Sign rules in other mixed use districts

Learn what types of signs you are allowed to put up in community business districts and more.

These types of business signs are allowed in the Chinatown Community Business District, Eastern Neighborhoods, South of Market Mixed Use Districts, and the Downtown Residential Districts.

Window signs

You may paint a sign or apply a sign directly on the surface of your window glass.

  • Number of signs: No limit
  • Illumination: None, indirect, or direct
  • Area: The total area of all window signs cannot exceed one third of the area of the window that the sign is on

Wall signs

You may paint or place a sign directly against a flat building wall.

  • Number of signs: No limit
  • Illumination: 
    • All hours: None or indirect 
    • Business hours only: None, indirect, or direct
  • Area: 
    • In the Urban Mixed Use District:
      • 3 square feet per foot of business street frontage for up to 50 feet of street frontage, plus an addition square foot per foot of street frontage above 50 feet
        • Example: If business has 75 feet of frontage along front property line(s), then 175 square feet of wall signs are allowed (3 square feet for the first 50 feet of frontage, plus an additional 25 square feet)
      • Cannot cover more than 75% of the surface of a wall, excluding openings
    • In all other districts listed:
      • 3 square feet per foot of business frontage, or 150 square feet, whichever is less
      • Cannot cover more than 75% of the surface of a wall, excluding openings
  • Height: 
    • In the Urban Mixed Use District:
      • 60 feet or the height of the wall the sign is attached to or the lowest residential windowsill on the wall the building is attached to, whichever is lower
    • In all other districts listed:
      • 25 feet or the height of the wall the sign is attached to or the lowest residential windowsill on the wall the building is attached to, whichever is lower

Projecting signs

Projecting signs are allowed for a business.

  • Number of signs: 1 per business
  • Illumination: 
    • All hours: None or indirect
    • Business hours only: None, indirect, or direct
  • Area: Maximum of 32 square feet
  • Height: 24 feet or the height of the wall the sign is attached to or the lowest residential windowsill on the wall the building is attached to, whichever is lower
  • Projection: Cannot project more than 75% of the distance between the street property line and the curb, or 6-feet 6-inches, whichever is less
    • Example: If the distance between the street property line and curb is 8 feet, then a sign may project 6 feet.

Signs on awnings

A sign may be located on an awning. If a sign is located on an awning, the business may not have any wall signs or projecting signs.

  • Illumination: None or indirect
    • Exception: Marquees for movie theaters or places of entertainment may directly illuminate awning signs during business hours
  • Area: Maximum of 40 square feet

Freestanding signs

Freestanding signs or a sign tower are allowed in place of a projecting sign if the building is setback from the property line. If a freestanding sign or sign tower exists, a projecting sign is not allowed.

  • Number of signs: 1 per lot
  • Illumination:
    • All hours: None or indirect
    • Business hours only: None, indirect, or direct
  • Area: Maximum of 30 square feet
  • Height: 24 feet or lower
  • Projection: Cannot project more than 75% of the distance between the street property line and the curb, or 6-feet, whichever is less
Última actualización May 19, 2022

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