It's crucial for businesses and individuals to be aware of and adhere to the local zoning regulations to avoid legal issues and ensure that their signs comply with the rules of a particular area. It's important to refer to the specific zoning regulations and sign ordinances of the local jurisdiction for precise guidance. Adhering to the sign regulations will make the permit process hassle free and smooth. Explained below is the process for checking city criteria for signage.
1. Finding out the zone:
Firstly, search your location on Google maps and make sure you know what city, town, county and state you are in. This is called Jurisdiction and this is where you will need to get a permit approval from.
You need to know what the zone of your project location is. Zone is nothing but areas or districts established by the local government to manage and control the land use regulations within a city or jurisdiction. For example your property may be residential, commercial, industrial or mixed use zone. Each zone has different signage allowances. And every jurisdiction has zoning map available on their official website. Rather than pdf maps, try to look for GIS (interactive zoning maps) where you can simply enter your location and get all the relevant details of the property including zoning. It is recommended to take a screenshot / print out this page for future use.
2. Understanding the allowances as per ordinance:
Search for “sign ordinance”, “municipal code” or “zoning code” with the name of your jurisdiction and extract the signage portion out of it. Some authentic sources where you can find the ordinances are codelibrary.amlegal.com and library.municode.com. Once you have the sign ordinance in your hand, you can start understanding what the city’s allowances for signage are. Some sections that you may want to read are:
a. Permit exemptions: Chances are you do not need a permit at all. You want to give a read to the “Sign permit exemptions” to confirm if you need a permit. Very small signs, directional signs or refacing of existing signs do not usually need a permit.
b. Prohibited signs: To confirm what is not allowed in your jurisdiction. Pole signs, portable signs, revolving or flashing signs are a few examples that may fall into prohibited signs category. It is worth noting that there is a very thin or almost no chance of getting a prohibited sign permitted to you even on a variance. (Sign variance is a process of making a request or appeal to the city to deviate from the standard sign regulation present in City Ordinance).
c. General regulations: This section will help you in understanding the general things to be kept in mind. Such as illumination type allowed (direct, indirect, halo lit, backlit channel letters etc.) , guidelines about the placement of sign, materials to be used etc.
d. Computation of sign area and height: This section is intended to tell you how to calculate the sign area and height and what parts of sign are to be considered in the calculation. This calculation may vary for each jurisdiction but generally the definite shapes (rectangle, square, circle or another geometric shape) enclosing the sign face are considered in calculation sign area. And height of the sign is generally to be measured from the base of sign structure to the topmost part of sign.
e. Signage allowances as per zoning districts: Finally see this section and filter out what you are allowed as per your zone. You may want to note down the type of signs allowed (free standing sign, wall sign, projecting or blade sign etc), maximum sign area, maximum sign height, maximum number of signs, type of illumination (internal, external, EMC), minimum setbacks and minimum vertical clearance required for each type of sign that you are proposing in your design.
Maximum sign area may depend on the linear frontage (or length) of your store front for example, You may be allowed 1 square foot of sign area on every 1 foot of length of your storefront. Or it may also depend on other factors such as the speed of the road where the sign is facing.
Minimum setbacks are nothing but the distance to be maintained clear between the sign and the public right of way or edge of street or lot lines.
Minimum vertical clearance is the vertical distance between the ground and the bottom most part of sign that is to be kept clear for safe crossing of pedestrians or vehicles underneath the sign.
Sight triangle is also to be kept clear for the freestanding signs. Sight visibility triangle or visibility sight triangle, is an area at street intersections or driveways that must remain clear of obstructions or signs to ensure the visibility of oncoming traffic. It’s usually 30’ triangle or 50’ triangle.
Remember!! to never hesitate and reach out to the city at any point. It ensures ongoing compliance with sign ordinances, fosters a better understanding of the rules, and helps maintaining a positive relationship between the community and local authorities.
1. Finding out the zone:
Firstly, search your location on Google maps and make sure you know what city, town, county and state you are in. This is called Jurisdiction and this is where you will need to get a permit approval from.
You need to know what the zone of your project location is. Zone is nothing but areas or districts established by the local government to manage and control the land use regulations within a city or jurisdiction. For example your property may be residential, commercial, industrial or mixed use zone. Each zone has different signage allowances. And every jurisdiction has zoning map available on their official website. Rather than pdf maps, try to look for GIS (interactive zoning maps) where you can simply enter your location and get all the relevant details of the property including zoning. It is recommended to take a screenshot / print out this page for future use.
2. Understanding the allowances as per ordinance:
Search for “sign ordinance”, “municipal code” or “zoning code” with the name of your jurisdiction and extract the signage portion out of it. Some authentic sources where you can find the ordinances are codelibrary.amlegal.com and library.municode.com. Once you have the sign ordinance in your hand, you can start understanding what the city’s allowances for signage are. Some sections that you may want to read are:
a. Permit exemptions: Chances are you do not need a permit at all. You want to give a read to the “Sign permit exemptions” to confirm if you need a permit. Very small signs, directional signs or refacing of existing signs do not usually need a permit.
b. Prohibited signs: To confirm what is not allowed in your jurisdiction. Pole signs, portable signs, revolving or flashing signs are a few examples that may fall into prohibited signs category. It is worth noting that there is a very thin or almost no chance of getting a prohibited sign permitted to you even on a variance. (Sign variance is a process of making a request or appeal to the city to deviate from the standard sign regulation present in City Ordinance).
c. General regulations: This section will help you in understanding the general things to be kept in mind. Such as illumination type allowed (direct, indirect, halo lit, backlit channel letters etc.) , guidelines about the placement of sign, materials to be used etc.
d. Computation of sign area and height: This section is intended to tell you how to calculate the sign area and height and what parts of sign are to be considered in the calculation. This calculation may vary for each jurisdiction but generally the definite shapes (rectangle, square, circle or another geometric shape) enclosing the sign face are considered in calculation sign area. And height of the sign is generally to be measured from the base of sign structure to the topmost part of sign.
e. Signage allowances as per zoning districts: Finally see this section and filter out what you are allowed as per your zone. You may want to note down the type of signs allowed (free standing sign, wall sign, projecting or blade sign etc), maximum sign area, maximum sign height, maximum number of signs, type of illumination (internal, external, EMC), minimum setbacks and minimum vertical clearance required for each type of sign that you are proposing in your design.
Maximum sign area may depend on the linear frontage (or length) of your store front for example, You may be allowed 1 square foot of sign area on every 1 foot of length of your storefront. Or it may also depend on other factors such as the speed of the road where the sign is facing.
Minimum setbacks are nothing but the distance to be maintained clear between the sign and the public right of way or edge of street or lot lines.
Minimum vertical clearance is the vertical distance between the ground and the bottom most part of sign that is to be kept clear for safe crossing of pedestrians or vehicles underneath the sign.
Sight triangle is also to be kept clear for the freestanding signs. Sight visibility triangle or visibility sight triangle, is an area at street intersections or driveways that must remain clear of obstructions or signs to ensure the visibility of oncoming traffic. It’s usually 30’ triangle or 50’ triangle.
Remember!! to never hesitate and reach out to the city at any point. It ensures ongoing compliance with sign ordinances, fosters a better understanding of the rules, and helps maintaining a positive relationship between the community and local authorities.
- Location
- United States
permitting talks become interesting and easy to understand when people explain them in a proper way and this article is clearly one of them, nice work.
