# Sign Regulations in Paxtang Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Paxtang Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/paxtang-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/30604027#30604027)

## At a glance

Paxtang Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 14 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Sidewalk Sign (A-Frame Sign)s in the Mixed use districts zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 8 square feet per side (2 sides allowed), max width 3 ft, max height 4 ft, and 3 feet wide, with a Must not interfere with pedestrian clearance. setback (Sec. § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes). Most commercial signs in Paxtang Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 33 1/3% of the total display window area | — |
| Residential districts, SR Zoning District, PAC Zoning District, TN Zoning District | 5 | 4 feet | 12 square feet | — |
| Mixed use districts | 5 | 5 feet | 15 square feet | — |
| Commercial/industrial districts | 5 | 15 feet | 175 square feet | — |
| DT Zoning District, MNB Zoning District | 5 | 4 feet | 175 square feet | — |
| GB Zoning District | 1 | 20 feet (see detailed rule: lesser of 20 ft above ground/elevation of adjacent street) | 300 square feet | — |
| Other districts | 3 | 5 feet | 20 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Residential districts, SR Zoning District, PAC Zoning District, TN Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Home Occupation) | 4 feet | 6 square feet | — | Not applicable unless otherwise stated. | 1 | Per lot | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 5 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per use | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Window Sign (Home Occupation) | — | 5 square feet | — | — | 1 | Inside window or printed on window | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Wall Sign (Principal Nonresidential Use) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per use for principal nonresidential uses only | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Window Sign (Principal Nonresidential Use) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | 1 | Inside window or printed on window | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |

### Mixed use districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 5 feet | 12 square feet | — | 2 ft from sidewalk, outside public right-of-way/lot line; 10 ft from abutting residential lot or dwelling | 1 per use | — | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Wall Sign | No higher than top of structural wall; may not be placed facing residential districts/dwellings unless facing public right-of-way. | 15 square feet | — | — | 1 | Per use | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, § 425-86B |
| Window Sign | — | 15 square feet | — | — | 1 | Inside window or printed on window | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet per side (2-sided allowed) | — | — | 1 (plus 1 rear if rear parking and alley access) | Securely attached to building; minimum 8 ft clearance over sidewalk/grade. | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes |
| Sidewalk Sign (A-Frame Sign) | 4 feet | 8 square feet per side (2 sides allowed), max width 3 ft, max height 4 ft | 3 feet | Must not interfere with pedestrian clearance. | 1 | On sidewalk, must not interfere with 4-ft pedestrian path, emergency access or parking; kept as close to building as feasible. | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes |

### Commercial/industrial districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet | 24 square feet (up to 40 sf if three or more businesses; up to 100 sf if 10+ businesses and 2+ street frontages) | — | 2 ft from sidewalk, outside right-of-way/lot line; 10 ft from abutting residential. | 1 sign per use; up to 2 more on additional streets with 10+ tenants | Per use, or per street for large multi-tenant properties | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes |
| Wall Sign | Top of building wall | 175 square feet | — | — | On each building side, see notes re: additional rear sign | On building sides (see formula above) | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 and notes, § 425-86B |
| Window Sign | — | Same as wall sign (within allowed area); temporary nonilluminated window signs exempt. | — | — | Per building side; see general wall sign restrictions | Inside or printed on window | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2 and notes |
| Projecting Sign | — | 12 square feet per side | — | — | 1 (plus 1 rear, see notes) | Attached to building, see clearance rule. | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes |
| Sidewalk Sign (A-Frame Sign) | 4 feet | 8 square feet per side, 3 ft wide, 4 ft high | 3 feet | — | 1 | On sidewalk, not obstructing clear path | — | § 425-86; Table 13-2, notes |

## Prohibited signs in Paxtang Borough

- No sign within Paxtang Borough shall be in a state of disrepair, have the appearance of complete neglect, rotting or falling down, be illegible, or have loose parts separated from original fastenings.
- Signs shall not endanger the safety of the building or premises or public safety.
- No sign shall be located so as to interfere with visibility for motorists at street rights-of-way, access drives, or driveway intersections.
- Signs shall not create a traffic danger nor interfere with any clear-sight triangle.
- No sign shall imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal or device, nor have characteristics likely to confuse or distract vehicle operators.
- No sign located within 300 feet of any traffic light shall be illuminated with red, green, or yellow lights.
- No sign shall obstruct the vision of drivers or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device.
- No signs shall make use of words such as 'stop,' 'look,' 'one-way,' 'danger,' 'yield,' or similar, in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses traffic.
- No sign shall be erected displaying words or pictorially depicting or giving a visual representation of explicit sexual materials or content as defined in the code.
- No sign shall be erected or located so as to prevent free ingress or egress from any window, door, or fire escape.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will obscure light or air from a building.
- No sign shall be attached to a public utility pole.
- No sign shall contain information stating or implying that a lot may be used for any purpose not permitted under applicable zoning provisions.
- Only signs referring directly to services, materials, or products made, sold, or displayed on the premises shall be permitted, except as otherwise provided.
- No sign shall emit smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound, or odors.
- Any sign attached to a building shall not be placed on the roof, be higher than the wall to which it is attached, or located on a parapet wall.
- No sign shall be placed on or affixed to any vehicle or trailer in such a manner that carrying the sign is no longer incidental to the vehicle's primary purpose of transporting persons and goods.
- No sign shall be placed on or affixed to any vehicle or trailer that is parked so as to be visible from a public right-of-way where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business, organization, or activity.
- Unless otherwise permitted by the Borough, no sign located on public property or a public right-of-way shall bear any business advertising or announcement.
- No sign shall be painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, stone, cliff, or other natural object.
- Portable signs (including 'signs on mobile stands') and other temporary signs are prohibited in all zoning districts, except as a temporary charitable event sign or as a sidewalk or A-frame sign meeting the requirements.
- No sign shall intrude into or project over a public street right-of-way unless specifically authorized by permit.
- No sign shall interfere with any clear-sight triangle and site distance requirements set forth in the relevant articles and codes relating to driveways, access drives, streets, sidewalks, subdivision, or land development.
- Except as provided, no signs except permitted off-premises, official, opinion/election, public service, directional, service organization/place of worship, and rights-of-way signs shall be erected on a property to which they do not relate.
- No sign shall be posted on any property, sign pole, or public utility pole unless permission has been received from the owner.
- It is unlawful to fasten or maintain any card, sign, advertisement, or other notice or article on any shade tree, tree guard or support in the planting areas in the Borough.

## Signs exempt from permit in Paxtang Borough

- Historic signs specifically authorized by the Borough, county, or state or federal agency.
- Holiday decorations commemorating a holiday recognized by the Borough, county, state, or federal government that do not include advertising.
- Signs not readable from any public street or any exterior lot line.
- Official signs erected by the federal, state, county, Borough, or other legal governmental body, or authorized by Borough ordinance or resolution, and which exist for public purposes.
- Signs that only include information required to be posted outdoors by a government agency or the Borough.
- Signs posted within the existing right-of-way of a public street and officially authorized by the Borough or PennDOT.
- Signs meeting the requirements of the miscellaneous signs not requiring permits table (e.g., charitable event signs, real estate signs, contractor's signs, identification signs, public service signs, etc.), per Article XIII.
- Nonilluminated window signs constructed of paper, poster board or similar materials that are not of permanent nature.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A zoning permit is required for all signs except those expressly exempted (miscellaneous signs not requiring permits and certain nonilluminated, non-permanent window signs).
- No master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting is required as a general prerequisite according to the provided text. Specific requirements for such plans are not mentioned in these sections.
- Any lawfully existing sign may be painted, repaired, or changed in logo or message without a new permit, provided area is not increased nor nonconformity worsened.

## 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 7 zoning districts in Paxtang Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Paxtang+Borough+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-paxtang-borough

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