Sign Regulations in Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania
Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania has specific sign regulations covering 25 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Regulated sign types include Wall Sign, Canopy or Awning Sign, Projecting Sign. Height restrictions apply. Permits are required for most commercial signs. Use PermitPal to get instant access to the complete regulations.
Data last verified: April 28, 2025
Sign Regulation Overview for Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania
Sample Sign Requirements in Thornbury Township
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Sign | 15 ft | 48 sq ft per sign | — |
| Window Sign | — | 25% (35% for certain uses) of glass area | — |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | 3 ft 6 in for ground sign; 15 ft for pole-type | 48 sq ft per sign | Min 10 ft from street ROW/public sidewalk; same setbacks as buildings adjacent to parks/etc.; 50 ft from residential lot line for illumination; may require more setback for view obstruction. |
* Sample data shown. Actual requirements may vary by zone. Use PermitPal for complete, location-specific regulations.
Sign Types Covered
25
- Wall Sign
- Canopy or Awning Sign
- Projecting Sign
- Window Sign
- +2 more types
Zoning Districts
4
Different zoning districts with specific sign regulations
Data Includes
- Permit requirements
- Height restrictions
- Illumination rules
Official Resources for Thornbury Township
Other Cities in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
In Thornbury Township, wall signs can be up to 15 ft and monument signs are limited to 3 ft 6 in for ground sign; 15 ft for pole-type. Height limits vary by zoning district and sign type. Use PermitPal to get exact requirements for your specific location.
To get a sign permit in Thornbury Township, submit an application to the local building or planning department with sign dimensions, location, and design specifications. Our data confirms permits are required for most commercial signs. Processing typically takes 1-4 weeks. PermitPal helps you identify specific requirements and prepare complete applications.
In Thornbury Township, regulated sign types include Wall Sign, Canopy or Awning Sign, Projecting Sign, Window Sign, and 2 more types. Most commercial signs require permits. Temporary signs and certain small signs may be exempt. Use PermitPal for specific exemptions.
In Thornbury Township, monument signs typically require a Min 10 ft from street ROW/public sidewalk; same setbacks as buildings adjacent to parks/etc.; 50 ft from residential lot line for illumination; may require more setback for view obstruction. setback from property lines. Setbacks may increase near residential zones or intersections. Wall signs attached to buildings generally don't have setback requirements. Use PermitPal for location-specific setback data.
Digital and LED signs in Thornbury Township are regulated with specific requirements for brightness, animation, and message duration. Thornbury Township has documented illumination rules in our database. Use PermitPal to see the exact requirements for electronic message centers.
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Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania Sign Rules at a Glance
Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania regulates 25 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3 ft 6 in for ground sign; 15 ft for pole-type tall and 48 sq ft per sign, with a Min 10 ft from street ROW/public sidewalk; same setbacks as buildings adjacent to parks/etc.; 50 ft from residential lot line for illumination; may require more setback for view obstruction. setback (Sec. §155-1706E). Most commercial signs in Thornbury Township require a permit.
Detailed Sign Ordinance Requirements for Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania
Sign Rules by Zoning District in Thornbury Township (4 zones)
| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 15 ft | 48 sq ft per sign | — |
| Residential zoning districts | 8 | Up to 15 ft (see business standards in §155-1709C) | Up to 48 sq ft (see business standards in §155-1709C) | — |
| Business District, Multipurpose District, Commercial zoning district, Industrial zoning district | 10 | 15 ft or eave line (whichever is less) | 180 sq ft per side | — |
| B Business District | 2 | 24 ft (including structure) | 300 sq ft display face | — |
Zone-by-Zone Sign Requirements in Thornbury Township(sample of 3 of 4 zones)
General Regulations For All Zones
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Sign | 15 ft | 48 sq ft per sign | — | — | More than one per wall allowed if comply with area % | Attached to exterior wall, not above wall top or beyond edges; must be at least 10 ft above grade unless projects less than 3 in from wall (then no height minimum); must not extend more than 8 in from wall. | — | Unlock | §155-1706A |
| Canopy or Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Centred over/within architectural elements (doors/windows); only on front/side vertical face (letters/numbers), logo/emblem on angled/top portion. | — | Unlock | §155-1706B |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | One per premises | On buildings listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places only, subject to Zoning Officer review. Projects max 4 ft from wall, but no closer than 10 ft from edge of paved roadway. | — | Unlock | §155-1706C |
| Window Sign | — | 25% (35% for certain uses) of glass area | — | — | No specific number limit, area restriction applies | On/in window, within 3 feet of glass, facing outside. | — | Unlock | §155-1706D |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | 3 ft 6 in for ground sign; 15 ft for pole-type | 48 sq ft per sign | — | Min 10 ft from street ROW/public sidewalk; same setbacks as buildings adjacent to parks/etc.; 50 ft from residential lot line for illumination; may require more setback for view obstruction. | 1 per street frontage, max 2 per tract | Each street frontage upon which use directly fronts; one per street, max two per tract. Ground: min setback 10 ft from street ROW or public sidewalk; more if required for sightlines. | — | Unlock | §155-1706E |
Residential zoning districts
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Sign (Contractor/Architect/Mechanic/Artisan) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On property where contracted work is occurring | — | Unlock | §155-1708A(1) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage | On property for sale/rent/development. | — | Unlock | §155-1708A(2) |
| Temporary Political Campaign Sign | — | — | — | 5 ft from edge of street pavement; outside ROW. | — | Outside ROW and at least 5 ft from pavement edge; not blocking vehicle sight lines. | — | Unlock | §155-1708A(3) |
| Directional Sign (Development) | — | 10 sq ft | — | 25 ft from ROW | Max 2 per 500 ft roadway | Within tracts under development. | — | Unlock | §155-1708A(4) |
| Special Event Temporary Sign (Ground, Wall, or Window) | 3.5 ft (ground); 10 ft (wall/window) | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On property where event is located. | — | Unlock | §155-1708A(6) |
| Professional/Accessory Use/Home Occupation/Name Sign (Wall Sign) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling/use | On wall of dwelling. | — | Unlock | §155-1708B(1) |
| Identification Sign (Ground, Projecting, or Wall) for Schools/Churches/Hospitals/Clubs/etc. | 3.5 ft (ground); 12 ft (wall); project as per §155-1706C | 12 sq ft (ground); 10 sq ft (projecting/wall) | — | — | One per organization/use | On premises. | — | Unlock | §155-1708B(2) |
| Temporary Sign (Development Tracts – Announcing Future Uses) | Up to 15 ft (see business standards in §155-1709C) | Up to 48 sq ft (see business standards in §155-1709C) | — | — | One per tract | On tracts approved for or undergoing development. | — | Unlock | §155-1708B(3) |
Business District, Multipurpose District, Commercial zoning district, Industrial zoning district
| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Premium Details(Illumination, Size Formula, Permit Requirements, Additional Requirements — available with a free PermitPal account) | Ordinance Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 15 ft or eave line (whichever is less) | 48 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per use/tenant | On building wall, parallel to street. | — | Unlock | §155-1709B, §155-1709E |
| Freestanding Sign (Principal Use) | 15 ft | 48 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage/per principal use | On property per principal freestanding building (not attached to other building). | — | Unlock | §155-1709D |
| Accessory Sign (Gasoline Service Stations) | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — | — | Up to 4 per gasoline station | On gasoline station premises. | — | Unlock | §155-1709D(1) |
| Awning or Canopy Sign (Under-Canopy/Shopping Center Tenant) | At eave line | 8 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per tenant/entity | Under canopy, perpendicular to store front façade. | — | Unlock | §155-1709F |
| Directory Sign | 15 ft | 25 sq ft | — | Min 15 ft from street line and 20 ft from driveway. | — | Ground sign only, minimum 15 ft from street line and 20 ft from nearest street driveway. | — | Unlock | §155-1709G |
| Ground Sign (Shopping Center – Identification) | 15 ft | 180 sq ft per side | — | — | Up to 2 per shopping center | At each vehicular entrance from public street. | — | Unlock | §155-1709H(1) |
| Freestanding Business Sign (Shopping Center – Businesses with Own Building) | 15 ft | 25 sq ft per side | — | — | One per freestanding business | On freestanding building in shopping center. | — | Unlock | §155-1709H(2) |
| Ground Sign (Planned Commercial/Office Center Identification) | 5 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | One per building | At/near entrance of building in planned commercial/office center. | — | Unlock | §155-1709I |
PermitPal covers all 4 zoning districts in Thornbury Township — full sign requirements for every zone, plus illumination rules, size formulas, and permit requirements for every sign type — with a free account.
See all 4 zones for Thornbury Township — start freeProhibited Signs in Thornbury Township
- Abandoned signs.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, with the exception of those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with applicable state and utility regulations.
- Any suspended sign which is either a pennant or a spinner which moves in the wind, except when located inside a stadium, arena or temporary fairground in conjunction with a special event.
- Inflatable devices or balloon signs.
- Any sign that interferes with, imitates, or resembles any public sign, signal, or device and are located within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic control device, whichever is greater.
- Any sign located within a public right-of-way which obscures or interferes with the line of sight at any street intersection or traffic signal, or at any other point of vehicular access to a street.
- Any sign which hinders rapid ingress or egress from any door, window or fire escape. No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire hydrant that creates confusion or interferes with its use and operation.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or contain open flames.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors, excluding those as approved by the Township or PennDOT for traffic use.
- Any banner sign or sign of any other type across a public street or on any private property, except as permitted under § 155-1704.
- Portable signs.
- Roof signs.
- Any off-premises or off-site sign, i.e., a sign unrelated to the property on which it is situated, with the exception of signs permitted in accordance with the terms of § 155-1707. This shall include any off-premises real estate sign(s) placed within or adjacent to any public right-of-way.
- Advertising signs within 400 feet of a public recreational area of five acres or more, and other such areas as the Supervisors may designate, that obscure or detract from the view of such area.
- Any sign having content that is not subject to the protections of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Article I, Section 7 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Exempt Signs in Thornbury Township
- Official traffic and public and private street signs, directional signs, public signs, and other similar official federal, state, county, or Township signs within the legal right-of-way of a street, when in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation specifications under the Pennsylvania Code and/or Thornbury Township Code.
- Public signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including those located in the public right-of-way, at railroad crossings, on buildings that have rest rooms, telephones, or similar public convenience available.
- Legal notices, identification information, or way-finding information provided by governmental or legislative authorities.
- Flags and insignia of any municipal, state or federal government.
- Private drive signs. One sign per driveway entrance, not to exceed two square feet in area.
- Security signs. Not to exceed two square feet in area.
- Address signs. Signs required by a federal, state, county or municipal regulation or by the United States Post Office to identify a property by number, post box number or name(s) of occupants of the property, not to exceed one square foot area.
- Permanent architectural features of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone or carving or embossment on a building, provided that the letters are not made of a reflective material.
- Incidental signs, including one or more signs applied to a windowpane, giving store hours or the name or names of accepted credit or charge cards, when the total area of any such sign or all signs together does not exceed two square feet.
- Art and murals, provided such signs have no commercial messaging or other advertising.
- Political campaign signs shall be located outside of any public right-of-way.
Sign Plan & Submission Notes for Thornbury Township
- A landscaping plan shall be required for any conditional use application for a billboard, to demonstrate that a minimum of 75% of the lot is pervious surface and landscaped with vegetation (§ 155-1707F(1)).
- All applications for sign permits shall be accompanied by plans or diagrams in duplicate and approximately to scale, showing dimensions, location, construction, and installation details (§ 155-1711B).
- No sign permit shall be issued unless there is conformance with the regulations of this article, except upon order of the Zoning Hearing Board, granted pursuant to the procedures established for the issuance of a variance (§ 155-1711E).
- Planned commercial or office centers and multi-tenant buildings require wall signs to be uniform and coordinated in style, materials and colors (§ 155-1709E(1)).
Source: ecode360 municipal code