# Sign Regulations in Towanda Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Towanda Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/towanda-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/14272714#14272714)

## At a glance

Towanda Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 31 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Detached Sign (Freestanding) (C-2)s in the Commercial District (C-2, C-3), Manufacturing District (M) zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 50 sq ft (all sides combined, two faces max), with a Subject to residential district setbacks per § 325-21D setback (Sec. § 325-47B(1)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 10 | — | 20 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (C-2, C-3), Manufacturing District (M) | 10 | 36 in for letters/logos/pictures | 150 sq ft (all sides combined, two faces max) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 8 in (letter height) | 20% of window area | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate and Identification Sign (Dwelling/Home Occupation) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One per unit (two for corner/through lots) | On or outside of dwelling/home occupation | — | § 325-47A(1)(a)[1] |
| Identification Sign (Hotels/Other Buildings) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per building (two for corner lots) | On building exterior | — | § 325-47A(1)(a)[2] |
| Sale and Rental Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | Two (two per frontage with multiple frontages) | On premises being sold or rented | — | § 325-47A(1)(b) |
| Institutional Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per premises (two if corner lot) | On institution premises | — | § 325-47A(1)(c) |
| Parking Area Entrance/Exit Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One entrance and one exit sign per parking area | At entrance/exit to parking area | — | § 325-47A(1)(d)[1] |
| Parking Area Identification/Condition of Use Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | One per parking area (two if corner lot) | On parking area | — | § 325-47A(1)(d)[2] |
| Development Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | Two per premises (two per street with multiple streets) | On site of development | — | § 325-47A(1)(e) |
| Directional Sign (pre-development, off-premises) | — | 6 sq ft | 4 ft | — | One per 500 feet of street frontage | Off-premises, for developments not yet erected | — | § 325-47A(1)(f) |

### Commercial District (C-2, C-3), Manufacturing District (M)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Detached Sign (Freestanding) (C-2) | 8 ft | 50 sq ft (all sides combined, two faces max) | — | Subject to residential district setbacks per § 325-21D | One (two for corner lot) | On premises, not attached to any building; not overhanging public way, not on public right-of-way | — | § 325-47B(1) |
| Detached Sign (Freestanding) (C-3) | 8 ft | 100 sq ft (all sides combined, two faces max) | — | Subject to residential district setbacks per § 325-21D | One (two for corner lot) | On premises, not attached to any building; not overhanging public way, not on public right-of-way | — | § 325-47B(1) |
| Detached Sign (Freestanding) (Manufacturing District) | 8 ft | 150 sq ft (all sides combined, two faces max) | — | Subject to residential district setbacks per § 325-21D | One (two for corner lot) | On premises, not attached to any building; not overhanging public way, not on public right-of-way | — | § 325-47B(1) |
| Wall Sign | 36 in for letters/logos/pictures | 40% of first floor facade sq ft | — | — | — | On building wall | — | § 325-47B(3) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | Projecting from building toward public street or walkway | — | § 325-47B(4) |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign (Billboard) (C-3, Manufacturing Districts Only) | — | 4 × lot frontage (sq ft); poster: 300 sq ft; painted: 600 sq ft | — | Must comply with district setback | — | On lot in C-3 or M district | — | § 325-47B(5) |
| Show Window Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | — | Inside store display window | — | § 325-47B(8) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft (top), bottom at least 9 ft above grade | 25 sq ft | — | — | One per premises | Freestanding, fixed location, not attached to structure/building | — | § 325-47B(7) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Political Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 325-47C(12) |
| Real Estate Sign (General Exemption) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On/affixed to premises for sale, rent, lease | — | § 325-47C(1) |
| Professional Nameplate (General Exemption) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On building, residence, institution | — | § 325-47C(2) |
| Bulletin Board (Public/Charitable/Religious Use) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of institution | — | § 325-47C(3) |
| Work Under Construction (Architect/Engineer/Contractor Sign) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On construction site | — | § 325-47C(4) |
| Occupational Sign (General Exemption) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Commercial building, public institution, dwelling house | — | § 325-47C(5) |
| Window Lettering | 8 in (letter height) | 20% of window area | — | — | — | On facades windows | — | § 325-47C(8) |
| Sidewalk Sign (Sandwich Board) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Within 3 ft of curb or building | — | § 325-47C(9)-(10) |

## Prohibited signs in Towanda Borough

- No person shall place any signs or paint any pavement or curbing to regulate traffic in the streets and highways except under proper municipal authority and after approval of the Street Committee, Mayor or Police Department.
- No sign shall project into any public way.
- No sign shall be higher than one story or 20 feet, whichever is lower, unless specified otherwise for certain types in commercial/manufacturing zones.
- No detached sign shall exceed height or area limitations specified in applicable zones.
- No sign shall extend more than 15 inches out from the wall surface, and no sign shall be larger than 40% of the first floor facade square footage.
- No sign shall have logos, pictures, or letters larger than 36 inches in height (commercial/manufacturing zones).
- No sign shall project from any building more than three feet into a public street or public walkway area.
- Outdoor advertisement signs are prohibited except in districts zoned C-3 or Manufacturing.
- No sign may be higher than the building on which the sign is located, except freestanding signs.
- No sign shall be located on the roof of any building.
- No sign heretofore approved and erected shall be significantly altered or moved, nor shall any sign or substantial part thereof which is destroyed or removed be reerected, reconstructed, rebuilt, or relocated unless the same is done in compliance with all applicable requirements.
- Flashing signs, revolving illuminated signs and stationary internally illuminated signs are prohibited in commercial and manufacturing zones.
- Signs shall not be erected so as to obstruct free egress to or from any building or public right-of-way.
- Signs shall not be located upon a public right-of-way.
- Freestanding signs shall not overhang any sidewalk, driveway, curb or street.
- Any sign which is visually deteriorated due to peeling paint, rust or disintegration of materials shall be considered significantly deteriorated and must be maintained.
- Any sign now or hereafter existing which no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted or product sold shall be taken down and removed by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the building or structure upon which the sign may be found within 10 days of written notice.

## Signs exempt from permit in Towanda Borough

- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for real estate signs not exceeding four square feet in surface area and which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises to which the sign is affixed.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for professional nameplates not exceeding two square feet in surface area.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for bulletin boards not over 12 square feet in surface area for public, charitable or religious institutional use when located on the premises of said institutions.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for signs identifying an architect, engineer or contractor, placed upon work under construction and not exceeding 12 square feet in surface area.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for occupational signs indicating the name and profession of an occupant in a commercial building, public institution, building or dwelling house and not exceeding two square feet in surface area.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, and date of their erection when cut into any masonry surface or constructed of bronze or noncombustible materials.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for traffic and other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, 'danger' and such temporary emergency or nonadvertising signs as may be approved by the Borough.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for window lettering on facades which occupy no more than 20% of a window area, with no opaque background and letters no larger than eight inches in height.
- No zoning or building permit or permit fee shall be required for sidewalk ('sandwich board') signs no more than 10 square feet in area and placed within three feet of the curb or building.
- Sidewalk signs are temporary by nature and not considered existing signage.
- Promotional banners are considered temporary if displayed no more than 45 days.
- Political signs may be erected without regard to subsections A and B, but may not exceed six square feet and must be removed within seven days following the election.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sketch of the proposed sign shall be attached to the zoning permit application.
- Zoning permits are required for all signs except: signs for occupations listed in §325-45 and other accessory residential signs.
- A building permit may be required for any sign which would result in a modification to the structure to which it is attached.
- The Zoning Officer may require plans to be prepared by a professional engineer or architect if believed necessary.
- Regarding signs in the interest of public information or convenience, the Zoning Officer or the Zoning Hearing Board may issue temporary zoning permits for a designated period.

## Full detail

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

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