# Sign Regulations in Sotuh Middleton Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Sotuh Middleton Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/sotuh-middleton-township
- **Data last verified:** 2026-01-26
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.smiddleton.com/DocumentCenter/View/117/Article-17-PDF)

## At a glance

Sotuh Middleton Township, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Nameplate – Private Property (I-1)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Freestanding: 6 ft tall and 5 sq ft per sign, with a 5 ft from street right-of-way setback (Sec. Section 1708 (I-1 row)). Most commercial signs in Sotuh Middleton Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | Freestanding: 10 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — |
| Suburban Commercial (SC); Commercial Light (C-1); Commercial General (C-2) | 7 | Freestanding: 35 ft | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — |
| Industrial – Light (I-1); Industrial – Manufacturing (I-2); Industrial – Transportation (I-3) | 8 | Freestanding: 35 ft | 300 sq ft per facing (general); up to 672 sq ft per facing if adjacent to and intended to be seen by traffic on Interstate 81 (max 14 ft high x 48 ft wide) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate – Private Property (I-1) | Freestanding: 6 ft | 5 sq ft per sign | — | 5 ft from street right-of-way | 1 per dwelling unit | At private property identifying owner or resident; attached or freestanding | — | Section 1708 (I-1 row) |
| Memorial or Historical Marker/Tablet (I-2) | Freestanding: 10 ft | 5 sq ft per sign | — | 5 ft from street right-of-way | 1 per event | On private property for memorial/historical identification; attached or freestanding | — | Section 1708 (I-2 row) |
| Private Property Control Sign (I-3) – e.g., No Trespassing/Hunting/Fishing | Freestanding: 6 ft | 5 sq ft per sign | — | 5 ft from street right-of-way | Not specified | On private roads/driveways or premises to control use; attached or freestanding | — | Section 1708 (I-3 row) |
| On-site Directional Sign (C-1) | Attached: Height of building; Freestanding: 5 ft | 5 sq ft per sign | — | 5 ft from street right-of-way | 4 per building | On site to direct internal circulation; attached or freestanding | — | Section 1708 (C-1 row) |
| Temporary Sign – Construction Identification (T-1) | Attached: Height of building; Freestanding: 10 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | Setback equal to height of sign | 1 per each separate firm involved on site | On premises where work is proceeding | — | Section 1709 (T-1 row); Section 1702(1) and 1702(9) |
| Temporary Sign – Real Estate (T-2) | Attached: Height of building; Freestanding: 10 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | 10 ft or at building face | 2 per street frontage | On properties offered for sale, rent, lease, or subdivision | — | Section 1709 (T-2 row); Section 1702(2) and 1702(9) |
| Temporary Sign – Proposed Housing/Office/Business Development (T-3) | Attached: Height of building; Freestanding: 10 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | 10 ft or at building face | 2 per street frontage | On site announcing proposed housing developments, apartments, office complexes, and other businesses | — | Section 1709 (T-3 row); Section 1702(3) and 1702(9) |
| Temporary Sign – Proposed Commercial/Industrial/Non-residential Development (T-4) | Attached: Height of building; Freestanding: 10 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | 10 ft or at building face | 2 per street frontage | On site announcing proposed commercial, industrial or other non-residential development | — | Section 1709 (T-4 row); Section 1702(4) and 1702(9) |

### Suburban Commercial (SC); Commercial Light (C-1); Commercial General (C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Commercial/Institutional/Industrial Sign – Individual Use (C-2) | Freestanding: 35 ft | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Setback from ROW must be at least equal to the height of the sign | 1 per street frontage (additional by Special Exception) | Freestanding sign for an individual commercial, institutional, or industrial use (excludes individual businesses within a commercial center) | — | Section 1708 (C-2 row) and Section 1703(7) |
| Attached Commercial/Institutional/Industrial Sign – Wall/Awning (C-3) | Attached: On or below fascia | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Must comply with building setback | 2 per street frontage (additional by Special Exception) | Attached to building facade (wall/awning); see definitions for awnings and projecting signs | — | Section 1708 (C-3 row) |
| Projecting or Canopy Sign (C-9) | Attached: Minimum clearance 8 ft above sidewalk (inferred from table and typical code) | 12 sq ft | — | Not specified beyond projection and clearance limits; must respect building setback | 1 per individual store | Attached to building, projecting from facade or under/over canopy | — | Section 1708 (C-9 row); Section 1703(4) |
| Freestanding Sign – Residential Subdivision/Outdoor Recreation (C-4) | Freestanding: 10 ft | 48 sq ft | — | 10 ft from ROW unless that interferes with intersection sight distance | 1 per street entrance | Freestanding identification at each street entrance for residential subdivision or outdoor recreation area | — | Section 1708 (C-4 row) |
| Freestanding Sign – Home Occupation (C-5) | Freestanding: 10 ft | 5 sq ft | — | 10 ft from ROW unless that interferes with intersection sight distance | 1 | Freestanding identification sign for home occupation | — | Section 1708 (C-5 row) |
| Freestanding Commercial Sign – Shopping Plazas/Malls/Commercial Centers (C-6) | Freestanding: 35 ft | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Setback from ROW must be at least equal to the height of the sign | 1 per street frontage | Freestanding identification sign for shopping center/plaza/mall/commercial center | — | Section 1708 (C-6 row); Section 1703(7) note |
| Attached Sign – Individual Business within Shopping Center/Plaza/Mall (C-7) | Attached: Height of building | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Same as building setback | 1 (additional by Special Exception) | Attached to tenant’s facade within a shopping center/plaza/mall/commercial center | — | Section 1708 (C-7 row) |

### Industrial – Light (I-1); Industrial – Manufacturing (I-2); Industrial – Transportation (I-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Commercial/Institutional/Industrial Sign – Individual Use (C-2) | Freestanding: 35 ft | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Setback from ROW must be at least equal to the height of the sign | 1 per street frontage (additional by Special Exception) | Freestanding sign for an individual commercial, institutional, or industrial use (excludes individual businesses within a commercial center) | — | Section 1708 (C-2 row) and Section 1703(7) |
| Attached Commercial/Institutional/Industrial Sign – Wall/Awning (C-3) | Attached: On or below fascia | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Must comply with building setback | 2 per street frontage (additional by Special Exception) | Attached to building facade (wall/awning); see definitions for awnings and projecting signs | — | Section 1708 (C-3 row) |
| Projecting or Canopy Sign (C-9) | Attached: Minimum clearance 8 ft above sidewalk (inferred) | 12 sq ft | — | Not specified beyond projection and clearance limits; must respect building setback | 1 per individual store | Attached to building, projecting from facade or under/over canopy | — | Section 1708 (C-9 row); Section 1703(4) |
| Freestanding Sign – Residential Subdivision/Outdoor Recreation (C-4) | Freestanding: 10 ft | 48 sq ft | — | 10 ft from ROW unless that interferes with intersection sight distance | 1 per street entrance | Freestanding identification at each street entrance for residential subdivision or outdoor recreation area | — | Section 1708 (C-4 row) |
| Freestanding Sign – Home Occupation (C-5) | Freestanding: 10 ft | 5 sq ft | — | 10 ft from ROW unless that interferes with intersection sight distance | 1 | Freestanding identification sign for home occupation | — | Section 1708 (C-5 row) |
| Freestanding Commercial Sign – Shopping Plazas/Malls/Commercial Centers (C-6) | Freestanding: 35 ft | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Setback from ROW must be at least equal to the height of the sign | 1 per street frontage | Freestanding identification sign for shopping center/plaza/mall/commercial center | — | Section 1708 (C-6 row); Section 1703(7) note |
| Attached Sign – Individual Business within Shopping Center/Plaza/Mall (C-7) | Attached: Height of building | Up to 160 sq ft (subject to formula) | — | Same as building setback | 1 (additional by Special Exception) | Attached to tenant’s facade within a shopping center/plaza/mall/commercial center | — | Section 1708 (C-7 row) |
| Billboard/Outdoor Advertising (C-8) | No portion higher than 35 ft above ground level | 300 sq ft per facing (general); up to 672 sq ft per facing if adjacent to and intended to be seen by traffic on Interstate 81 (max 14 ft high x 48 ft wide) | — | At least 40 ft from ROW; must also be set back from ROW at least equal to sign height (per 1708 table for C-8); and comply with other spacing/separation distances | Per structure: max 2 faces; spacing minimum 1,000 ft on same side of road | Freestanding billboard signs; only in I-1, I-2, I-3 districts | — | Section 1708 (C-8 row referencing billboard standards); Section 1706(1)-(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Sotuh Middleton Township

- Signs that interfere with, compete for attention with, or may be mistaken for traffic control devices or signals, including any sign visible from the public right-of-way that uses an arrow device or the word 'stop', or that uses red and green colors in direct illumination or in high reflection (e.g., fluorescent paint or glass).
- Any sign located in or extending into a public right-of-way, except those owned or operated by duly constituted government.
- Any freestanding or projecting sign within a clear sight triangle or that creates a traffic or pedestrian hazard.
- Signs projecting over a public sidewalk more than 18 inches.
- Animated, flashing, rotating, or oscillating signs.
- Use of open flames to attract public attention to a business or an advertising sign.
- Freestanding signs for individual uses within a commercial center.
- No sign shall be placed on the roof or be higher than the vertical walls of any structure.
- No sign shall be located so as to interfere with visibility for motorists at street or driveway intersections.
- Lighted signs may not transmit direct light to other properties or public rights-of-way (illumination must be interior, non-glaring, or shielded flood/spot lighting).
- Signs may not be allowed to become dilapidated; they must be constructed of durable materials and maintained in good condition.

## Signs exempt from permit in Sotuh Middleton Township

- Changing or replacing copy/message on an approved sign or on signs designed for replaceable copy is not considered creating a sign and does not require a permit.
- Painting, repainting, cleaning, and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or sign structure, without structural changes, are not considered creating a sign and do not require a permit.
- Normal name and address on or attached to a mailbox are not subject to the regulations of the sign article.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or general sign plan requirement is stated in the provided text.
- Additional signs beyond the stated maximums for certain commercial categories may be allowed by Special Exception (e.g., C-2 freestanding commercial/institutional/industrial signs; C-3 attached commercial/institutional/industrial signs; C-7 attached signs for individual businesses within a commercial center), implying a Zoning Hearing Board approval process for such requests.

## Full detail

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

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