# Sign Regulations in Fort Meade, Florida

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Fort Meade, Florida (FL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/florida/fort-meade
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/FL/Fort_Meade/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH26LAUSDERE_ARTIIZO_PTISI)

## At a glance

Fort Meade, Florida regulates 21 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 2 lane road, 35 mph or less)s in the Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Commercial uses within a C-1, R-2 zone zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and 42 sq ft per face (2 faces max), with a 35 feet or more from the edge of the adjacent street. setback (Sec. Sec. 26-87(2); Table; Sec. 26-82(1), (14), (19)). Most commercial signs in Fort Meade require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Commercial uses within a C-1, R-2 zone | 11 | 30 ft | 125 sq ft | — |
| Industrial (M-1, M-2) | 6 | 30 ft | 125 sq ft | — |
| Residential (R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2), Residential uses within a TM zone | 1 | — | 3 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 10 ft | 72 sq ft | — |

_2 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4), Commercial uses within a C-1, R-2 zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall-Mounted Sign | — | — | — | — | Each business is entitled to signage on front wall and any qualifying side wall. | Front wall and/or side walls facing a public street or platted lot not containing another building. | — | Sec. 26-87(1), Sec. 26-81 (definitions), Sec. 26-82(1), (3), (14), (19), Sec. 26-83(1) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 2 lane road, 35 mph or less) | 20 ft | 42 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of the adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | 35 feet or more from property line; on frontage of 75 feet or more, minimum 75 feet between ground-mounted signs. | — | Sec. 26-87(2); Table; Sec. 26-82(1), (14), (19) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 4 lane road, 35 mph or less) | 24 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of the adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-87(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 2 lane road, more than 35 mph) | 24 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of the adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-87(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 4 lane road, more than 35 mph) | 26 ft | 108 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of the adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-87(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Four-lane divided highway, >40 mph, commerce/manufacturing surroundings) | 30 ft | 125 sq ft | — | — | One per qualifying street frontage. | Frontage on four-lane divided highway as described. | — | Sec. 26-87(2); Table |
| Right-Angle Sign (30 mph or less, public sidewalk) | Not above window sill of the second story | — | Projects up to 5 ft from building or one-half sidewalk width, whichever is less | — | One per street faced. | Mounted on side of building, must clear sidewalk by at least 8 ft. | — | Sec. 26-87(3) |
| Pedestrian Sign (under building overhang) | Not lower than 8 ft from sidewalk | — | — | — | One per overhang situation. | Hung from building overhang over sidewalk. | — | Sec. 26-87(4) |

### Industrial (M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall-Mounted Sign | — | — | — | — | Each business is entitled to signage on front wall and any qualifying side wall. | Front wall and/or side walls facing a public street or platted lot not containing another building. | — | Sec. 26-86(1), Sec. 26-81 (definitions), Sec. 26-82(1), (3), (14), (19), Sec. 26-83(2) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 2 lane road, 35 mph or less) | 20 ft | 42 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | 35 feet or more from property line; frontage of 100 feet or more; minimum 100 feet between ground-mounted signs. | — | Sec. 26-86(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 4 lane road, 35 mph or less) | 24 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-86(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 2 lane road, more than 35 mph) | 24 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-86(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (35 ft setback, 4 lane road, more than 35 mph) | 26 ft | 108 sq ft per face (2 faces max) | — | Setback: 35 feet or more from the edge of adjacent street. | One per qualifying street frontage. | Same as above. | — | Sec. 26-86(2); Table |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Four-lane divided highway, >40 mph, commerce/manufacturing surroundings) | 30 ft | 125 sq ft | — | — | One per qualifying street frontage. | Frontage on four-lane divided highway as described. | — | Sec. 26-86(2); Table |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directory Sign (Professional Office - Multiple Firms) | 10 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per building | On site of building. | — | Sec. 26-85(2) |
| Subdivision Development Sign (Temporary) | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | No closer than 15 ft to side property line. | One per primary frontage; others upon approval. | Temporary on-site; additional signs on other street frontages upon board approval. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(1) |
| On-Site Development Sign (Temporary) | 10 ft | 20 sq ft | — | No closer than 15 ft to side property line. | 1 onsite per property | Temporary, on property under active construction. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(2) |
| Real Estate Sign (Residential) | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | No closer than 15 ft to side property line. | 1 onsite per property | Onsite, residential property offered for sale/rent. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(3)a |
| Real Estate Sign (Acreage and Commercial) | 4 ft | 12 sq ft | — | No closer than 15 ft to side property line. | 1 onsite per property | Onsite, acreage or commercial property offered for sale/rent. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(3)b |
| Apartment, Condominium, Mobile Home Park Identification Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per street faced | On property for each street faced. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(4) |
| Church Sign (Street ≤ 35 mph) | 10 ft | 54 sq ft | — | — | One per street faced | On church property for each street faced. | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(5) |
| Election Sign | 6 ft | 6 sq ft | — | No closer than 15 ft to side property line. | 1 onsite per property | Onsite (non-road right-of-way). | — | Sec. 26-88(a)(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Fort Meade

- No sign shall be above the roofline.
- No sign, except those placed by an authorized governmental agency, shall be placed on the public right-of-way.
- No portable signs.
- No sign shall be designed with flashing lights or moving parts.
- No sign shall interfere with traffic or be confused with or obstruct the view or effectiveness of any official traffic sign, traffic signal, traffic marking or obstruct the sight distance of motorists or pedestrians.
- No sign shall be attached to a tree or utility pole.
- Billboards, whether off-premises or on-premises, are prohibited except those specifically allowed in agricultural districts.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited.
- Wind signs, including banners, pennants, spinners, streamers, and other wind actuated components, except pennants allowed by subsection 26-87(7), are prohibited.
- All signs not specifically allowed are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Signs containing any statement, word, character or illustration of an obscene, indecent or immoral nature are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Fort Meade

- This part shall not apply to vending machines, gasoline pumps, telephone booths, newspaper racks, 'take-out' or 'pick-up' windows and menus posted for reading in drive-in restaurant parking lots.
- This part shall not apply to traffic-control signs, parking place designations and information signs located on off-street parking lots.
- This part does not regulate the content of the message of the sign.
- Temporary window signs allowed by section 26-87 and real estate signs allowed by section 26-88 do not require a permit.
- Street address number signs assigned by the city are required for all buildings.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permit required. To obtain city review and avoid expensive mistakes, all signs shall be required to have a permit indicating compliance with this chapter. No sign, except temporary window signs allowed by section 26-87 and real estate signs allowed by section 26-88, shall be constructed, altered or extended until such permit has been issued.
- Ground-mounted signs for shopping centers and time and temperature signs must be approved by the board of adjustment and appeals.
- In the event such a sign conflicts with a provision of this part, the owner is encouraged to apply to the board of adjustment and appeals for a special permit allowing the use of the sign.
- A special permit is required if over fifteen (15) percent of window area is used for temporary window signs.
- Extensions of time for removal of nonconforming signs may be granted by the board of adjustment and appeals.
- All signs will be reviewed annually with the issuance of business occupational licenses; signs in violation will cause the license to be withheld until the sign is in compliance.

## 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 6 zoning districts in Fort Meade — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Fort+Meade+FL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-fort-meade

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