# Sign Regulations in Summit Hill Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Summit Hill Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/summit-hill-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15544076#15544076)

## At a glance

Summit Hill Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Land Development/Model Home Directional Signs in the Residential Districts zoning district are capped at 6 sq ft and 4 ft wide, with a At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. setback (Sec. § 475-23B(2)). Most commercial signs in Summit Hill Borough 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 | 3 | No sign shall exceed 30 feet in height; no sign shall exceed 20 feet in height in any residential district. | — | — |
| Residential Districts | 12 | — | 60 sq ft | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Districts | 6 | — | 150 sq ft per face | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Sign Types | No sign shall exceed 30 feet in height; no sign shall exceed 20 feet in height in any residential district. | — | — | — | — | No sign other than an official traffic sign shall be erected within the right-of-way lines of any street, unless authorized by municipal officials. Overhead signs must be at least 9 feet above the ground/pavement. No sign to be placed so as to obscure sight distance or cause traffic confusion. | — | § 475-23A(1)-(14), § 430-73 |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Not on lamp posts, utility poles, public right-of-way trees, or public structures/buildings unless permitted. Allowed for events and electioneering per municipal permit. | — | § 475-23A(13) |
| Street Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At intersections within subdivisions or land developments. | — | § 430-73 |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| "For Sale" or "For Rent" Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per property; may have 1 per street frontage | On the premises for sale or rent. | — | § 475-23B(1) |
| Land Development/Model Home Directional Sign | — | 6 sq ft | 4 ft | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per 500 ft of street frontage | Off-premises, indicating direction to site/model home. | — | § 475-23B(2) |
| "Lots for Sale" Sign | — | 60 sq ft | — | At least 35 feet from any public or private right-of-way. | Max 1 per subdivision | Within the subdivision in which the sign is located. | — | § 475-23B(3) |
| "Sold" or "Rented" Sign | — | 6 sq ft (per For Sale/For Rent regulations) | — | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per property; 1 per street frontage if property fronts more than one street | On the premises sold or rented. | — | § 475-23B(4) |
| Contractor/Mechanic/Artisan Work Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per property | On premises where work is being performed. | — | § 475-23B(5) |
| Institutional Identification Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per property (or 1 for each street frontage if frontage on more than one street) | On property for schools, places of worship, clinics, day-care centers, or similar institutions. | — | § 475-23B(7) |
| Professional Office/Home Occupation Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per dwelling | On dwelling. | — | § 475-23B(8) |
| Residential Name/Number or Premises Name Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | At least 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way. | Max 1 per residence | On single residence. | — | § 475-23B(11) |

### Commercial and Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs permitted in Residential Districts | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 475-23C(1) |
| Business / Industry On-Premises Sign | — | 64 sq ft | — | At least 15 feet from any public or private street right-of-way line. | Max 1 per street frontage | On the same premises as business/industry (except outdoor advertising). | — | § 475-23C(2) |
| Business / Industry Building Identification Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per business/industry | Attached to building where activity is located. | — | § 475-23C(2)(e) |
| Shopping Center Freestanding Sign | — | 150 sq ft per face | — | At least 15 feet from any public or private street right-of-way line. | 1 per shopping center | 1 sign per shopping center indicating name of center and establishments. | — | § 475-23C(3) |
| Shopping Center Tenant Building Sign | — | 35 sq ft | — | — | Max 1 per establishment | Attached to building where the establishment is located, in a shopping center. | — | § 475-23C(3)(d) |
| Display Window Sign (Illuminated) | — | — | — | — | — | Within a display window | — | § 475-23C(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Summit Hill Borough

- Signs must be constructed of durable material, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street by obscuring the sight distance or by causing confusion with traffic signs or signals.
- No sign, other than an official traffic sign, shall be erected within the right-of-way lines of any street, unless authorized by municipal officials for a special purpose.
- Overhead signs must be at least nine feet high, measured from the ground or pavement to the bottom most part of the sign.
- No sign shall exceed 20 feet in height in any residential district and no sign shall exceed 30 feet in height measured from the ground to the upper most part of the sign.
- Advertising painted upon or displayed upon a building, structure or wall shall be regarded as an outdoor advertising sign, and the regulations pertaining thereto shall apply unless the sign applies to services or products sold on the premises.
- Each sign must be removed by the property owner within 15 days after the circumstances leading to its erection no longer apply.
- No animated, sequential, flashing, or oscillating signs shall be 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, or abrogate public safety shall not be permitted in any district.
- Signs which emit objectionable or excessive noise created by electric current or air movement shall not be permitted.
- Signs for which illumination is permitted shall have the light confined to the surface of the sign and directed so as to avoid glare or reflection which could endanger highway or street traffic and which could create a nuisance for adjacent land uses.
- Temporary signs made of paper, cardboard, or similar material and intended to attract public attention shall not be attached to any lamp post, utility pole, shade tree in the public right-of-way, or public structure or building except as authorized by permit from the Zoning Officer.
- In all districts, only those residential, commercial, and industrial identification signs referring directly to services provided or materials or products made, sold, or displayed on the premises shall be permitted, except as otherwise noted.
- All signs must comply with both the regulations for the district in which they are located and the general sign regulations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Summit Hill Borough

- Official traffic signs are exempt from being prohibited within the right-of-way lines of any street.
- Signs erected within the right-of-way lines for a special purpose when authorized by municipal officials are exempt from the general prohibition.
- Temporary signs for political posters and notices of bazaars, picnics, and other such functions conducted by charitable and nonprofit groups are exempt from attachment prohibitions if authorized by permit from the Zoning Officer, and if posted not sooner than 45 days before and removed within 10 days after the event advertised.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permits shall be required for the erection or alteration of any sign.

## Full detail

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

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