# Sign Regulations in Upper Frederick Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Upper Frederick Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/upper-frederick-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/6338296#6338296)

## At a glance

Upper Frederick Township, Pennsylvania regulates 29 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Institutional/Complex Signs in the Residential districts zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 15 sq ft, with a At least 1/3 the distance of any required yard from property or street line setback (Sec. § 285-175A(6)(a), § 285-175B). Most commercial signs in Upper Frederick Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | — | 10 sq ft | — |
| Residential districts | 13 | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential districts | 8 | 75% of wall height | 40 sq ft | — |
| CB - Commercial Business District | 1 | 12 ft | 100 sq ft per side | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (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 | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Any Sign (General Permit Requirement) | — | — | — | — | — | All districts | — | § 285-174A |
| Any Sign (General Construction Standards) | — | — | — | — | — | All districts | — | § 285-174B |
| Illuminated Sign (General Illumination) | — | — | — | — | — | All districts | — | § 285-174H |
| Off-Premises Sign - Directional | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Nearest intersection with a Township road, with written consent of owner and special exception by Zoning Hearing Board. | — | § 285-174I(1) |
| Off-Premises Sign - Political | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 285-174I(2) |
| Off-Premises Sign - Special Event | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property, per street frontage | 1 per property, per street frontage | — | § 285-174I(3) |
| Off-Premises Sign - Service Club/Nonprofit | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 285-174I(4) |
| Off-Premises Sign - Official/Memorial/Warning | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 285-174I(5) |

### Residential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign - Individual Property | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per property (or per frontage for multi-frontage lots) | On-premises; up to 2 signs per property, or up to two such signs on each frontage if property fronts on more than one street. | — | § 285-175A(1)(a), § 285-175B |
| Real Estate Sign - Small Development | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per development | On-premises; developments/subdivisions up to 10 units, 1 sign within development | — | § 285-175A(1)(b), § 285-175B |
| Real Estate Sign - Large Development | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | — | 2 per subdivision | On-premises; developments/subdivisions of more than 10 dwelling units; up to 2 signs within subdivision. | — | § 285-175A(1)(c), § 285-175B |
| Construction Sign | 6 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor per property | On-premises | — | § 285-175A(4), § 285-175B |
| Business Sign - Home Occupation | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-premises; max 1 per street frontage of a property | — | § 285-175A(5)(a), § 285-175B |
| Business Sign - Business in Residential District | 6 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property | On-premises; max 1 per property | — | § 285-175A(5)(b), § 285-175B |
| Business Sign - Roadside Stand | 6 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On-premises, road frontage | — | § 285-175A(5)(c), § 285-175B |
| Institutional/Complex Sign | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — | At least 1/3 the distance of any required yard from property or street line | 1 per street frontage | On-premises, street frontage; 1 per street frontage | — | § 285-175A(6)(a), § 285-175B |

### Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single Occupancy Business Sign (up to 40 ft frontage) | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises; property in single/separate ownership, single business | — | § 285-176A(1)(a) |
| Single Occupancy Business Sign (Above 40 ft frontage) | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | — | On-premises; property in single/separate ownership, single business | — | § 285-176A(1)(b)-(c) |
| Parallel Wall or Awning Sign (Single Occupancy, with 20% Bonus) | — | — | — | — | — | On premises, mounted on building | — | § 285-176A(1)(d) |
| Multiple-Occupancy Directory or Freestanding Sign (Shopping Center/Franchise/Directory) | 14 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1 per property (directory/freestanding), see note for individual signs | On-premises; single freestanding sign for multiple business property as a whole | — | § 285-176A(2), § 285-176B(2) |
| Wall or Awning Sign (Individual business in Multiple-Occupancy) | 75% of wall height | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | On premises, mounted on building | — | § 285-176A(2)(b), § 285-176B(3) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | On premises; 1 per road frontage allowed | — | § 285-176A(3) |
| Construction Sign | — | 15 sq ft | — | — | 1 per contractor | On premises; 1 per contractor | — | § 285-176A(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (Individual Business) | 10 ft | — | — | — | — | On-premises; for individual uses | — | § 285-176B(1) |

## Prohibited signs in Upper Frederick Township

- Flashing, revolving, nonstationary or animated signs, any signs with changeable copy, or any signs with electronic display screens are prohibited throughout the Township.
- Festoon lighting or beacon lights are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Trailer signs are prohibited.
- Illuminated temporary signs are prohibited.
- Vehicular signs which do not meet the requirements for a freestanding sign in the district where the vehicle is parked are prohibited.
- Signs affixed with adhesives are prohibited.
- Electronic message centers are prohibited.
- Signs must not create hazards to vehicular traffic such as obscuring necessary visibility, causing confusion with official street and/or traffic signs or devices, or creating motion, glare or excessive brightness that can interfere with drivers' vision.
- No sign other than official street signs shall be erected or maintained within the legal right-of-way of any public road in the Township.
- No sign projecting over a public walkway shall be less than eight feet above the walk level at its lower edge.
- No sign may be located in the side or rear yard or in a required buffer area adjacent to a zoning district with more restrictive sign requirements.
- No freestanding sign may occupy an area designated for parking, loading, walkways, cartways, driveways or other areas required to be unobstructed.
- Signs that have not been maintained in good condition and safe repair, deteriorating to the point of being a public safety hazard, are prohibited.
- A sign erected without an approved use and occupancy permit and that does not comply with the requirements of this chapter is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Upper Frederick Township

- Official street signs, memorial or historical markers, official signs directing traffic, signs identifying communities and street names, legal notices and warnings, and other official signs authorized or erected by appropriate governmental authorities are permitted within the public right-of-way.
- Nonilluminated off-premises signs for political advertising, service clubs, churches, and nonprofit organizations are permitted under specific size and duration limitations.
- Temporary nonilluminated signs for special events, exhibits, shows, or similar noncommercial events are permitted under established area and time limits.
- Directional signs permitted with the written consent of the property owner and as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board.
- Nonilluminated signs directing patrons or members to service clubs, churches, or other nonprofit organizations under size and content restrictions.
- Memorial or historical markers, legal notices, warnings, and other official government signs are permitted.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Prior to erecting, affixing, attaching, or installing any sign, an application for a use and occupancy permit must be submitted to the Zoning Officer, including a site plan showing the location of the sign in relation to buildings, structures, property lines, and public or private rights-of-way, and a drawing of the proposed sign with details on dimensions, copy, and illumination.
- For all billboards and off-premises business signs, the applicant must provide a scaled plan of the property or tract of land showing dimensional limits of the sign face, property boundaries, adjacent owners, abutting streets, proposed sign location, easements, utility installations, supporting structure, specifications for materials and construction, signed and certified by a registered licensed professional engineer.
- Where lighting is proposed for billboards and off-premises signs, the plan shall be submitted to the Township Engineer for review, and the applicant must pay a fee established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors for lighting review.
- Applications for illuminated billboards or off-premises signs must be accompanied by a point plot of illuminances on the sign face, catalog cuts of proposed fixtures and glare reduction devices, and a description of lamps, mounting locations, aiming angles, and the proposed method for automatically extinguishing lighting by 10:00 p.m.

## 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 Upper Frederick Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Upper+Frederick+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-upper-frederick-township

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