# Sign Regulations in Ridgway, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Ridgway, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/ridgway
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-06
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CO/Ridgway/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH7LAUSRE_S4ZORE_7-4-7SIRE)

## At a glance

Ridgway, Colorado regulates 4 sign types across 3 zoning districts. General Signages in the Downtown Services Zoning District zoning district are capped at No higher than the roof line tall and 12 square feet per business (Sec. 7-4-7(E)(6)). Most commercial signs in Ridgway require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential and Historic Residential Zoning Districts | 1 | — | 4 square feet | — |
| Downtown Services Zoning District | 1 | No higher than the roof line | 12 square feet per business | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 20 feet above finished grade | 56 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential and Historic Residential Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On the premises upon which they are located | — | 7-4-7(B)(9) |

### Downtown Services Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Signage | No higher than the roof line | 12 square feet per business | — | — | — | Attached to building structures | — | 7-4-7(E)(6) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet above finished grade | 56 square feet | — | — | — | On property with legal right | — | 7-4-7(F)(5),(7) |
| Wall Sign | No higher than the roof or parapet of the highest building | 32 square feet | — | — | — | On property with legal right | — | 7-4-7(F)(5),(7) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 16 square feet in all other zoning districts | — | — | — | On the premises upon which they are located | — | 7-4-7(B)(9) |

## Prohibited signs in Ridgway

- Animated or flashing signs visible outside any building.
- Balloons, pennants, or other wind-powered devices designed to attract attention, except they may be used for civic events up to a maximum of seven days.
- The operation of search lights to promote business activities.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained which creates a traffic or other safety hazard.
- No sign may be erected or maintained which creates a public or private nuisance, or which unreasonably interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of the adjacent property by reason of unreasonable light, shade, or other effects.
- No part of any sign shall be above the roof or parapet of the highest building on the property and no higher than 35 feet. No part of any freestanding sign shall be higher than 20 feet above finished grade.
- No sign shall be larger than 32 square feet in area, except a freestanding sign with more than one business advertised may have a sign face up to 56 square feet, unless approved through a Master Sign Plan applicable to the building.
- No more than 50 percent of any sign face may be internally illuminated.

## Signs exempt from permit in Ridgway

- Official traffic control devices, signs, and notices erected, owned, and maintained by the United States, the state of Colorado, the Town of Ridgway or any of their political subdivisions for official governmental purposes.
- Any pennant, motto, or insignia of any nation, state, political subdivisions, religious, civic, or fraternal organization, or school except devices which are used to promote business activity.
- Works of art unless they are used to promote business activity.
- Temporary decorations, displays and banners which are customarily displayed and associated with holidays or celebrations and banners associated with Town endorsed civic events.
- Scoreboards, unless used to advertise business activity.
- Public utility warning signs, construction warning signs, and signs warning of other hazards, with no sign face larger than ten square feet in area.
- Identification signs incidental to the use of vehicles attached to the vehicle.
- Traffic control devices with no sign face larger than three square feet.
- One or more temporary signs with an aggregate sign face area of no more than four square feet in the Residential and Historic Residential Zoning Districts and 16 square feet in all other zoning districts, for the premises upon which they are located.
- One bulletin board per street frontage not over 20 square feet in area for the purpose of announcing events of civic interest, which is owned and maintained by a charitable or religious institution.
- Memorial signs and tablets, or cornerstone signs identifying the building and its date of construction.
- Signs upon vending machines, gasoline pumps, or packages of goods which relate to the contents thereof.
- Temporary signs advertising Town approved civic events during the period of the event.
- Signs within buildings which are located no closer than six inches to any window or which are not legible from distances of five feet or more.
- Temporary signs on the Ridgway School Ball Field fence, provided they do not face Highway 62, that they are only up during baseball season, and that all such signs be controlled and administered by the Ridgway School Administration.
- Signs devoted to noncommercial speech which do not exceed ten square feet in area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- When more than one building/and or business is on the property, the property street frontage shall be allocated among the buildings and/or businesses accordingly, unless otherwise approved through a Master Sign Plan.
- Total sign face area in excess of 150 square feet shall not be allowed for any property unless approved through a Master Sign Plan applicable to that property.
- A Master Sign Plan shall be encouraged for all properties with multi-tenant buildings and/or multiple buildings in which three or more nonresidential tenants or businesses are present.
- Any property with multiple-tenant buildings or multiple buildings in which three or more nonresidential tenants existing at the time of adoption of this Section that does not have a Master Sign Plan is encouraged to apply for a Master Sign Plan at the time of application for a new sign at the site.
- Any property owner with multi-tenant and/or multiple buildings in which two or more nonresidential tenants or businesses are present, may apply for a Master Sign Plan.
- All signs subject to a Master Sign Plan shall apply for and receive a sign permit before any sign may be installed.
- Master Sign Plan shall run with the property for which it was issued and not with individual tenants or businesses.

## Full detail

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

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