# Sign Regulations in Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/hilltown-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11181318#11181318)

## At a glance

Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania regulates 23 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Residential Development/Neighborhood Signs in the CR-1, CR-2, RR, MHP, AQRC zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 20 square feet (Sec. § 160-79G). Most commercial signs in Hilltown Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — |
| CR-1, CR-2, RR, MHP, AQRC | 7 | 8 feet | 20 square feet | — |
| PC-1, PC-2, VC, Q, LI, HI | 6 | 20 feet from finished grade (to top) | 100 square feet per side | — |
| PC-1, I-II, LI | 1 | 35 feet (to top of sign) | 250 square feet per side if <200ft from R-O-W; 350 square feet per side if ≥200ft from R-O-W (Digital Billboards in LI/HI on Rt 309: 300 square feet, exclusive of base/trim) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Sale or Rental of Premises) | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — | — | 1 per property | On premises to which the sign relates; within the property lines | — | § 160-78A |
| Temporary Sign (Development by Builder/Developer) | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — | — | 1 per frontage | On premises to which the sign relates | — | § 160-78B |
| Temporary Sign (Contractor/Consultant/Artisan on Construction Site) | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On construction sites | — | § 160-78C |
| Temporary Sign (Civic, Political, Educational, Religious Event or Campaign) | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — | — | — | — | — | § 160-78D |
| Temporary Sign (Event Directional) | — | 16 square feet (one side) | — | — | 1 per property, 1 per frontage if applicable | — | — | § 160-78E |
| Temporary Banner/Spinner/Flag/Pennant for Commercial Advertising | — | 16 square feet (one side) per device | — | — | — | Nonresidential districts only | — | § 160-78F |
| General Regulation: Setback | — | — | — | Min distance from side property line = sign height; at least 20 feet | — | — | — | § 160-77A |
| General Regulation: Traffic Safety | — | — | — | Min 15 feet from cartway; Min 50 feet from intersection unless 8 ft above centerline | — | No sign (except profession, home occupation/name sign) within 15 feet of edge of improved cartway; min 50 feet from intersection unless at least 8 feet above street center | — | § 160-77B |

### CR-1, CR-2, RR, MHP, AQRC

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Sale/Rental/Development/Political) - Option 1 | — | 16 square feet (one side for sale/rental/development); 16 square feet (one side for political/civic) | — | — | — | On-premises only | — | § 160-79A; § 160-78A,B,D |
| Official Highway or Traffic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 160-79B |
| Trespassing/Private Road/Prohibition Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | At relevant location (property, road, driveway, premises) | — | § 160-79C |
| Professional/Home Occupation/Name Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | 1 per permitted use/dwelling unit | On premises where the use is located | — | § 160-79D |
| Identification Sign (Schools, Churches, Hospitals, Clubs, Lodges, Farms, Estates) | — | 20 square feet | — | — | Max 1 per property, or 1 per frontage | On premises | — | § 160-79E |
| Sign Advertising Sale of Farm Products | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 | On premises | — | § 160-79F |
| Residential Development/Neighborhood Sign | 8 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per entrance (max 2 per neighborhood) | At street entrances; in easement per approved subdivision plan only | — | § 160-79G |

### PC-1, PC-2, VC, Q, LI, HI

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs Permitted in CR-1, CR-2, RR, MHP, AQRC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 160-80A,B |
| Freestanding Sign (Business, Industry, Other Permitted Use) | 20 feet from finished grade (to top) | 32 square feet per side | — | — | 1 per premises (per street yard/frontage if multi-front) | On premises; 1 per premises under single/separate ownership; 1 per frontage if fronts multiple streets. Not beyond rear wall if abutting a residential district (except directional signs, which max 8 square feet per side) | — | § 160-80C |
| Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center) | Min 8 feet to bottom, Max 32 feet to top | 100 square feet per side | — | — | 1 per street yard/frontage | Each yard fronting on a street | — | § 160-80D |
| Freestanding Sign (Group of Businesses/Industrial Use, not Shopping Center) | — | 100 square feet per side total, 4 square feet per individual business sign | — | — | 1 per street yard | Each yard fronting a street | — | § 160-80E |
| Freestanding Sign (Gasoline Service Station) | 7 feet | 6 square feet per sign | — | — | 2 per station | — | — | § 160-80F |
| Wall Sign (Parallel/Projecting/Window Combined) | — | — | — | — | As allowed by area formula | On principal building | — | § 160-80G |

## Prohibited signs in Hilltown Township

- Signs are prohibited which in any way simulate official, functional, directional, or warning signs maintained by government or public utilities concerned with public health or safety.
- Permanent banners, spinners, flags, pennants, or any moving objects for commercial advertising purposes are prohibited.
- Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated, twirling or moving signs of any type, except those indicating time and temperature, are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected giving information (stated or implied) that a referenced property may be used for any purpose not permitted in its zoning district.
- On-premises signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product no longer available must be removed or changed immediately after the original use ceases.
- Signs, once removed, shall be replaced only by signs conforming with the ordinance.
- No signs are allowed within street lines unless specifically authorized by ordinance or regulation, and in compliance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
- Any vehicle to which a sign is affixed such that carrying the sign becomes a primary (not incidental) purpose is prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected at less than its height in distance from a side property line and must be at least 20 feet from a side property line.
- No sign may be placed so as to cause danger to street traffic by obscuring views.
- No sign (other than those identifying a profession, home occupation, or resident) may be located within 15 feet of the edge of an improved cartway.
- No sign may be erected or maintained within 50 feet of a street or private accessway intersection unless at least eight feet above the street centerline.
- No sign may interfere with minimum sight distances for intersections as per PennDOT standards.
- No sign (other than official highway or traffic signs) may be erected within the official street right-of-way.
- No red, green, or yellow illuminated sign is permitted within 300 feet of a traffic light.
- All signs (except temporary) must be built of durable material and kept in good repair.
- Any sign found dilapidated and not restored within 30 days after notice may be removed by the Township at the owner's expense.
- Signs facing a residential district or occupied dwelling and within 200 feet may not have an exposed source of illumination.
- Illuminated signs may not shine in the normal line of vision for traffic on a public street.
- Illuminated signs with exposed bulbs are not permitted.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hilltown Township

- Interior property parking and traffic control signs not visible from the public right-of-way and not exceeding four square feet.
- Special information signs (for restrooms, credit cards accepted, hours of operation, etc.) not exceeding two square feet.
- A sign not exceeding one square foot bearing only property number, street address, post box numbers, or occupant names.
- A sign that is a permanent architectural feature of a building/structure such as a cornerstone.
- Traditional barber poles not exceeding three feet in height, located at the barbershop.
- The legal display of the flag of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or any recognized governmental authority.
- A governmental insignia, public monument, historic identification sign or plaque, and state or municipal highway safety and identification signs.
- Holiday decorations.
- Legal notices.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Applications for sign permits must include a plot plan, sketch of design and lettering, and construction plans showing all existing structures and signs.
- Permanent and temporary freestanding, parallel, and projecting signs, and temporary signs as per §160-78E, require a Zoning Permit issued by the Township.
- In shopping centers or groups of stores/businesses, a separate sign permit is required for each store, business, or similar use.
- Permit applications must set forth details on all existing and proposed signs to determine compliance with the ordinance.
- Subdivision neighborhood/development signs must be shown on the approved subdivision plan and receive architectural and size approval from the Board of Supervisors.

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

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