Scranton, PA Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

Section 445-17B lists the encroachments the City permits inside a required front, side, or rear yard without triggering a variance. Item thirteen on that list covers yard displays directly: 'Decorative lawn ornaments and walls not exceeding 32 inches in height.' That single sentence is the only Scranton ordinance addressing lawn ornaments, and it applies year-round, covering everything from garden statuary to seasonal and holiday displays, provided the piece, or a low accent wall built around it, stays at or under 32 inches.

The allowance is not unconditional. Like every item on the § 445-17B list, a compliant lawn ornament still cannot push a lot's impervious surface or lot coverage past what the zoning district permits, though most ornaments have no footprint to speak of. More important for larger seasonal displays is § 445-22A(1)(e), which bars any tree, shrub, fence, wall, or 'similar item' from the sight triangle at a corner, street intersection, or driveway accessway where it would obstruct visibility, so a tall inflatable or lighted display placed at a corner lot can run into that visibility rule even if it clears the 32-inch mark elsewhere on the property. There's no permit or registration step for a compliant ornament: it is simply exempted from the yard-setback rules that would otherwise apply to a structure of that size.