# Sign Regulations in Portola, California

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Portola, California (CA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/california/portola
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CA/Portola/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_ARTIVSPARSPUSRE_CH17.76SI)

## At a glance

Portola, California regulates 23 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Core Commercial, Commercial Mixed Use, Service Commercial, Business Professional/Light Industrial zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 48 sq ft, with a 10 ft from any common property line setback (Sec. 17.76.150.J). Most commercial signs in Portola require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Core Commercial, Commercial Mixed Use, Service Commercial, Business Professional/Light Industrial | 17 | 25 ft (if over 20,000 sf building) | 150 sq ft maximum | — |
| Residential Zone | 5 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — |
| Industrial Zone, Commercial Zone | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 3 ft | 3 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Core Commercial, Commercial Mixed Use, Service Commercial, Business Professional/Light Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blade and Bracket/Pedestrian-Oriented Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per business | On building facade | — | 17.76.150.C |
| Bulletin Board Sign | 7 ft | 30 sq ft (including supports) | — | — | — | Freestanding or mounted on building | — | 17.76.150.D |
| Ground or Pole Sign | 25 ft (if over 20,000 sf building) | 150 sq ft maximum | — | — | 1 per 300 ft street frontage | Along major highway (Highway 70) only | — | 17.76.150.I |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft | 48 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any common property line | 1 per 250 ft street frontage | Along site frontage adjoining public street | — | 17.76.150.J |
| Roof Sign | 6 ft above roofline | 60 sq ft | — | — | — | Above roofline (complies with building code) | — | 17.76.150.O |
| Wall or Fascia Sign | — | 2 sq ft per lineal foot (front) | Max length 70% of frontage (front/max 50 ft); side/rear 50% of frontage/max 30 ft | — | 1 on front facade; extra on side/rear/corner as specified | On building facade; not above fascia/coping line | — | 17.76.150.R |
| Temporary Signs (General) | 5 ft for freestanding | 6 sq ft each; 60 sq ft total per parcel (exceptions for banners and certain types) | — | — | Cumulative 60 sq ft per parcel | Private property; or right-of-way as specified | — | 17.76.160.A |
| Freestanding Bracket Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per business | Private property or public right-of-way (if 4 ft unobstructed access maintained) | — | 17.76.160.D |

### Residential Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | 2 sq ft per officially assigned address (or as required by law) | — | — | 1 per address | Required on all structures | — | 17.76.150.B |
| Single-Family Lot Signage (includes Real Estate Signs) | 5 ft | 6 sq ft per lot (total); max 2 per lot | — | — | 2 per lot max | On private property (not in public ROW); corner restrictions apply | — | 17.76.150.N.1 |
| Multi-Family Lot Signage | — | 2 sq ft per dwelling unit; combined max 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property (not in public ROW); corner restrictions apply | — | 17.76.150.N.2 |
| Project Entrance Signage | 4 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per entrance | Within landscape area/easement at main street entrance, not in public ROW | — | 17.76.150.N.3 |
| Temporary Signs (Yard Sale, Garage Sale, etc.) | — | — | — | — | — | Private property or public right-of-way | — | 17.76.160.E |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Incidental Sign | 3 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 17.76.150.H |
| Address Sign | — | 2 sq ft per assigned address (or required by law) | — | — | — | All structures, residential and nonresidential | — | 17.76.150.B |

## Prohibited signs in Portola

- Inflatable signs or inflatable attention getting devices are not permitted, except as specifically allowed for temporary signs.
- Hazardous signs are prohibited, including any sign that interferes with fire escapes, exits, standpipes, obstructs required ventilation, doors, stairways, windows above the first story, or creates other hazards.
- Moving signs (undulating, swinging, rotating, otherwise moving) are not permitted, except as specifically allowed for temporary signs.
- Obscene signs are prohibited.
- Signs utilizing colored lights that may be confused with or construed as traffic control devices are prohibited.
- Signs emitting audible sounds, odors or visible matter are prohibited.
- Signs of any nature affixed to any public tree, rock, fire hydrant, street pole, light pole or similar structure are prohibited (except address and government signs).
- Signs using words, colors, symbols, or characters in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses pedestrian or vehicular traffic and safety are prohibited.
- Temporary illuminated signs are not permitted, except as specifically allowed for temporary signs.
- Cabinet (Can) signs with translucent plastic faces and internal illumination are restricted and require special approval.
- Animated, moving, flashing, blinking, reflecting, revolving, or other similar signs or signs that incorporate these elements are restricted and require special approval.
- Internally illuminated awning or canopy signs are restricted and require approval.
- Electronic graphic signs, except time/temperature signs as approved by the city manager, are restricted.
- Off-site commercial signage is prohibited, except as specifically described (community event signs, business directory sign, open house directional signs).
- Painted signs on fences or roofs are prohibited, except for address signage and signage approved for institutional uses.
- Pennants, flags, and windsocks are prohibited, except as allowed for temporary use under specified section.
- No sign shall revolve, rotate, move, create the illusion of movement, or have any visible moving, revolving, or rotating surface parts, except as specifically allowed for certain temporary signs.
- No sign shall be illuminated directly or indirectly unless specifically allowed (incidental illumination only for required service lighting).
- No sign shall emit or broadcast any sound, outcry, or noise.
- Temporary signs shall not be placed on public property or in the public right-of-way (including Caltrans right-of-way), unless specifically permitted or an encroachment permit is obtained.
- Temporary signs shall not interfere with public safety or obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic views at intersections, alleys, and driveways; must not impede clear vision triangles.
- Off-site feather signs and off-site freestanding bracket signs are not permitted.
- Temporary signs larger than six square feet or exceeding maximum total temporary signage (sixty square feet per parcel) are not permitted unless provided for a specific sign type.
- Signs located so as to be subject to the restrictions and requirements of another governmental agency (e.g. Caltrans) must also comply with that agency's requirements.
- Signage for residential use may not display commercial messages except as specifically permitted for a home occupation.

## Signs exempt from permit in Portola

- Flags and other insignia of any government not displaying a commercial message are not considered signs.
- Decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks or moving parts, are not considered signs.
- Holiday or seasonal decorations and lights are not considered signs.
- Government traffic controlling devices are not considered signs for purposes of this chapter.
- Address signs (not exceeding two square feet or required size) do not require a sign permit.
- Business nameplate/door signs (one per proprietor, maximum five inches in letter height) do not require a sign permit.
- Incidental signs (no more than three feet high and three square feet) do not require a sign permit.
- Single-family lot signage and multi-family lot signage for residential uses do not require a sign permit.
- Vehicle signs (signs attached to or painted on conforming vehicles that are not blocking another business or traffic) do not require a sign permit.
- Window signs are permitted and do not require a sign permit.
- Flags are not considered temporary signs and do not require a permit regardless of content, but are subject to height and setback limitations on flagpoles.
- No permit is required for the posting of temporary signs on public property by the City of Portola.
- Garage sale/yard sale signs do not require a temporary sign permit if a garage/yard sale permit has been obtained as required.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign program (also called a master sign plan) is required for a multi-tenant building or building complex (i.e., two or more separate tenant spaces within the same building or building complex).
- A sign program is required for a single-business if the city manager determines special project characteristics exist (large proposed signs, limited site visibility, business within a business, proximity to major transportation routes, etc.).
- Sign programs must be reviewed and approved by the city manager or designee or the planning commission.
- All sign programs must comply with the purpose of the chapter, sign design regulations (Section 17.76.250), and overall intent.
- Sign programs can allow flexibility in sign area, number, location, and height, provided the program enhances the overall aesthetic and meets the ordinance's purposes.
- Revisions to an approved sign program may be approved by the city manager if they do not substantially deviate from the original; substantial deviations require a new sign program.
- All sign permit applications for signs programs and for signs facing public open space or publicly-owned signs may be required to be approved at a planning commission meeting.
- Sign applicants may be required to attend a planning commission meeting if the sign is to be submitted to the planning commission for approval.

## 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 4 zoning districts in Portola — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Portola+CA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-portola

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