# Sign Regulations in West Deer Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** West Deer Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/west-deer-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12742062#12742062)

## At a glance

West Deer Township, Pennsylvania regulates 21 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Pole Signs in the Commercial Zoning Districts (C-1, C-2) zoning district are capped at 20 ft (top); 8 ft (bottom edge min) tall and 32 sq ft (Sec. §210-95Q(2)(c)). Most commercial signs in West Deer Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | — | 40 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 4 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Zoning Districts (C-1, C-2) | 8 | 20 ft (top); 8 ft (bottom edge min) | 32 sq ft per establishment; max 64 sq ft on multi-tenant lot | — |
| Industrial Zoning Districts | 8 | 20 ft (top); 8 ft (bottom edge min) | 64 sq ft (aggregate) | — |
| Village District | 1 | — | 10 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per use | Connection with any church, school, library or similar public or semipublic building | — | §210-95O(1) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential Districts) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On property being sold or leased | — | §210-95O(2) |
| Real Estate Sign (Non-Residential Districts) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On property being sold or leased | — | §210-95O(2) |
| Construction Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On lot under construction | — | §210-95O(3) |
| Temporary Special Event Display Sign (Face of Public/Nonprofit Building or Over ROW) | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | One per event | Over public right-of-way or on face of public building, church, or nonprofit | — | §210-95O(4) |
| Home Occupation/Home Office Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | One per approved home occupation | At home occupation site | — | §210-95O(5) |
| Political Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §210-95O(6) |
| Changeable Sign (Municipal and Public Buildings) | — | — | — | — | — | Municipal and public buildings/grounds | — | §210-95O(7) |

### Commercial Zoning Districts (C-1, C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Special Event Display Sign | — | 32 sq ft per establishment; max 64 sq ft on multi-tenant lot | — | — | Max 2 per establishment at any time | Attached to building or structure of freestanding pole sign | — | §210-95Q(1)(a)-(d) |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — | — | Variable (see additional requirements) | On-premises | — | §210-95Q(1)(f) |
| Changeable-Copy Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Permanently affixed to wall or freestanding sign structure | — | §210-95Q(1)(g) |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per business | On wall of establishment | — | §210-95Q(2)(a) |
| Ground Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Freestanding | — | §210-95Q(2)(b) |
| Pole Sign | 20 ft (top); 8 ft (bottom edge min) | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Freestanding | — | §210-95Q(2)(c) |
| Overhanging Sign (Marquee/Awning/Similar, Used for Business ID) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | In lieu of wall sign; one per business | Only in place of wall sign; wall of business | — | §210-95Q(2)(d) |
| Business Identification Sign (Total Aggregate Area) | — | 32 sq ft for one business; 64 sq ft for group of two or more businesses | — | — | — | — | — | §210-95Q(2)(e) |

### Industrial Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Special Event Display Sign | — | 32 sq ft per establishment; max 64 sq ft on multi-tenant lot | — | — | Max 2 per establishment at any time | Attached to building or structure of freestanding pole sign | — | §210-95R(1)-(2) |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — | — | Variable (see additional requirements) | On-premises | — | §210-95R(3) |
| Changeable-Copy Sign | — | 30 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Permanently affixed to wall or freestanding sign structure | — | §210-95R(4) |
| Wall Sign | — | 64 sq ft (aggregate) | — | — | — | On walls of business establishment | — | §210-95R(5) |
| Ground Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Freestanding | — | §210-95R(6) |
| Pole Sign | 20 ft (top); 8 ft (bottom edge min) | 64 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | Freestanding | — | §210-95R(7) |
| Overhanging Sign (Marquee/Awning/Similar, Used for Business ID) | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | In lieu of wall sign; one per business | Only in place of wall sign; wall of business | — | §210-95R(8) |
| Business Identification Sign (Total Aggregate Area) | — | 64 sq ft for one business; 128 sq ft for group of two or more businesses | — | — | — | — | — | §210-95R(9) |

## Prohibited signs in West Deer Township

- No sign will be posted on Township road signs at any time.
- Portable or wheeled signs, other than temporary special event display signs authorized by this Chapter, are not permitted in any zoning district.
- Banners and pennants, other than temporary special event display signs authorized by this Chapter, are not permitted in any zoning district.
- Moving, rotating, swinging, animated or flashing signs are not permitted, except for that portion of a permitted sign which indicates time, temperature, and those changeable signs referenced herein.
- Signs on trees, utility poles or official traffic control devices or signs are not permitted.
- Signs which imitate traffic control devices are not permitted.
- Signs painted on walls or chimneys of a building or on fences or free standing walls are not permitted.
- Roof signs, as defined herein, are not permitted.
- Signs on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers which are parked on a public right-of-way, public property, or private property, other than temporarily for overnight storage on the site of a business or for maintenance, repair, loading, unloading or rendering a service, and which are visible from the public right-of-way and where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property, are not permitted.
- All signs shall be located on the premises of the establishment, person, activity, product or service to which they refer, unless approved as a billboard or off-premises directional sign in accordance with the requirements of this Chapter.
- Signs not attached to a building shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from a lot line, street or right-of-way line, or any other required buffer area.
- No sign shall be located in such a position that it will cause a hazard by obstructing visibility for traffic on a street or obscuring a traffic signal or other traffic control device.
- No sign, other than official traffic signs, shall hang over or be erected within 10 feet of the right-of-way of any street.
- Flashing signs shall not be permitted.
- Lighting for signs shall be stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times.
- Illumination shall be directed upon the sign face and not towards adjoining properties or streets.
- If a sign becomes dilapidated to the point that it constitutes an unsightly or hazardous condition it shall be declared to be a public nuisance and must be repaired or removed.
- Whenever any business is discontinued or vacated, all signs relating to the discontinued or vacated business shall be removed within 30 days of the vacation or discontinuance of the business.
- No portion of any sign shall project over any public right-of-way.

## Signs exempt from permit in West Deer Township

- No permit shall be required for notification and construction signs.
- Noncommercial copy may be substituted for commercial copy on any lawful sign structure.
- Legal notification signs erected by public agencies shall be in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permits for all authorized signs (other than notification and construction signs) are required and shall be issued by the Zoning Officer upon submission of an application complying with applicable provisions and payment of required fee.
- No explicit mention of a Master Sign Plan, sign plan, or variance requirement in the general provisions; sign approval is generally through the permit process as described.

## 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 5 zoning districts in West Deer Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=West+Deer+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-west-deer-township

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