22.50.020 Permanent commercial signs.
Table 22.50.020: Permanent Commercial Sign Allowance determines whether a specific permanent commercial sign is allowed in a zoning district or by land use activity. The zoning district or land use activity is identified in the left column, the type of sign in the second column, and the specific commercial sign allowances are located in the rows of the table.
A. If no symbol or number appears in the table box at the intersection of the column and row, the sign is not allowed in that category or is not subject to an allowance.
B. If a letter appears in the table box at the intersection of the column and row or in the column or row heading, the sign may be allowed subject to the appropriate requirement and specific conditions indicated in the table footnotes.
C. All applicable requirements shall govern a permanent commercial sign whether or not the requirements are cross-referenced in Table 22.50.020: Permanent Commercial Sign Allowance.
Purpose |
Type of sign |
Permit required |
Number of signs |
Area max per sign in sq ft |
Height in ft |
Setback in ft |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Access, Landmark, and Informational Signs – All Zones |
|||||||
entry |
monument |
yes |
1 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
Per vehicle entry |
landmark |
wall (h) |
no |
1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
Per building frontage |
informational – private |
wall (h) |
no |
1 |
4 |
8 |
2 |
Per building frontage – must be for an original purpose and may not simply repeat the same message over and over |
informational – private |
freestanding |
no |
1 |
4 |
8 |
2 |
Per property frontage – must be for an original purpose and may not simply repeat the same message over and over |
informational – public |
wall (h) |
no |
1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
Per building frontage |
informational – public |
freestanding |
no |
1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
Per organization |
Institutional (IN) and Limited Open Space (LS) Zoning Districts |
|||||||
informational |
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per frontage visible from ROW – no limit within the site if not ROW visible |
|
freestanding |
yes |
1 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
Per property |
|
window – opaque |
no |
1 |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per window |
|
window – transparent |
no |
1 |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per first floor window |
|
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
40 |
24 |
|
Per building frontage |
|
projecting |
yes |
1 |
20 |
|
Under 4 ft wide, mounted 6 inches from attaching wall |
|
|
changeable message |
yes |
1 |
50% |
10 |
|
Percent changeable of allowable sign area |
advertising – freestanding |
<300 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
40 |
10 |
2 |
Per property frontage |
|
>300 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
40 |
10 |
2 |
Signs must be located more than 200 lf apart |
|
monument – off-premises multitenant directions (f) |
yes |
1 |
24 |
10 |
2 |
Per closest arterial/collector road for businesses not located on the arterial or collector road; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
TOTAL single-tenant site |
|
|
100 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
|
TOTAL multitenant site |
|
|
120 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
Downtown Commercial Zoning District (DC) |
|||||||
informational |
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per frontage visible from ROW – no limit within the site if not ROW visible |
|
window – opaque |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per window |
|
window – transparent |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per first floor window |
|
under awning in lieu of blade |
yes |
1 |
10 |
Per business on street frontage |
||
|
awning/canopy fascia (g) |
yes |
1 |
40% |
Percent of vertical edge of awning/canopy |
||
|
blade in lieu of under awning |
yes |
1 |
16 |
Per tenant space – may have blade or under awning but not both |
||
|
directory – per tenant |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per primary or secondary building frontage |
|
wall – single tenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
100 |
|
|
2.0 sf/1.0 lf of building frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary sign maximum; no digital contents within the “Historic Main neighborhood” per MMC 22.50.120 |
|
wall – multitenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
150 |
|
|
2.0 sf/1.0 lf of tenant space building frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary sign maximum; no digital contents within “Historic Main” per MMC 22.50.120(D) |
|
projecting |
yes |
1 |
20 |
Under 4 ft wide, mounted 6 inches from attaching wall – no digital contents within Historic Main Zone per MMC 22.50.120 |
||
|
changeable message |
yes |
1 |
50% |
10 |
|
Percent changeable of public service message of allowable sign area |
advertising – freestanding |
monument – single tenant |
yes |
1 |
32 |
10 |
2 (e) |
Per street frontage, Lewis Street allowed 50 sf and height up to 20 ft |
|
monument – multitenant |
yes |
1 |
48 |
10 |
2 (e) |
Per street frontage, Lewis Street allowed 80 sf and height up to 20 ft |
|
monument – off-premises multitenant directions (f) |
yes |
1 |
24 |
10 |
2 |
Per closest arterial/collector road for businesses not located on Main or Lewis Streets; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
off-premises multitenant advertising (f) |
yes |
1 |
32 |
10 |
2 |
Per closest arterial/collector road for businesses not located on Main or Lewis Streets, prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
TOTAL single-tenant site |
|
|
140 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
|
TOTAL multitenant site |
|
|
180 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
Mixed Use – General (MG) and Mixed Use – Neighborhood (MN) Zoning Districts |
|||||||
informational |
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per frontage visible from ROW – no limit within the site if not ROW visible |
advertising |
window – opaque |
no |
N/A |
15% |
|
|
Percent of window area per window |
|
window – transparent |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per first floor window |
|
awning/canopy fascia (g) |
yes |
1 |
40% |
2 |
Percent of vertical edge of awning/canopy |
|
|
under awning in lieu of blade |
yes |
1 |
10 |
2 |
Per tenant space |
|
|
blade in lieu of under awning |
yes |
1 |
16 |
2 |
Per tenant space – may have blade or under awning but not both |
|
|
wall – single tenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
80/100 |
|
|
1.5 sf/1.0 lf of primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; maximum 80 MN, 100 MG; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary sign maximum |
|
wall – multitenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
120/150 |
|
|
1.5 sf/1.0 lf of tenant space building frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; maximum 120 MN, 150 MG; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary sign maximum (d) |
|
projecting |
yes |
1 |
20 |
|
Under 4 ft wide, mounted 6 inches from attaching wall |
|
|
changeable message |
yes |
1 |
50% |
10 |
|
Percent changeable of allowable sign area; allowed in MU only |
advertising – freestanding |
monument – single tenant |
yes |
1 |
32 |
8 |
2 |
Per street frontage |
|
monument – multitenant single street |
yes |
1 |
48 |
8 |
2 |
Per street frontage |
|
freestanding – single tenant <200 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
80 |
20 |
2 |
Per street frontage; allowed in MG only |
|
freestanding – single tenant >200 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
80 |
20 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 200 lf located more than 100 lf apart up to 4 total signs per site; allowed in MG only |
|
freestanding – multitenant <200 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
120 |
20 |
2 |
Per street frontage; allowed in MG only |
|
freestanding – multitenant >200 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
120 |
20 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 200 lf located more than 100 lf apart up to 4 total signs per site; allowed in MG only |
|
freestanding – limited highway intersection |
yes |
1 |
140 |
45 |
2 |
Per 522 frontage at 522/Main Street intersection; sign must be perpendicular to and abutting 522 ROW, digital contents allowed |
|
TOTAL single-tenant site – MN only |
|
|
140 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
|
TOTAL multitenant site – MN only |
|
|
180 |
|
2 |
Total allowed for combination of signs, except window signage |
General Commercial (GC), Industrial Transition (IT), and Tourist Commercial (TC) Zoning Districts |
|||||||
informational |
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
40% |
2 |
Percent of vertical edge of awning/canopy |
|
|
freestanding |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per frontage visible from ROW – no limit within the site if not ROW visible |
advertising |
window – opaque |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per window |
|
window – transparent |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per first floor window |
|
under awning in lieu of blade |
yes |
1 |
10 |
2 |
Per business on street frontage |
|
|
blade in lieu of under awning |
yes |
1 |
16 |
2 |
Per tenant space – may have blade or under awning but not both |
|
|
awning/canopy fascia (g) |
yes |
1 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
Per property |
|
wall – single tenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
200 |
24 |
|
1.5 sf/1.0 lf of frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary maximum |
|
wall – multitenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
300 |
24 |
|
1.5 sf/1.0 lf of tenant space building frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary maximum (d) |
|
projecting |
yes |
1 |
20 |
|
Under 4 ft wide, mounted 6 inches from attaching wall – digital contents allowed |
|
advertising – freestanding |
single tenant <400 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
100 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
single tenant >400 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
100 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 400 lf located more than 100 lf apart for a total of no more than 4 signs per site – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
multitenant <400 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
multitenant >400 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 400 lf located more than 100 lf apart up for a total of no more than 4 signs per site – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
off-premises multitenant advertising |
yes |
1 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per intersection of arterials and collectors on US 2 for businesses not located on US 2; located more than 100 lf from another freestanding sign subject to the total maximum allowable on- and off-premises sign area of each tenant; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
limited highway intersection |
yes |
1 |
140 |
45 |
2 |
Per 522 frontage at 522/Main Street intersection; sign must be perpendicular to and abutting 522 ROW – digital contents allowed |
|
monument – off-premises multitenant directions (f) |
yes |
1 |
24 |
10 |
2 |
Per closest arterial/collector road for businesses not located on US 2; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
changeable message – gas |
yes |
1 |
20 |
8 |
2 |
100% changeable of allowable sign area – digital contents allowed |
|
changeable message – food |
yes |
2 |
24 |
8 |
2 |
100% changeable of allowable sign area – digital contents allowed |
|
changeable message – movie |
yes |
1 |
80 |
24 |
2 |
80% changeable of allowable sign area – digital contents allowed |
|
TOTAL single-tenant site |
|
|
360 |
|
|
Total allowed for combination of on- and off-premises signs, except window signage |
|
TOTAL multitenant site |
|
|
480 |
|
|
Total allowed for combination of on- and off-premises signs, except window signage |
Light Industrial (LI), General Industrial (GI), and Shoreline Industrial (SI) Zoning Districts |
|||||||
informational |
wall (h) |
yes |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|
Per frontage visible from ROW – no limit within the site if not ROW visible |
|
freestanding |
yes |
1 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
Per property |
advertising |
window – opaque |
no |
N/A |
20% |
|
|
Percent of window area per window |
|
window – transparent |
yes |
1 |
20% |
|
Percent of vertical edge of awning/canopy |
|
|
blade in lieu of under awning |
yes |
1 |
16 |
2 |
Per tenant space – may have blade or under awning but not both |
|
|
wall – single tenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
300 |
24 |
|
1.0 sf/1.0 lf of frontage per primary or secondary frontage up to maximum per frontage; secondary sign maximum 75% of primary sign maximum |
|
wall – multiple tenant (h) |
yes |
1 |
300 |
24 |
|
1.0 sf/1.0 lf of tenant space building frontage per primary or secondary frontage plus 32 sf/tenant for each additional tenant after the first 2 tenants; secondary maximum 75% of primary maximum (d) |
|
projecting |
yes |
1 |
20 |
|
Under 4 ft wide, mounted 6 inches from attaching wall |
|
|
changeable message |
yes |
1 |
50% |
10 |
|
Percent changeable of allowable sign area |
advertising – freestanding |
monument |
yes |
1 |
50 |
6 |
2 |
Per vehicle complex entry |
|
single tenant <400 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
100 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
single tenant >400 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
100 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 400 lf located more than 200 lf apart for a total of no more than 4 per site – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
multitenant <400 lf frontage |
yes |
1 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
multitenant >400 lf frontage |
yes |
2 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per street frontage over 400 lf located more than 200 lf apart for a total of no more than 4 per site – digital contents allowed except where visible from Lake Tye Park |
|
off-premises multitenant advertising (f) |
yes |
1 |
150 |
35 |
2 |
Per intersection of arterials and collectors for businesses not located on Fryelands Blvd; sign located more than 100 lf from another freestanding sign subject to the total maximum allowable on- and off-premises sign area of each tenant; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
monument – off-premises multitenant directions (f) |
yes |
1 |
24 |
10 |
2 |
Per closest arterial/collector road for businesses not located on Fryelands Blvd; prohibited in ROW; maximum 1/4 mile straight line distance from sign to property |
|
TOTAL single-tenant site |
|
|
360 |
|
|
Total allowed for combination of on- and off-premises signs, except window signage |
|
TOTAL multitenant site |
|
|
488 |
|
|
Total allowed for combination of on- and off-premises signs, except window signage |
Table Notes:
aMust comply with MMC 22.50.110.
bAll signs may be located at the edge of the public ROW. Under-awning signs may extend six feet while blade and projecting signs may extend four feet into the public ROW or over the sidewalk where the sidewalk is at least ten to twelve feet wide.
Column Headings:
cFor buildings with two or more frontages, the length of the wall and allowable sign area shall be calculated separately for each such building frontage.
ROW Footnotes:
dIf the site has reached the maximum, newly created tenant spaces shall be allowed one tenant identifying wall sign located above the tenant’s entry not to exceed sixteen square feet in surface area – not to be used as a bonus by tenants with existing signs. For multitenant building with a shared entry, the signage per tenant shall be determined by dividing the tenant’s gross floor area by the gross floor area of the building to determine the percentage of the building occupied by the tenant. The tenant is then allotted that percent of the total square footage allowed for the site.
eNo setback required in the historic main neighborhood subject to city engineer approval of visibility.
fMinimum three businesses per sign; must not have arterial street frontage available for freestanding signage and special circumstances are necessary because of the location, size, shape, or topography of the property or business, group of businesses, or business area to provide it with signage privileges typical of other properties in the vicinity or zoning district.
gAwning or canopy fascia lettering should be composed of a single line of type with letters under twelve inches and not occupy more than two-thirds of the fascia linear surface front or side.
hNo wall sign shall project more than eighteen inches from the wall of a building, nor extend above the eave or deck line of the building upon which it is located; except those located upon parapet walls, wherein they may be located above the deck line but not above the height of the parapet wall. No wall sign shall have an image area larger than twenty-five percent of the area of the message.
(Ord. 005/2019 § 10 (Exh. B))