# Sign Regulations in Elizabeth, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Elizabeth, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/elizabeth
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CO/Elizabeth/codes/Municipal_Code?nodeId=CH16LAUSDE_ARTXIISI)

## At a glance

Elizabeth, Colorado regulates 13 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Feather Banners in the Nonresidential Property, Nonresidential Zoning Districts zoning district are capped at 15 ft. tall, 50 sq. ft. combined with banners (4 per building/street frontage), and 3 ft. per feather banner wide, with a 10 ft. from edge of access areas; not to protrude as specified. setback (Sec. Sec. 16-12-80(i), Table). Most commercial signs in Elizabeth require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Lots, Residential Zoning Districts | 6 | 8 ft. above grade | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| Nonresidential Property, Nonresidential Zoning Districts | 7 | 20 ft. or no higher than roofline; Projecting: 20 ft. or no higher than roofline, min 7 ft. clearance | 60 sq. ft. (single business); 150 sq. ft. (multi-business) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 20 sq. ft. (10 sq. ft. per sign face or 20 sq. ft. total); If part of larger sign, changeable copy max 50% of total sign area. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential Lots, Residential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Instructional Sign | 6 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | Minimum necessary to serve intended use | On residential lot; shall not be legible or attract attention beyond the perimeter of the lot. | — | Sec. 16-12-70(b) |
| Temporary Sign - No Permit | 6 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from right-of-way | 1 per lot; additional per ballot issue/candidate during election season | On residential lot; must be set back at least 10 ft. from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 16-12-70(c) |
| Temporary Sign - Permit Required | 3 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from right-of-way unless otherwise allowed by permit | Up to 3 per lot (in addition to sign allowed under 16-12-70(c)) | On residential lot; may be placed in Town right-of-way with approval. | — | Sec. 16-12-70(d) |
| Window Sign | 8 ft. above grade | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building for single-family; 1 per unit for multiple-family | In one window of a dwelling unit | — | Sec. 16-12-70(e) |
| Building Sign (Wall/Projecting) - Lots > 43,560 sq ft | 6 ft. for wall sign; 10 ft. for projecting signs (with 7 ft. minimum clearance to bottom of sign) | See formula; Projecting: 15 sq. ft. per face | — | Same as building setback; Projecting: see Sec. 16-12-70(f)(2)c. | 1 per building | On building wall, awning, canopy, or parapet. Projecting: on building with at least 10 ft street frontage. | — | Sec. 16-12-70(f), Table, Sec. 16-12-100, Sec. 16-12-110 |
| Freestanding Sign - Lots > 43,560 sq ft | 6 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. from right-of-way, 5 ft. on Main St.; minimum 15 ft. from abutting property line | 1 per lot, or 1 per street frontage if multiple buildings | On lot (>43,560 sq ft); set back 10 ft. from right-of-way, except 5 ft. on Main Street; no closer to abutting property line than 15 ft. or as required by 16-12-20(d)(1). | — | Sec. 16-12-70(g), Table, Sec. 16-12-100, Sec. 16-12-110 |

### Nonresidential Property, Nonresidential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Sign (Wall/Projecting) | 20 ft. or no higher than roofline; Projecting: 20 ft. or no higher than roofline, min 7 ft. clearance | 36 sq. ft. or 25% of signable area; Projecting: 15 sq. ft. | — | Same as building setback. Projecting: see Sec. 16-12-80(a)(2)c. | 2 per business | On building wall, awning, canopy, or parapet. Projecting: on building with at least 10 ft street frontage. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(a), Table, Sec. 16-12-100, Sec. 16-12-110 |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 ft. | 60 sq. ft. (single business); 150 sq. ft. (multi-business) | — | 10 ft. from ROW (5 ft. on Main St.); not within 30 ft. of residential district; 5 ft. from abutting property line | 1 per building/lot, or 1 per street frontage if multiple buildings or joint sign | On lot; set back 10 ft. from right-of-way, except 5 ft. on Main Street; not within 30 ft. of residential district or closer to abutting property line than 5 ft. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(b), Table, Sec. 16-12-100, Sec. 16-12-110 |
| Instructional Sign | 6 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | Minimum necessary to serve intended purpose | On site; may be on freestanding sign base; not to be legible or attract attention beyond the perimeter. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(e), Table |
| Temporary Sign | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per property; additional per ballot issue/candidate during election season | On nonresidential property | — | Sec. 16-12-80(f), Table |
| Banner Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. (single or combined with feather banners) | — | — | 2 per permit period; up to 4 permits/year | Attached to building or securely fastened to structure, pole, etc. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(g), Table |
| Feather Banner | 15 ft. | 50 sq. ft. combined with banners (4 per building/street frontage) | 3 ft. per feather banner | 10 ft. from edge of access areas; not to protrude as specified. | 4 per building/street frontage per permit period; up to 4 periods/year | Secured to building, structure, or pole; not to protrude into public right-of-way, driveways, parking or pedestrian spaces. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(i), Table |
| Window Sign | 1 story tall; no letter/composition >24 in. tall | 36 sq. ft. or 25% of window area (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per window | In display windows of business use; 1 per window per face of building. | — | Sec. 16-12-80(h), Table |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vehicle Signs | — | — | — | — | — | On vehicles operated in the normal course of business. | — | Sec. 16-12-50 |
| Changeable Copy Signs | — | 20 sq. ft. (10 sq. ft. per sign face or 20 sq. ft. total); If part of larger sign, changeable copy max 50% of total sign area. | — | — | — | Where permitted (see residential and nonresidential freestanding signs). | — | Sec. 16-12-80(d) |

## Prohibited signs in Elizabeth

- Any sign not expressly allowed by this Article or not in conformance with its requirements is prohibited.
- Billboards.
- Signs incorporating any flashing, rotating, blinking, or moving illumination or with illumination that periodically varies in intensity or color, or signs that create the illusion of movement, which have any visible moving part, visible revolving parts or visible mechanical movement of any description or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical pulsations, by actions or normal wind currents, including but not limited to promotional balloons, inflatable devices and the like, except for feather banners in conformance with the Article.
- Signs with light sources not shielded by opaque material such that the bulbs, floodlights or tubes are visible off the property on which the signs are located.
- Any sign that violates any provision of this Article or constitutes a hazard to public safety, health or welfare.
- Signs that, by reason of size, location, content, coloring or manner of illumination or movement, obstruct the vision of drivers when traveling on a roadway, leaving a roadway or entering a roadway.
- Any sign that obstructs free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window or other required exit, or that obstructs property ventilation or lighting.
- Abandoned signs.
- Searchlights, pennants and spinners.
- Roof signs or any signs which project above a building wall or parapet.
- Signs in the public right-of-way, except those erected by the Town or a licensee of the Town or the State in accordance with the current Uniform Manual on Traffic Control Devices, or those allowed by Paragraph 16-12-70(d)(4) of this Article.
- Center pole-mounted signs.
- Portable signs, except as expressly permitted in Section 16-12-50 and Subsections 16-12-70(c), 16-12-70(d) and 16-12-80(f) of this Article.
- Signs with exposed cables or electrical mountings, unless the Building Official finds that unusual construction problems exist necessitating such cables or mountings.
- Permanent freestanding signs on residential lots, except as expressly permitted in Subsection 16-12-70(g) below.
- Signs using any sound- or noise-making or -transmitting device.
- Projecting signs that project from the corner of a building.
- Signs with more than one (1) face where the faces meet at an angle shall be no greater than zero (0) degrees (otherwise referred to as "V"-shaped signs), excluding temporary sandwich boards.
- Neon signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Elizabeth

- Signs not exceeding three (3) square feet in area that are customarily associated with residential uses, such as property identification names and numbers, signs on mailboxes or newspaper tubes and signs posted on private property warning the public against trespassing or danger from animals.
- Signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance, which may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location, illumination or animation authorized by the law, statute or ordinance under which the signs are erected.
- Official signs erected by state or local governments or their contractors or public utility companies to facilitate the construction, maintenance or operation of transportation facilities or to warn of dangerous or hazardous conditions, including signs indicating the presence of underground cables, gas lines and similar devices.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into any masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building, provided that such signs do not exceed six (6) square feet in sign area.
- Flags of any nation or government or displaying a noncommercial message, provided that such flags do not exceed forty (40) square feet and do not extend over a public right-of-way when unfurled.
- Architectural features of buildings or works of art, if such features or works of art do not contain moving parts or lights.
- Any traffic control sign, such as "STOP" or "YIELD," located on public or private property that meets applicable governmental standards pertaining to such signs and does not display a commercial message.
- Name plate signs of not more than two (2) square feet in area which are fastened directly to a building and do not project from the face of the building.
- National holiday and community special event decorations that do not display a commercial message.
- Signs on athletic fields and scoreboards intended for viewing on the property upon which the scoreboard is located.
- Signs located inside buildings which are not placed there for the purpose of being visible to and read from the outside of the building and which are not legible from a distance of more than three (3) feet beyond the building in which such sign is located.
- Instructional signs on Town property erected by the Town.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The Planning Commission may permit the utilization of comprehensive sign plans for multiple-building complexes located on one tract or parcel of real estate or two or more contiguous parcels held in unified control and comprising one or more acres. Applicants must submit a detailed sign plan with written stipulations for review and approval.
- No minimum or maximum standards are established for comprehensive sign plans, but each plan must contain such limitations within its stipulations and must not contain any prohibited signs.
- All parties affected by provisions of a comprehensive sign plan must be signatories, or, if the complex is governed by a management agreement, its representative must sign.
- Modifications to an approved comprehensive sign plan may be made if determined to be not substantial by the Town Administrator; substantial changes require Planning Commission approval.
- Variances relating to the size, height, location, illumination, number, and type of signs may be granted by the Board of Adjustment, as long as they do not violate the stated purposes of the Article.
- A sign permit is required for banner, feather banners, permanent building signs, permanent freestanding signs, any other illuminated sign, and temporary signs as allowed in Subsection 16-12-70(d), except as specifically exempted.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Elizabeth, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Elizabeth+CO&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-elizabeth

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