# Sign Regulations in Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/lower-nazareth-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-19
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://lowernazareth.com/Documents/Boards%20and%20Commissions/Ordinances/Zoning%20Ordinance/LNT-ZO-Article-11-Signs.pdf?t=202511140937020)

## At a glance

Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania regulates 6 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground or Pylon Signs in the Residential Districts (TD2, TD3, TD4, TD5) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 40 square feet, with a No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) setback (Sec. Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 2-5; §1104, §1108, §1116). Most commercial signs in Lower Nazareth Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agriculture (TD1) | 1 | — | 40 square feet | — |
| Residential Districts (TD2, TD3, TD4, TD5) | 2 | 8 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| Mixed Use and Artisan Districts (TD6, TD7, TD8, TD9) | 4 | 10 feet | — | — |
| Industrial Districts (TD10, TD11) | 2 | 8 feet | — | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

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

### Residential Districts (TD2, TD3, TD4, TD5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground or Pylon Sign | 8 feet | 40 square feet | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | 1 per lot (shared with digital or electronically changing message signs) | On-premises | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 2-5; §1104, §1108, §1116 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | — | On building | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 2-5; §1104, §1108 |

### Mixed Use and Artisan Districts (TD6, TD7, TD8, TD9)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | 1 per lot (shared with digital or electronically changing message signs) | On-premises | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 6-9; §1104, §1108, §1115, §1116 |
| Building Sign | — | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | — | On building; shall not be placed above any building roofline nor shall any portion of the sign be located above any building roofline | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 6-9; §1104, §1108 |
| Digital Sign | — | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | 1 per lot (shared with freestanding or electronically changing message signs) | Within 500 feet of the right-of-way in TD8; not within 1,000 feet of a residential dwelling unit or residentially zoned land (measured from point directly opposite the sign along nearest edge of ROW on same side); separated minimum 1,500 feet from other digital or electronically changing signs (measured similarly) | — | §1116.1; Appendix: Signage Allotment |
| Electronically Changing Message Sign | — | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | 1 per lot (shared with freestanding or digital signs) | Within 50 feet of the right-of-way; not within 200 feet of residential dwelling or zoned land (any direction); separated min 1,500 ft from other digital/electronic signs; landscaped with low-maintenance plants/shrubs (landscape plan required with botanical/common names, sizes, quantity, spacing) | — | §1116.2; Appendix: Signage Allotment |

### Industrial Districts (TD10, TD11)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 feet | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | 1 per lot (shared with digital or electronically changing message signs) | On-premises | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 10-11; §1104, §1108, §1115, §1116 |
| Building Sign | — | — | — | No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way. No interference with sight distance. On-premises unless off-premises permitted. Permission of owner for off-premises. Within side/rear setback only if abutting commercial/industrial lot (other than street ROW). Front yard allowed if street setback complied with. (§1107) | — | On building; shall not be placed above any building roofline nor shall any portion of the sign be located above any building roofline | — | Appendix: Signage Allotment, TD 10-11; §1104, §1108 |

## Prohibited signs in Lower Nazareth Township

- Signs that include words or images that are obscene, pornographic, and/or speech not protected by the First Amendment are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Signs which contain information that states or implies that a lot may be used for any purpose not permitted under the applicable provisions of this Ordinance are prohibited.
- Any sign that emits smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound or odor is prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Signs that are of such character, form, shape, or color that they imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal or device to an extent that threatens public safety are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- The outlining of rooflines, doors, windows or wall edges by illuminated neon light tubing is prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Signs that use reflective materials to give the appearance of flashing, blinking, twinkling or electronically changing messages are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Balloons of greater than five (5) cubic feet are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Any sign on a mobile stand is prohibited in all zoning districts.
- No sign shall be erected within five (5) feet of or project over any existing and/or future street right-of-way.
- No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with the sight distance requirements of this Chapter.
- No signs except Permitted Off-Premises, Official, or Public Service Signs shall be erected on a property not owned by the proprietor of or owner responsible for the placement of the sign.
- No sign shall be located within a required side or rear setback for an accessory structure, except along lot lines that abut a commercially or industrially-used or zoned lot (other than a street right-of-way).
- No off-premises sign shall be posted on any property, unless permission has been received by the owner.
- No sign shall be posted on any utility, telephone pole or any public utility pole.
- No temporary signs shall be placed within PennDOT or Township legal rights-of-way.
- Signs within two hundred (200) feet of a dwelling or a residential district should not be illuminated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- Any vehicle or structure to which a sign is affixed such that the sign becomes the primary purpose shall be considered a freestanding sign and subject to freestanding sign requirements.
- Every permanent sign shall be constructed of durable materials and kept in good condition; dilapidated signs may be repaired or removed by the Township at the owner's expense.
- Signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product no longer available shall be removed, painted blank, or changed within sixty (60) days of cessation.
- Nonconforming signs damaged to an extent of twenty-five (25) percent or more of replacement cost, or removed, shall be replaced only with a conforming sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lower Nazareth Township

- Temporary Signs are exempt from the regulations of this Ordinance.
- Official Signs are not regulated in any form by this Ordinance.
- Memorial or historic markers, when approved by the Board of Supervisors or a State or Federal government agency, are exempt.
- Signs physically carried by a person are permitted without regulation by this Ordinance.
- Signs that are not visible from a public street or any exterior lot line are permitted without regulation by this Article.
- Officially Required Signs that include only information specifically required to be posted outdoors by a government agency or the Township are permitted without regulation by this Article.
- Very Small Signs of less than one square foot in area that cannot be read by a person of normal eyesight from a public street or any property line are permitted without regulation by this Article.
- Window Signs that are not of a permanent nature, provided they meet other requirements of this Article, are exempt.
- Decorations for a Township, County, State or Federal government recognized holiday, posted not more than twenty (20) days (except 60 days prior to Christmas) prior to the event and removed within ten (10) days after the event, are exempt.
- Flags of any nation or level of government are exempt.
- Signs within the existing right-of-way of a public street when officially authorized by the Board of Supervisors or PennDOT, as appropriate, are exempt.
- Digital signs and electronically changing message signs erected by Lower Nazareth Township and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are exempt from these regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any new or expanded sign associated with a proposed Conditional or Special Exception use or an expansion or change of a nonconforming use shall be reviewed and either approved or denied at the same time that the Conditional or Special Exception use or nonconforming use is being reviewed by the Zoning Hearing Board, considering compatibility with adjacent land uses.
- The Zoning Hearing Board may allow the voluntary replacement of existing lawful nonconforming freestanding and wall signs by signs with a smaller sign area and lower height as a special exception, provided the new signs do not conflict with adjacent uses.
- The permit application for an electronically changing message sign shall require a landscape plan in accordance with this Chapter, including botanical and common names of plants, sizes, quantity, and spacing.

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

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