# Sign Regulations in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/lower-gwynedd-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/13446162#13446162)

## At a glance

Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania regulates 22 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Seasonal Little League Sponsorship Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 4 ft. tall and 24 sq. ft., with a No higher than top of fence or 4 ft., whichever less setback (Sec. §1292.10). Most commercial signs in Lower Gwynedd Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (AA, AA-1, A, A-1, B, C, CD, CD-1, E, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3, MF-3-A) | 10 | — | 24 sq. ft. | — |
| D Districts (D, D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4), MD District, F Districts (F, F-1) | 12 | — | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| PO Professional Office District | 4 | — | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| Off-Premises Sign Overlay District | 1 | 35 ft. | 300 sq. ft. per side | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 4 ft. | 40 sq. ft. (for flags), others no area specified | — |

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

### Residential Districts (AA, AA-1, A, A-1, B, C, CD, CD-1, E, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3, MF-3-A)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate | — | 1 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On residence | — | §1292.02(a) |
| Professional Sign | — | 2 sq. ft. | 12 by 24 in. | — | 1 per permitted occupation | Premises of professional/home occupation | — | §1292.02(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per frontage | On property for sale or rent | — | §1292.02(c) |
| "No Trespassing"/Private Ownership Sign | — | 1.5 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On property or road | — | §1292.02(d) |
| Incidental Sign (Multifamily Dwelling Office) | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | At business/rental office in multifamily dwelling | — | §1292.02(e) |
| Multifamily Project Name Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Announcing name of multifamily dwelling project | — | §1292.02(e) |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Painter/Artisan Temporary Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per trade | On premises during period of work only | — | §1292.02(f) |
| Temporary Sign for Multiple Lots/Home Sale | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from edge of cartway | 1 | On property advertising 4+ building lots/new homes for sale | — | §1292.02(i) |

### D Districts (D, D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4), MD District, F Districts (F, F-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate | — | 1 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On residence | — | §1292.03(a) referencing §1292.02(a) |
| Professional Sign | — | 2 sq. ft. | 12 by 24 in. | — | 1 per permitted occupation | Premises of professional/home occupation | — | §1292.03(a) referencing §1292.02(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per frontage | On property for sale or rent | — | §1292.03(a); §1292.02(c) |
| Incidental Sign (Multifamily Dwelling Office) | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | At business/rental office in multifamily dwelling | — | §1292.03(a); §1292.02(e) |
| Multifamily Project Name Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | Announcing name of multifamily dwelling project | — | §1292.03(a); §1292.02(e) |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Painter/Artisan Temporary Sign | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per trade | On premises during period of work only | — | §1292.03(a); §1292.02(f) |
| Temporary Sign for Multiple Lots/Home Sale | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from edge of cartway | 1 | On property advertising 4+ building lots/new homes for sale | — | §1292.03(a); §1292.02(i) |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On same lot as use; 1 per street frontage | — | §1292.03(b) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign - Public/Semipublic | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Any district, naming/locating public/semi-public land or event | — | §1292.05(d) |
| Directional Sign - Temporary (Sample Home/Openings) | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | — | In any district for temporary events in Township only | — | §1292.05(e) |
| Convenience/Protection of Public Sign | — | 1.5 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On premises | — | §1292.05(j) |
| Temporary Sign (Non-Residential/Residential w/Non-Residential Use) | — | 8 sq. ft. | — | — | Up to 5 per street frontage | On properties in nonresidential districts and properties in residential districts with a permitted nonresidential use (excluding No-Impact Home-Based Businesses) | — | §1292.06(b)(2)-(3) |
| Temporary Sign - Exempted | — | 40 sq. ft. (for flags), others no area specified | — | — | — | Any property, by or with permission of government agency or fire department, or for flags | — | §1292.06(b)(4) |
| Changeable Text Electronic Message Board (by Special Exception) | — | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1, double-faced | Permitted only for public/private schools, colleges, universities, places of religious worship, municipal facilities (by special exception) | — | §1292.09 |
| Seasonal Little League Sponsorship Sign | 4 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — | No higher than top of fence or 4 ft., whichever less | Limited to 50% of the outfield fence footage | Outfield fences of Township-owned baseball fields used by Lower Gwynedd Township Little League | — | §1292.10 |
| Street Name Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Erected at every street intersection; as close to curb as practical, but not overhanging cartway or curb | — | §1230.44 |

## Prohibited signs in Lower Gwynedd Township

- No sign shall be erected or maintained at the intersection of streets or at a driveway entrance or exit so as to obstruct free and clear vision.
- If located near or within a direct line of vision of any traffic control sign or signal, such sign shall have no red, green or amber illumination.
- No sign, other than an official street sign, shall be erected or maintained within the ultimate right of way of any street.
- No flashing or intermittent lighting of any kind on any sign shall be permitted in any district.
- The source of the light on or from any sign shall not be directly visible.
- All illumination on any sign shall be extinguished between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of the following day, prevailing time.
- There shall be no lighting or floodlighting of a flashing, intermittent or moving type, and no lighting or floodlighting shall change color or intensity.
- Illumination shall be shielded so that the source of light shall not be visible from any point off the premises on which the sign, building or structure is located.
- No sign shall exceed the height limitation set forth for buildings or other structures in the district in which such sign is located, and no attached sign shall project above the building to which it is attached.
- Any sign no longer in use shall be promptly removed.
- No sign shall be increased in number or total area if it is a nonconforming sign existing prior to June 18, 1987.
- Temporary signs that are frayed, torn, broken, or no longer legible will be deemed unmaintained and required to be removed.
- Temporary signs shall not be illuminated.
- Signs containing any word, place, symbol, or character which interferes with, imitates, or resembles an official traffic control sign are prohibited.
- No temporary sign may be erected without the property owner's permission.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lower Gwynedd Township

- Temporary signs, as defined in the Zoning Code, are exempt from standard permit requirements, but must abide by ordinance requirements.
- The following temporary signs are exempt from the provisions of this chapter: by or with the permission of a government agency, a governmental flag, public monument; public announcement; historic identification signs or plaques, and municipal identification signs.
- Flags, not to exceed 40 square feet each, are exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
- Volunteer fire department recruitment signs are exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
- "No parking," "entrance," "exit," "keep off," "beware of dog," "parking" and similar devices for the convenience or protection of the public shall not be considered in computing total sign area.
- Seasonal Little League sponsorship signs placed on Township-owned baseball outfield fences used by Lower Gwynedd Township Little League are exempt from permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required for all signs which exceed eight square feet in area in Residential Districts and 12 square feet in area in all other districts.
- All illuminated signs, regardless of size, require a sign permit and must follow the Township Electrical Code.
- No sign permit shall be issued unless a drawing showing the size, location, text, and owner of the sign has been submitted in writing along with a fee, and where required, a license or bond.
- Installation of all traffic control signs, equipment or devices required within a subdivision or land development and along the frontage must be shown on the plan, approved by PennDOT where required, and installed at the developer's cost.
- When seeking to place off-premises advertising signs, written agreement of the property owner must be presented as part of the application for a sign permit.

## 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 Lower Gwynedd Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Lower+Gwynedd+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-lower-gwynedd-township

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