# Sign Regulations in Lower Oxford Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lower Oxford Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/lower-oxford-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32407588#32407588)

## At a glance

Lower Oxford Township, Pennsylvania regulates 25 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Project Identification Signs in the Shopping Centers zoning district are capped at 35 ft tall and 300 sq ft, with a 5 ft from row or drive; 30 ft from property line setback (Sec. §27-1808(1)(A)). Most commercial signs in Lower Oxford Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | Bottom not higher than 12 ft; tallest point no higher than 24 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3 | 3 | 30 ft from ground level; up to 45 ft if approved as conditional use | 32 sq ft | — |
| C-1, C-2, C-3 (U.S. 1 Bypass Adjacent Parcels) | 1 | Bottom of sign not higher than 25 ft; highest point no higher than 42 ft from grade; barn structure max height 50 ft | 960 sq ft per sign face; max 2 faces | — |
| Shopping Centers | 11 | 35 ft | 420 sq ft | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional/Information Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Anywhere, provided it does not advertise commercial establishments except public utilities; must conform to all parts | — | §27-1801(1) |
| Trespassing/Private Property/No Hunting/Fishing Control Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On relevant private properties | — | §27-1801(2) |
| For Sale/For Rent/Sold Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Located entirely within lot lines of property to which they refer | — | §27-1801(3) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any property line (freestanding only) | 1 per lot | — | — | §27-1802 |
| Projecting Sign | No part <8 ft nor >12 ft above ground/walkway | — | — | — | — | Mounted to wall or vertical building surface | — | §27-1805(3)[C] |
| Billboard (Non-Automatic Changeable-Copy) | Bottom not higher than 12 ft; tallest point no higher than 24 ft | 300 sq ft | — | 50 ft from public street right-of-way; 200 ft from dwellings; 100 ft from other billboards | — | Properties adjacent to US Route 1 Bypass | — | §27-1809(1) |
| Off-Premises Sign (Individual) | 10 ft from ground to top | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | Outside right-of-way of state/township streets; only on Old Baltimore Pike, Routes 10, and 472 | — | §27-1804(1,2,4,5,6B,8) |
| Off-Premises Sign (Joint Signboard) | 10 ft overall; individual panels max 18 in high and 6 ft wide | — | Individual panels max 6 ft | — | 1 per business | Outside right-of-way of state/township streets; only on Old Baltimore Pike, Routes 10, and 472 | — | §27-1804(6A,8) |

### C-1, C-2, C-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall) | 8 ft at min setback; can increase to 20 ft with additional setback | — | 30 ft | Attached to building; if freestanding see below | — | Mounted on front of building | — | §27-1803(1,3), §27-1806 |
| Wall Sign (Side Wall) | — | — | 30 ft | — | — | Side wall exposed to public view from street or parking area | — | §27-1803(2), §27-1806 |
| Freestanding Sign | 30 ft from ground level; up to 45 ft if approved as conditional use | 32 sq ft | — | Front yard | — | Within front yard of property to which it pertains | — | §27-1803(4,5,6), §27-1806 |

### Shopping Centers

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Project Identification Sign | 35 ft | 300 sq ft | — | 5 ft from row or drive; 30 ft from property line | 1 per principal entrance; max 2 | Within 600 ft of intersection of entrance drive/public right-of-way or intersection of two public rights-of-way; at least 5 ft back from street or access drive, and 30 ft from property line | — | §27-1808(1)(A) |
| Monument Sign | 10 ft | 80 sq ft | — | 5 ft from street/drive; 20 ft from property line; 50 ft from other freestanding sign | 1 per 150 ft street frontage | Adjacent to a public right-of-way within shopping center; at least 5 ft from street/drive, 20 ft from property line, and 50 ft from any other freestanding sign | — | §27-1808(1)(B) |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall, Single-Tenant <10,000 sf - Option 1) | — | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Front building wall (main entrance) of single-tenant building under 10,000 sq ft | — | §27-1808(1)(C)(1)(a) |
| Wall Sign (Front Wall, Single-Tenant <10,000 sf - Option 2) | — | — | — | — | 1 per building | Front building wall (main entrance) of single-tenant building under 10,000 sq ft | — | §27-1808(1)(C)(1)(b) |
| Wall Sign (Side Wall) | — | — | 30 ft | — | — | Side wall exposed to public or parking area | — | §27-1808(1)(C)(2) |
| Wall Sign (Structure Other Than Building) | — | 420 sq ft | — | — | Max 2 per structure | Structure other than building | — | §27-1808(1)(C)(4) |
| Traffic Control and Directional Sign | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | Anywhere within shopping center | — | §27-1808(1)(D) |
| Information Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | Adjacent to building or within parking area serving associated business | — | §27-1808(1)(E) |

## Prohibited signs in Lower Oxford Township

- No sign shall be erected within the lines of a street right-of-way, except traffic signs and similar regulatory notices of a duly constituted governmental body.
- No moving or flashing signs which may have the effect of distracting motorists on adjacent highways shall be permitted.
- No artificial light or reflecting device shall be used as a part of a sign where such light or device interferes with, competes for attention with, or may be mistaken for a traffic signal.
- Floodlighting shall be arranged so that the source of light is not visible from any point off the lot and that only the sign is directly illuminated thereby.
- No sign shall be erected containing information on it which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of Chapter 27 in the zoning district in which the property to which the sign relates is located.
- No sign shall be erected on a premises except one advertising a business or articles or merchandise for sale on the same premises, unless provided for in this Part 18.
- Every sign permitted shall be constructed of durable material and kept in good condition, repair and safe from collapse. Any sign which is allowed to become dilapidated shall be removed by the Township at the expense of the owner or lessee of the property on which it is located.
- No sign, other than official street signs, shall be erected or maintained nearer to a street line than a distance equaling the height of the sign, unless attached to the building.
- The use of red, green or amber lights on any sign within 200 feet of a street intersection shall be prohibited.
- The use of intermittent, flashing or animated lighting within 50 feet of a street right-of-way and 200 feet from the R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 Zoning Districts shall be prohibited.
- The use of illuminated signs within the R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4 Zoning Districts shall be prohibited unless the illuminated sign is specifically related to emergency management uses, medical facilities, municipal uses, institutional uses, and other similar uses considered appropriate by the Zoning Officer.
- No animated, mechanically or electrically moving, sequential, intermittent, flashing, rotating, or oscillating signs shall be permitted except for time-and-temperature signs.
- Flashing lights visible from a street shall not be used to attract attention to a business. This restriction specifically includes window signs but does not prohibit routine Christmas lighting.
- No sign shall emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound or odor.
- No open flames shall be permitted as part of a sign or in any other way to attract attention.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lower Oxford Township

- Directional, information or public service signs, such as those advertising availability of restrooms, telephone or similar public conveniences, and signs advertising meeting times and places of nonprofit service or charitable clubs and organizations may be erected or maintained, provided they do not advertise any commercial establishment, activity, organization, product, goods, or services except those of public utilities, and provided they do not exceed two square feet in area.
- Directional and information signs provided for the guidance and convenience of the public within commercial establishments may also be erected, provided such signs shall not exceed two square feet in area.
- Trespassing signs, or signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway, or premises, and signs prohibiting or otherwise controlling hunting or fishing upon particular premises may be erected and maintained, provided the sign area does not exceed two square feet in area.
- Signs offering individual properties for sale or rent, or indicating that a property has been sold, provided that such signs are located entirely within the lot lines of the particular property to which they refer and do not exceed six square feet in area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit shall be obtained before erecting any sign under these regulations, except as hereinafter provided. (General section § 27-1800[9])
- No permit shall be required before erecting exempt signs listed in § 27-1801, but these signs must conform to all other regulations set forth in Part 18.
- A permit must be obtained before erecting a temporary sign. Permits may be reissued for one successive sixty-day period. (§ 27-1802[8])
- No off-premises sign shall be erected without a permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer. Applications for off-premises signs shall be made on a form provided by the Township and shall include a plan showing the sign layout. (§ 27-1804[8])
- Applications for sign permits shall be filed in duplicate and on forms furnished by the Township and shall be accompanied by detailed plans and specifications and such other information deemed necessary by the Code Enforcement Officer to determine the location and details of construction of such sign. (§ 27-1805[1])

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

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