Monroe Township (Middlesex County), NJ Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)

Section 108-7.2 of the Township Code is titled Standards of approval, and subsection A(18) lists what an advertising structure must meet before the Approving Authority signs off. The code defines an advertising structure as rigid or semi-rigid material, with or without advertisement displayed on it, situated upon or attached to real property outdoors, primarily to furnish a background or base of support for a posted advertisement. The 100 foot rule is measured from the New Jersey Turnpike right-of-way, which is what makes this the freeway-facing sign standard in Monroe Township, Middlesex County.

The size limits are specific. The maximum area of the advertising surface is 1,000 feet on each side (the code prints the unit as feet), the maximum height is 25 feet, and the maximum length is 60 feet. Border, trim, cutouts and extensions count toward those dimensions, while decorative bases and supports are excluded. The overall height of the sign cannot exceed 45 feet from grade. Location and design must also comply with N.J.S.A. 27:5-5 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 16:41C-1.1 et seq., the Roadside Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act and the regulations adopted under it.

The structure can carry an off-premises advertisement, and billboards must be at least 1,000 feet from a residential zone line or use, including the PRC or PRGC zone. On the zoning side, § 108-6.19.D(6) lists advertising structures as a conditional use in the L-I Light Industrial District, which requires a conditional use permit under Article VII.

One conflict is printed in the same chapter. Section 108-10.1.G(17) in the sign article states that billboards and other advertising signs, fixed or portable display, are prohibited in all districts, and § 108-10.1.G(9) bars signs advertising a product or service not sold on the premises except where specifically permitted. Anyone planning a Turnpike-side display should get the Zoning Officer's written reading of how those sections fit with § 108-7.2.A(18) before filing.