# Sign Regulations in Westtown Township, Pennsylvania

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Westtown Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/westtown-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12399010#12399010)

## At a glance

Westtown Township, Pennsylvania regulates 35 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Interior Site Freestanding Signs in the Institutional use zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 10 sq ft, with a 25 ft from property boundary for exemption setback (Sec. §170-1812E). Most commercial signs in Westtown Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 15 ft; min 4 ft between ground and bottom of sign face | Max 50% of area of any one sign, and not more than 30% total area for all signs; 100% for billboards | — |
| C-2, Highway Commercial District | 4 | 24 ft (measured from avg grade in 50 ft radius) | 300 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential zones | 3 | 8 ft freestanding; banners no higher than 24 ft when attached | 24 sq ft (freestanding/wall/window); 32 sq ft (banner) | — |
| Residential zones | 2 | 8 ft freestanding; banners max 24 ft if attached to structure | 16 sq ft (freestanding/wall/window); 32 sq ft (banner) | — |
| Agricultural use | 2 | 6 ft (8 ft along Route 926 or 352) | 15 sq ft per face | — |
| Parks and Open Space, Institutional district (Park or Open Space Use) | 4 | 20 ft | 200 sq ft | — |
| Residential use | 2 | 12 ft | 15 sq ft | — |
| Institutional use | 7 | 6 ft (except educational/school use: 15 ft) | 24 sq ft max | — |
| Commercial and Industrial uses, Commercial zoning district, Multiuse zoning district | 8 | 15 ft | Total signs on marquee structure: 200 sq ft | — |
| Planned Office Campus (POC) District | 3 | 3.5 ft | 40 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Not above top of wall; lowest edge minimum 10 ft above grade unless projection is <3" | No more than 10% of the facade area per wall | — | — | More than one permitted per wall | Attached to building wall, parallel to wall | — | §170-1806A |
| Canopy or Awning Sign | Lowest edge at least 8 ft above grade; not higher than eave line | — | Not wider than the building wall or tenant space it identifies. | — | — | Letters/numerals only on front and side vertical faces | — | §170-1806B |
| Projecting Sign | Lowest edge at least 10 ft above grade; not above wall top | — | — | — | — | Attached perpendicular to building wall, not over public ROW | — | §170-1806C |
| Window Sign | — | Max 25% of window area (35% for grocery/food market/pharmacies) | — | — | — | Inside or within 3 ft of window facing exterior | — | §170-1806D, §170-1804K |
| Marquee Sign | No higher than eave line; lowest edge at least 10 ft above grade | — | Max width is entrance served plus 2 ft each side | — | — | Above principal public entrance facing street/parking lot | — | §170-1806E |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground Sign) | 3.5 ft (4.5 ft along Route 202 or 3) | — | — | — | Max 1 per street frontage | Outside public right-of-way and not in required clearances | — | §170-1806F |
| Message Center Sign | Same height as other sign type of same location | Max 50% of area of any one sign, and not more than 30% total area for all signs; 100% for billboards | — | — | Max one per street frontage, up to 2 per property | Permitted for freestanding, monument, or wall signs where otherwise allowed | — | §170-1805F(3) |
| Digital Display | Same as other sign of type and location | Max 30% of total permitted sign area (unless billboard, then 100%) | — | — | Max one per property | Permitted for freestanding, monument, or wall signs where otherwise allowed | — | §170-1805F(4) |

### Institutional use

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Large Limited Duration Sign (Educational/School Use) | — | 24 sq ft max | — | — | 1 | On lot with educational/school use | — | §170-1812A(1) |
| Small Limited Duration Sign (Educational/School Use) | — | 6 sq ft per sign | — | — | 4 | On lot with educational/school use | — | §170-1812A(2)-(3) |
| Freestanding Ground Sign | 6 ft (except educational/school use: 15 ft) | 24 sq ft (except educational/school use: 50 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | 1 per street frontage (park/open space uses see next zone) | — | §170-1812D |
| Wall Sign | Up to eave line | See formula | — | — | Max 2 | 1 per street frontage, max 2; second may face parking lot for educational use | — | §170-1812F |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | Up to eave line | — | — | — | — | — | — | §170-1812G |
| Projecting Sign (Educational Use) | Up to eave line | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per entrance | 1 per building entrance | — | §170-1812H |
| Interior Site Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — | 25 ft from property boundary for exemption | — | At least 25 ft from nearest property boundary line | — | §170-1812E |

### Commercial and Industrial uses, Commercial zoning district, Multiuse zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Up to eave line | Per wall: 10% of facade; per property: up to 2 sq ft per linear foot building wall facing street. | — | — | 2 per tenant | 1 per tenant per street frontage, max 2 signs per tenant. Second sign can face parking lot if store has entrance on both. | — | §170-1813C, §170-1806A |
| Awning or Canopy Sign | To eave line | — | — | — | — | — | — | §170-1813D |
| Projecting Sign | To eave line | 20 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per ground floor tenant + 1 per non-ground floor entrance | 1 per ground floor establishment, plus 1 per building entrance serving multiple tenants without ground entrance. | — | §170-1813E |
| Window Sign | — | Max 25% of window area for permanent signs; max 35% with combination permanent + temporary | — | — | — | Storefront windows | — | §170-1813F, §170-1806D |
| Marquee Sign | To eave line | Total signs on marquee structure: 200 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | 1 per building | — | §170-1813G |
| Freestanding Sign (Ground/Pole) | 15 ft | 50 sq ft plus 10 sq ft per tenant, max 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage (2 per property); extras for gas station/drive-thru | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 for property; exceptions for gas stations/drive-throughs | — | §170-1813H |
| Planned Office Campus (POC) District Ground Sign | 3.5 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §170-1813I |
| Planned Office Campus (POC) District Wall Sign | — | 40 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | §170-1813I |

## Prohibited signs in Westtown Township

- Abandoned signs.
- Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this chapter.
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs.
- Pennant strings and streamers, except when located inside a stadium, arena, or temporary fairground during a special event.
- Animated signs, urban experiential displays, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics.
- Inflatable devices or balloon signs, with the exception of balloons used in temporary situations.
- Signs which interfere with, imitate, or resemble any public sign, signal, or device within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic control device, whichever is greater.
- Any signs located within a public right-of-way and/or which obscure or interfere with the line of sight at any street intersection or traffic signal, or at any other point of vehicular access to a street.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape 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.
- Interactive signs.
- Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
- Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street, without the permission of the owner of the property and road.
- Roof signs, or any portion thereof, which extends above the roofline of any building.
- Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, with the exception of those authorized or required by local, state, or federal government.
- 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, including but not limited to obscenity/pornography, fighting words, and incitement to imminent lawless action.
- 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 government street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
- Except for signs classified as exempt under § 170-1804, no sign may be located within any public right-of-way and/or occupy a clear sight triangle of 75 feet (as measured from the center-line intersections of two streets), increased to 100 feet for a collector street or 150 feet for an arterial highway.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
- Signs must not create traffic hazards by distracting or confusing motorists, or impairing motorist ability to see pedestrians, vehicles, obstacles, or traffic signs.
- Signs must not create hazards due to collapse, fire, collision, decay, or abandonment.
- Prohibit the erection of signs in such numbers, sizes, designs, illumination, and locations as may create hazards to pedestrians and motorists.
- Avoid excessive conflicts from large or multiple signs to minimize clutter, unsightliness, and confusion.
- Message sequencing across more than one billboard sign is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Westtown Township

- Government signs constructed and/or installed by the federal, state, county or municipal government or an agency or department thereof and to include the United States Postal Service.
- Signs inside a building, or other enclosed facility, which are not meant to be viewed from the outside, and are located greater than three feet from the window.
- Address signs: Up to two signs required by the federal, state, county or municipal government or a department or agency thereof, including the United States Post Office, provided they meet specified size requirements (1 sq ft residential, 5 sq ft nonresidential).
- Public signs: Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, including those located in the public right-of-way, at railroad crossings, on buildings with public conveniences, not to exceed two square feet.
- Private drive signs: One sign per driveway entrance, not to exceed four square feet in area.
- Security and warning signs: Residential uses not exceeding four square feet; nonresidential uses one large sign not exceeding five square feet, others up to four square feet.
- Flags and insignia of any municipal, state or federal government.
- Legal notices.
- Permanent architectural features of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone, carving, or embossment, provided that the letters are not made of reflective material nor contrast in color with the building.
- Signs within four feet of a crop growing in a field, not exceeding four square feet, removed after harvest.
- Incidental signs, including incidental window signs, when total area does not exceed two square feet.
- Street pole banners, located outside public rights-of-way, interior to a campus, institutional, or commercial use, subject to specific size, height, and placement standards.
- Temporary signs in accordance with § 170-1808, Regulations by sign type (limited duration, temporary and portable signs).
- Any canopy or awning, as defined herein, which does not have any lettering, logos or symbols printed, painted or otherwise affixed thereto.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A completed sign permit application must include a site plan drawn to scale showing lot dimensions, building frontage, existing cartways, rights-of-way, driveways, design of each sign face and structure with all measurements, elevations, facades, parapet walls, eave line, and the location and size of all proposed and existing permanent signage (§ 170-1815).
- Plans for billboard signs must be certified by a licensed engineer registered in Pennsylvania, and shall show the location of the proposed sign, required setbacks, location/species of trees, distances to other features, a site plan with all requirements set forth in the Zoning Code, and engineer certification (§ 170-1807L).
- Conversion of a permitted non-message center sign to a message center sign, or a permitted nondigital sign to a digital sign, requires the issuance of a permit (§ 170-1805F(3)(f), § 170-1805F(4)(f)).
- If a nonconforming sign is required to be moved because of right-of-way improvements, plan requirements for billboards must also be met (§ 170-1816C(7)).
- Before erecting, altering, repairing, or relocating any sign (unless exempt), a sign permit must be obtained. Permit applications must provide detailed plans (see above) and are subject to review and approval (§ 170-1815).
- Permits for illuminated signs will not be issued without an approved electrical permit, if required, and electrical applications must be filed together with the sign permit application (§ 170-1805F(5)).

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

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