# Sign Regulations in Chowchilla City, California

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Chowchilla City, California, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Chowchilla City, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/chowchilla-city
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CA/Chowchilla_City/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT15BUCO_CH15.20SI)

## At a glance

Chowchilla City, California regulates 21 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Permanent Freestanding Sign (C-N, C-S, C-H, MX)s in the C-N, C-S, C-H, MX zoning district are capped at 10 ft if <10 ft from property line; 20 ft if ≥10 ft from property line tall and 60 sq. ft., with a ≥10 ft for 20 ft max height; <10 ft for 10 ft max height. setback (Sec. Table 18.56.090(A) and notes). Most commercial signs in Chowchilla City require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | See zone-specific; typically 30 ft in R zones, 50-100 ft in non-R zones, with conditions. | Window signs shall not cover more than 40% of each window | — |
| R-L, R-M, R-MH, R-H | 5 | 10 ft | 32 sq. ft. cumulative per site (all temp freestanding) | — |
| R-M, R-MH, R-H (5+ residences or non-residential use) | 5 | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| C-N, C-S, C-H, MX | 6 | 10 ft if <10 ft from property line; 20 ft if ≥10 ft from property line | Up to 350 sq. ft. per primary frontage (minimum 50 sq. ft. allowed) | — |
| I-L, I-H | 5 | 20 ft (by right); greater requires conditional use permit | Up to 600 sq. ft. | — |
| MX-D | 6 | — | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| PF, O | 5 | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. per sign | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### C-N, C-S, C-H, MX

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Building Sign (Primary Frontage) | — | Up to 350 sq. ft. per primary frontage (minimum 50 sq. ft. allowed) | — | — | Up to 6 per business | Primary building frontage | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Permanent Building Sign (Secondary Frontage) | — | Up to 200 sq. ft. per secondary frontage (minimum 30 sq. ft. allowed) | — | — | Up to 6 per business | Secondary building frontage | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign (C-N, C-S, C-H, MX) | 10 ft if <10 ft from property line; 20 ft if ≥10 ft from property line | 60 sq. ft. | — | ≥10 ft for 20 ft max height; <10 ft for 10 ft max height. | 1 per establishment; 1 additional for integrated shopping centers | Freestanding on property; setback-dependent | — | Table 18.56.090(A) and notes |
| Temporary Building Sign | Minimum 3 ft below roofline | 10 sq. ft. + 1 sq. ft. per 2 lineal feet of primary frontage | — | — | 1 per establishment | Building elevation | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - 32 sq. ft. Allowed Signs | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | See above (formula-driven) | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - 16 sq. ft. Allowed Signs | 6 ft | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | See above | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |

### I-L, I-H

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Building Sign | — | Up to 600 sq. ft. | — | — | No limit | Building | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign | 20 ft (by right); greater requires conditional use permit | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per frontage | Freestanding | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Temporary Building Sign | Minimum 3 ft below roofline | 10 sq. ft. + 1 sq. ft. per 2 lineal feet of building frontage | — | — | 1 per establishment | — | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - 32 sq. ft. Allowed Signs | 6 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | See formula | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - 16 sq. ft. Allowed Signs | 6 ft | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | See formula | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |

### PF, O

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Building Sign | — | 30 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Building, per street frontage | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Permanent Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | 20 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per site | Freestanding, per site | — | Table 18.56.090(A) |
| Temporary Building Sign | Minimum 3 ft below roofline | 32 sq. ft. per sign | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Per street frontage | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - First Sign | 5 ft | 32 sq. ft. cumulative per site (all temp freestanding) | — | — | Up to 4 per site | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign - Additional Signs | 2 ft | 32 sq. ft. cumulative per site (all temp freestanding) | — | — | Up to 4 per site | On site | — | Table 18.56.090(B) |

## Prohibited signs in Chowchilla City

- Signs illuminated with red, green, or amber light placed in such a position that it could reasonably be perceived to interfere with, or be confused with any official traffic control device, traffic signal, or official directional guide sign.
- Signs placed within thirty feet of the intersecting curb lines of a street, except for signs erected by a governmental agency to direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Signs so located as to prevent free ingress and egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
- Outdoor advertising structures located on a site other than the site on which the advertised commercial use is located or on which the advertised commercial product is produced.
- Signs extending above or beyond the face of the building, the fascia of the roof, the peak of a pitched roof, or the parapet line of a flat roof.
- Glaring, flashing, sparkling, glittering, twinkling, or shimmering signs.
- Signs with open letters that can be viewed from the reverse side.
- Streamers, balloons, blimps, or other floating, inflatable, or hanging devices secured with a rope or string, unless specifically permitted with a temporary use permit.
- Signs located, placed, or erected in or upon any public right-of-way, except as specifically allowed by this chapter.
- Signs located, placed or attached upon any tree, utility pole, or fence, except as specifically allowed by this chapter.
- Signs placed on private property without permission of the property owner.
- Nonconforming signs and sign structures associated with an activity, business, product or service that has not been sold, produced, provided or conducted on the premises for a period of ninety days.
- Signs that revolve or are animated, except public service signs, such as time and temperature units and barber pole.
- Signs containing statements, words, symbols, or characters of an obscene nature.
- Signs emitting sound.
- Murals that contain commercial speech or logos.
- Signs located within five feet of a fire hydrant, street sign, or traffic signal.
- Can or cabinet signs.
- Search lights and klieg lights, except when used for public safety purposes or with a temporary use permit for a special event.
- Mercury vapor light sources on externally illuminated signs.
- Any sign, banner, or sign structure not erected, constructed, or located in conformance with this chapter and not classified as a legal nonconforming sign is prohibited.
- A sign structure may not be maintained if the activity, business, service, or product it advertises has been discontinued for more than sixty days (face must be removed or replaced with blank or compliant face).
- Signs declared to be unlawful by this chapter or erected after its effective date without a required permit are prohibited.
- Rooftop or roof-mounted signs are not allowed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Chowchilla City

- One nameplate per residence or business premises, mounted on a wall and not exceeding two square feet in area, identifying the owner and/or address of the property.
- Barber poles, not exceeding eighteen inches in height, located in a non-residential zone district and containing no lettering.
- Signs on vehicles, provided that the message pertains to the establishment of which the vehicle is an instrument or tool, and the sign does not utilize changeable copy or special illumination.
- Holiday and cultural observance decorations on private property that do not include commercial advertising, including strings of lights associated with a holiday decoration.
- Official notices issued by a court or public agency and posted in the performance of a public duty; notices posted by a utility or other quasi-public agency; signs erected by a governmental agency to direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic; noncommercial bus stop signs erected by a public transit agency, or other signs required or authorized by law. This also includes signs and banners for special civic events erected by the city, which may be displayed in public rights-of-way.
- Signs that are located entirely within a building or enclosed structure and are not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Signs located on a private area of a lot that is not accessible by the general public, such as a backyard, and are not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Signs and menu display boards fixed to mobile vending carts, up to a maximum of eight square feet of sign area, plus a menu display board.
- Signs that are part of a vending machine.
- Temporary signs that conform to the standards of Chapter 18.56.
- Signs mounted on carrier vehicles such as buses, taxicabs, and limousines that legally pass through the city.
- Window signs that conform to the standards of Chapter 18.56.
- Exempt signs that have electrical connections or engineered supports must obtain a building permit, as required by the California Building Code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign program is required for any site that contains more than three commercial establishments.
- A master sign program shall be reviewed by the director as an administrative use permit.
- The planning commission shall approve a master sign program when it is proposed with a development project that requires a conditional use permit.
- Sign permits or master sign programs that are determined by the director to be substantially inconsistent with the sign design principles may be denied.
- No sign shall be erected, altered, reconstructed, or relocated without a sign permit, except for ordinary maintenance, repairs, and temporary signs conforming to standards.
- A wall mural permit, issued by the city council, is required before painting or changing any mural on the exterior of a structure.
- A variance or a minor deviation to the standards in this chapter may be granted in accordance with Chapter 18.70 and Chapter 18.84.
- Temporary signs require a temporary sign permit.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 7 zoning districts in Chowchilla City — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Chowchilla+City+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-chowchilla-city

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