 per property per street frontage | Setback at least 20 ft from curbline or outer edge of shoulder; outside legal right-of-way | — | §145-132.A, §145-132.C(3) |
| Wall Sign / Awning Sign / Permanent Window Sign (choose one per street-facing side) | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street-facing side per building | Side of building facing street | — | §145-132.C(1), §145-138.4.A(2) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | Min 5 ft from curb/shoulder (outer edge + 7 ft proj.), 10 ft above sidewalk | 1 per tenant in multitenant buildings | Side or front of building facing street or parking area | — | §145-132.C(2) |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises | — | §145-133.A |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Artisan Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per property | On premises where work performed | — | §145-133.B |
| Off-Premises Outdoor Advertising Sign (Billboard) | 40 ft or lower as per district height limit | 50 sq ft (in limited-access highway zone) | — | 6 to 30 ft from ROW, minimum distances from residential, scenic, other signs, etc. | See dispersal rules in §145-138.2 | Along Route 476, in limited-access highway zone | — | §145-138.2 |

### LI Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding/Monument Sign (Industrial Parks, 1-2 tenants) | 6 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 30 ft from curbline/shoulder | 1 per street frontage | Setback at least 30 ft from curbline or outer edge of shoulder; outside right-of-way | — | §145-134.A(1)(a)[1], (2), (3), (4) |
| Freestanding/Monument Sign (Industrial Parks, 3-4 tenants) | 6 ft | 60 sq ft | — | 30 ft from curbline/shoulder | 1 per street frontage | Setback at least 30 ft from curbline or outer edge of shoulder; outside right-of-way | — | §145-134.A(1)(a)[2], (2), (3), (4) |
| Freestanding/Monument Sign (Industrial Parks, 5+ tenants) | 6 ft | 80 sq ft | — | 30 ft from curbline/shoulder | 1 per street frontage | Setback at least 30 ft from curbline or outer edge of shoulder; outside right-of-way | — | §145-134.A(1)(a)[3], (2), (3), (4) |
| Wall Sign (Business Identification) | — | 40 sq ft per side facing street | — | — | 1 per street-facing side per business/tenant | Parallel wall, facing street | — | §145-134.B |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises | — | §145-135.A |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Artisan Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per property | On premises where work performed | — | §145-135.B |
| Off-Premises Outdoor Advertising Sign (Billboard) | 40 ft or district height limit, whichever is lower | 50 sq ft (in limited-access highway zone) | — | 6-30 ft from ROW, minimum distances to residential, scenic areas, other signs, etc. | See dispersal rules in §145-138.2 | Along Route 476, in limited-access highway zone | — | §145-138.2 |

## Prohibited signs in Franconia Township

- It shall be unlawful to affix posters, stickers, placards or signs of any nature to utility poles, street signs or upon any other structures within the rights-of-way of public streets or highways within Franconia Township at any time.
- No sign shall endanger traffic on a street by obscuring a clear view or by confusion with official street signs or signals, by virtue of position, color, design, sound or light.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Beacon lighting is prohibited.
- Flashing, blinking, interactive, intermittently lighted, moving or reflective signs or electronically changing message signs (including pulsating, moving, scrolling messages and those that indicate time and temperature) are prohibited. This includes window signs and signs that give the appearance of any of the above. Exception: standard holiday lighting or displays.
- Illuminated temporary signs are prohibited.
- Nonstationary signs are prohibited.
- Revolving, changing or rotating signs that change copy more often than once every three minutes or do not change instantaneously are prohibited. (Barber poles are exempt.)
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Trailer signs, including commercial vehicles parked on public rights-of-way, public property or private property or in the same vicinity within view of a public street for 14 consecutive days, when used for advertising purposes, are prohibited. (Construction trailers are exempt.)
- Vehicular signs, including commercial vehicles parked on public rights-of-way, public property or private property within view of a public street for 14 consecutive days, when used for advertising purposes, are prohibited.
- Tacking, pasting or otherwise affixing of signs or posters on buildings, barns, sheds, trailers, trees, poles, posts, vehicles, walls, fences or any other structure on a property is prohibited, excluding 'no trespassing,' 'no hunting,' and 'beware of animal' warnings or other legal postings as required by law.
- Signs that transmit excessive emissions, such as light, sound, odors, vapors or particles, are prohibited.
- String lights (other than holiday decorations) are prohibited.
- Searchlights, floodlights and lasers are prohibited.
- Sandwich boards are prohibited.
- Sidewalk or curb signs are prohibited.
- Balloons or other inflatable figures are prohibited.
- Banners, spinners, flags, streamers, pennants or any moving object used for commercial advertising purposes (whether containing a message or not) are prohibited except for a special event regulated herein.
- Message center signs (electronically programmed signs using alpha-numeric symbols, such as gas sign display) and digital displays (internally illuminated signs with electronic images which can change and can include text, such as LCD, LED screens, plasma screens) are prohibited.
- No sign, other than official street signs, shall be erected or maintained within the street right-of-way.
- No sign shall project more than 24 inches over a public walkway, and the lower edge of such projecting sign shall not be less than 10 feet above the walk level.
- No temporary or permanent signs shall be erected on Township property other than official identification or directional signs unless authorized by the Township.
- Every sign permitted shall be constructed of durable materials and shall be maintained in good condition and repair at all times.
- The power to all illuminated signs shall be turned off no later than 12:00 midnight prevailing time and shall remain off the balance of the night.
- No signs shall be illuminated with or contain flashing, rotating, moving or intermittent lighting devices.
- Any type of sign regulated that is abandoned and not advertising, announcing or identifying an active or permitted use, business, available product, etc. for a period of more than three months shall be deemed not in compliance with this chapter.
- Dilapidated or otherwise unsafe signs shall be removed within 30 days upon notification from the Zoning Officer.
- When a sign becomes unsafe, is in danger of falling, becomes so deteriorated that it no longer serves a useful purpose, or is a nuisance or unlawfully erected, it shall be removed upon written notice.
- Signs must not be permitted if they are in any way a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, either directly or indirectly, by virtue of exposing a pedestrian to danger as a result of concealing the presence of a pedestrian to vehicular traffic.
- Signs must be regulated so as not to cause excessive diversion of a driver's attention from the safe operation of his or her vehicle, confusion, or any type of obstruction or distraction for the motoring public.
- Signs must be regulated so as not to cause an increase in traffic accidents or to be so attention-getting as to cause drivers to remove their eyes from the road for more than two seconds.
- No sign, other than official street signs, shall be erected or maintained within the street right-of-way.
- No sign shall be affixed to utility poles, street signs, or structures within the rights-of-way of public streets or highways.
- No outdoor advertising sign shall have flashing, intermittent, rotating, or oscillating lights.
- No direct ray of light shall extend beyond the face of the sign.
- No illuminated sign power after midnight.

## Signs exempt from permit in Franconia Township

- Temporary political signs erected solely for and pertaining to a public election, subject to: not erected more than 30 days prior to, and removed within 5 days after, the election; signs shall not exceed 4 square feet.
- Garage/yard sale signs, provided they are placed no more than 48 hours before the sale and removed before the end of the day of the sale.
- Nameplate, street and address and 'welcome' signs not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Warning, security and directional signs for parking, etc.
- Government signs such as flags, insignia, or legal notices.
- Informational or directional signs not exceeding two square feet.
- Official street signs, traffic signs and any signs required by law.
- Signs in connection with the identification, operation or protection of any public utility or municipal activity.
- Trespassing signs and signs indicating private ownership of roadways or other property not exceeding two square feet each.
- 'No hunting' signs on private property not exceeding two square feet each.
- Property security signs not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Barber poles are exempt from the prohibition on revolving, changing or rotating signs.
- Construction trailers are exempt from the prohibition on trailer signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Development signs identifying residential developments require review and approval of the Board of Supervisors as part of the land development/subdivision process.
- All business, commercial and industrial signs, including all off-premises signs, require a sign permit which must be applied for with documentation including dimensions, site plan (for freestanding signs), type of illumination, and design.
- All development signs require a sign permit.
- Signs advertising the office of a professional practitioner require a sign permit.
- An application for a sign permit must include: types and locations of existing signs, dimensions, area and height of all existing signs, a site plan (for freestanding signs), type of illumination, proposed sign dimensions, materials and design/graphics/wording, and (for wall signs) the building length along public street frontage.
- In the case of nonconforming signs, if an application is made for a sign permit, property submits a subdivision or land development application, or undergoes a change of land use requiring a use and occupancy permit, all nonconforming signs must be brought into conformance and information on all existing signs must be submitted.
- No explicit mention of a 'master sign plan' is present, but site plans are required for sign permits for freestanding signs and development signs.

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

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