# Sign Regulations in Punxsutawney Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Punxsutawney Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/punxsutawney-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/11593629#11593629)

## At a glance

Punxsutawney Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 19 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 36 inches tall, 24 inches x 36 inches (6 sq ft per side), and 24 inches wide (Sec. §235-42D(10)). Most commercial signs in Punxsutawney Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential 1 District, Residential 2 District | 10 | — | 40 square feet | — |
| TND Districts | 1 | — | 12 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 36 inches | 48 inches width max | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential 1 District, Residential 2 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 per property per street frontage | On premises being sold or rented | — | §235-42B(1) |
| Directional Development Sign | — | 6 square feet | 4 feet | — | 1 per 500 feet of street frontage | Off premises, not on property being developed | — | §235-42B(2) |
| Sold/Rented Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 per property per street frontage | On premises sold or rented | — | §235-42B(3) |
| Institutional Sign (Schools, Colleges, Churches, Hospitals, etc.) | — | 40 square feet | — | — | 2 per property per frontage | On institution property | — | §235-42B(6) |
| Nonconforming Use Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit per frontage | On premises for nonconforming use | — | §235-42B(7) |
| Farm Product Sale Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 | On premises | — | §235-42B(8) |
| Parking Entrance/Exit Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 per entrance/exit | At each entrance or exit | — | §235-42B(9) |
| Parking Area Use/Identity Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 per parking area; 2 per corner lot | At parking area | — | §235-42B(9) |

### TND Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification and Advertising Sign (TND Districts) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | — | On premises (uses approved by §235-13A & B) | — | §235-42C(2) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification and Advertising Signs | — | Not restricted (except TND Districts: 12 sq ft.) | — | — | — | On premises | — | §235-42C(1), §235-42D(7) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | 24 inches x 36 inches (6 sq ft per side) | 24 inches | — | 1 per property | In front of business, out of pedestrian traffic area | — | §235-42D(10) |
| Interior Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Inside window | — | §235-42D(11) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per business | Off the premises of the business; owner permission and Borough Council approval required | — | §235-42E |
| Window Poster/Garage Sale Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Varies | — | §137-13B(1)-(4) |
| Banner (Nonprofit/Civic Only) | — | 48 inches width max | 48 inches | 6 inch minimum from curbline; 10 foot min height above sidewalk | — | Over, across, or upon sidewalk or driveway of highway; civic purposes only | — | §202-1, §202-2, §202-3, §202-4, §202-5 |
| Transient Retail Business Sign | — | — | — | No sign within 12 inches of curb/edge and must allow sidewalk passage and sight lines | 5 per business | Along sidewalk, street, alley, highway, driveway or yard, with written property owner permission | — | §221-6A-D |
| Fire Lane Sign | — | — | — | — | As needed | Fire lanes as required | — | §127-3 |

## Prohibited signs in Punxsutawney Borough

- It is unlawful to erect, construct, or maintain any sign or banner over, across or upon any sidewalk or driveway of any highway in the Borough unless in conformance with the ordinance.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street by obscuring the view.
- No sign, other than an official traffic sign, shall be erected within the lines of any street, unless authorized by the municipal governing body for a special purpose.
- No sign shall project over a public sidewalk and street area more than 12 inches.
- Overhead signs must be at least 10 feet high, measured from the ground or pavement to the bottommost part of the sign.
- No sign shall be permitted to be affixed to or upon any public property or the property of any utility company, including utility poles, and signs shall not be secured in such a manner as to make their removal difficult.
- No flashing, oscillating signs are permitted in any district.
- Any sign, by reason of its intensity, color, location or movement, that may interfere with traffic lights, signals or other controls is not permitted in any district.
- Signs shall not contain moving mechanical parts or use flashing or intermittent illumination.
- Billboards are prohibited in all districts.
- No sign shall be allowed to become dilapidated.
- All signs must be constructed of durable material; signs exceeding 40 sq ft and projecting signs over 20 sq ft must be made of noncombustible material.

## Signs exempt from permit in Punxsutawney Borough

- Civic or other nonprofit, nonpolitical organizations may erect, construct or maintain banners for civic purposes with a permit.
- No permit is required for the erection, alteration, or maintenance of signs permitted in residence districts as specified in § 235-42B.
- One sandwich board sign per business, no greater than 24 inches by 36 inches, displayed during regular business hours, is permitted without a permit.
- Existing nonconforming signs may be replaced as long as the new sign is the same size or smaller.
- The restriction on off-premises signs does not apply to sponsorship signs, placards or banners placed at recreational and sports facilities, in Barclay Square, or at events for nonprofit organizations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- There is no explicit requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or similar in the provided ordinance text. Most signs, except those specifically exempted, require a permit application to the Borough Council or its authorized official.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Punxsutawney Borough, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Punxsutawney+Borough+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-punxsutawney-borough

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