# Sign Regulations in Trappe Borough, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Trappe Borough, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/trappe-borough
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/42893838#42893838)

## At a glance

Trappe Borough, Pennsylvania regulates 14 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Flags in the Residential districts zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 24 sq ft per flag (Sec. §340-103E(12); §340-103E(12)(a)-(f)). Most commercial signs in Trappe Borough require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential districts | 10 | 30 ft | 24 sq ft per flag | — |
| Nonresidential districts | 10 | 30 ft | 35 sq ft per flag | — |
| Village Commercial District | 1 | 30 ft | 35 sq ft per flag | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 5 ft | 4 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 2 | Located on premises; address must be visible from the street. | — | §340-103E(7)(a), §340-104J(2) |
| Flag | 30 ft | 24 sq ft per flag | — | — | 2 | Not within any right-of-way. | — | §340-103E(12); §340-103E(12)(a)-(f) |
| Personal Expression Sign | — | 3 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(5); §340-103E(12)(f) |
| Security and Warning Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | On property as required/needed | — | §340-103E(11)(a) |
| Private Drive Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per driveway entrance | At driveway entrance(s) | — | §340-103E(10) |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises, with owner permission. | — | §340-103E(6) |
| Holiday/Seasonal Decoration | — | — | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(4) |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(19)(a)-(c) |

### Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | 2 | Located on premises. | — | §340-103E(7)(b) |
| Flag | 30 ft | 35 sq ft per flag | — | — | 3 | Not within any right-of-way. | — | §340-103E(12) |
| Security and Warning Sign (Large) | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | 1 | On property as required/needed | — | §340-103E(11)(b) |
| Security and Warning Sign (Other) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §340-103E(11)(b) |
| Personal Expression Sign | — | 3 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(5); §340-103E(12)(f) |
| Political Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises, with owner permission. | — | §340-103E(6) |
| Holiday/Seasonal Decoration | — | — | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(4) |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(19)(a)-(c) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Holiday/Seasonal Decoration | — | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | §340-103E(4) |
| Personal Expression Sign | — | 3 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(5); §340-103E(12)(f); §340-105J(6) |
| Government/Regulatory Sign | — | — | — | — | — | As required, typically public right-of-way or public property. | — | §340-103E(2), §340-103E(8), §340-103E(1) |
| Address Sign | — | 3 sq ft (residential); 5 sq ft (nonresidential) | — | — | 2 | On premises; must be visible from street (residential); on freestanding sign, address range with minimum 5-inch high numbers required. | — | §340-103E(7), §340-104J |
| Security/Warning Sign | — | 2 sq ft (residential and most nonresidential); 5 sq ft (one large sign allowed in nonresidential) | — | — | — | On property as required. | — | §340-103E(11) |
| Private Drive Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per driveway entrance | At driveway entrance(s) | — | §340-103E(10) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Wall, freestanding, or window sign on premises. | — | §340-103E(21); §340-105K |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises. | — | §340-103E(19)(a)-(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Trappe Borough

- All signs not specifically authorized are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
- No sign shall occupy an area designated for parking, loading, walkways, driveways, fire lane, easement, cartway, sight triangle, or other areas required to remain unobstructed.
- Only official signs may be located in a street right-of-way.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- No permanent sign shall be displayed until a use and occupancy permit has been issued by the Borough for at least one principal use.
- No portion of any sign may be located within the side or rear yard setback or within the required buffer zone when located adjacent to a residential district.
- No sign may occupy a designated parking area, walkway, cartway, driveway, or area designated for any other use.
- No sign shall be located closer than 15 feet from the edge of the roadway or within the legal right-of-way, whichever is farthest from the edge of the roadway, excepting certain district exceptions.
- It is unlawful to erect or maintain the following signs: abandoned signs; snipe signs (except as permitted by state/utility regs); vehicular signs (with stated business use exceptions); mechanical movement signs including revolving signs; pennant strings and streamers; animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics; inflatable devices or balloon signs (except one 24-hour period per year in noncommercial situations, not within a clear sight triangle); any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals; signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, or prevent free access from one part of a roof to another (except safety signs); signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or contain open flames; reflective signs or signs containing mirrors; interactive signs; signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting; any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street without property/road owner permission; roof signs; signs erected without the permission of the property owner (except those authorized by government); any sign containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted by this chapter; signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects (as determined by the Borough); any sign that promotes illegal activity.
- Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or contain open flames are prohibited.
- No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting are prohibited.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors are prohibited.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, except those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government, are prohibited.
- Signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by the Borough are prohibited.
- Any sign that promotes illegal activity is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Trappe Borough

- Official traffic signs do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Government/regulatory signs do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Signs inside an enclosed facility not meant to be viewed from the outside and located greater than three feet from the window do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Holiday and seasonal decorations do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Personal expression signs of any sign type, including flags, provided they do not exceed three square feet in area per side, are noncommercial in nature, and are not illuminated, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Political signs posted by the property owner(s), or by another who has obtained the prior consent of the property owner(s), for a thirty-day period preceding a general, primary, or special election, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Address signs (up to two, size limited by district) that do not include commercial advertising or other identification do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Public signs (signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities) do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Signs or emblems of a religious, civic, philanthropic, historical or educational organization that do not exceed four square feet in area do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Private drive signs (one per driveway entrance, not to exceed two square feet) do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Security and warning signs within prescribed size limits do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Flags and flagpoles (subject to height, size, and number limits and location outside rights-of-way) do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Legal notices do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Vending machine signs do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Borough-erected memorial signs, public monuments or historical identification signs, including plaque signs up to three square feet in area, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption of this chapter, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Signs advertising the variety of crop growing in a field, to be removed after the growing season, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs, do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Directional signs, provided they do not contain any commercial messaging, are subject to area, height, and illumination limits and do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Artistic displays which do not contain any commercial messaging do not require a permit but are subject to general regulations.
- Temporary signs in accordance with §340-105K do not require a permit but are subject to the general regulations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For a sign permit, the applicant must provide a site plan depicting the locations of proposed signage and existing remaining signage, including two copies of a plan drawn to scale showing lot dimensions, building frontage, existing rights-of-way and driveways, design of all sign faces and structures, building elevations, and photographs showing existing signs.
- Applications for message center and digital displays require additional certification and documentation for compliance with brightness and electrical standards.
- Conversion of a non-message-center sign or non-digital sign to a message center sign or digital sign requires a permit.
- All plans for off-premises signs must be certified by a licensed engineer and must show location, setbacks, species of existing trees, distance to other signs, and certifications for compliance with codes and standards.
- Off-premises sign applications must provide a sign plan showing the location and compliance details listed in §340-105I(9).
- Street pole banner permit applications must include a diagram or map of the specific poles to be used and a proof of the banner design.
- Any alteration to nonconforming signs, or certain triggers such as subdivision, land development, or land use change, require submission of details on existing signage per §340-106C.
- A permit is required to erect, alter, repair, or relocate any sign unless specifically exempted; the permit process requires submission of a comprehensive sign plan as detailed in §340-103.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Trappe Borough — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Trappe+Borough+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-trappe-borough

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