# Sign Regulations in Cochran, Georgia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cochran, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/cochran
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Cochran/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH40SI)

## At a glance

Cochran, Georgia regulates 16 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Residential zoning district zoning district are capped at 8 ft. tall and 32 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for developments >= 2 d.u./acre), with a 10 ft. from edge of pavement. setback (Sec. Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table); Sec. 40-34(d); Sec. 40-4). Most commercial signs in Cochran require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential zoning district | 8 | Flagpole: 25 ft. or height of primary structure, whichever is less | 32 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for developments >= 2 d.u./acre) | — |
| Nonresidential zoning district | 12 | Up to 70 ft. on GA Hwy. 23 & 129 (for signs >=350 sq ft); 40 ft. on other roads (>=350 sq ft); 30 ft. for 300-349 sq ft | 700 sq. ft. per sign structure (each side if double-faced) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Residential zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. (80 sq. ft. for developments >= 2 d.u./acre) | — | 10 ft. from edge of pavement. | One per road frontage | 10 ft. setback from edge of pavement; not in, over, or projecting into a public right-of-way. | — | Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table); Sec. 40-34(d); Sec. 40-4 |
| Air or Gas-filled Device (Temporary Sign) | 4 ft. | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 40-30(1)(b) |
| Banner (Temporary Sign) | — | 16 sq. ft. per banner | — | — | One per public street frontage | — | — | Sec. 40-30(2) |
| Flag | Flagpole: 25 ft. or height of primary structure, whichever is less | Up to 30 sq. ft. (pole up to 30 ft); 60 sq. ft. (30-50 ft pole); 150 sq. ft. (pole 50+ ft) | — | At least equal to height of flagpole from all property boundaries. | Up to three flagpoles per lot, two flags per pole | Setback from all property boundaries at least equal to height of flagpole. | — | Sec. 40-31 |
| Non-illuminated Staked Sign (Exempt) | 4 ft. above ground level. | 6 sq. ft. per sign; 10 sq. ft. combined area per parcel. | — | No closer than 10 ft from edge of pavement. | — | Not within public right-of-way; no closer than 10 ft from edge of pavement of public roadway. | — | Sec. 40-32(1) |
| Window Sign (Exempt) | — | No more than 10% of available window space per building elevation. | — | — | — | Flush with interior or exterior of window, intended to be viewed from outside. | — | Sec. 40-32(4) |
| Swinging or Projecting Sign (Exempt) | — | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | — | Under the eave or awning of a building. | — | Sec. 40-32(6) |
| Historic character mural sign (Special Exception) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table) |

### Nonresidential zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Nonresidential) | 20 ft. | 80 sq. ft. (120 sq. ft. if located on 1j 4-lane roadway) | — | 10 ft. from edge of pavement | One per road frontage | 10 ft. setback from edge of pavement; not in, over, or projecting into a public right-of-way. | — | Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table); Sec. 40-34 |
| Building Sign (Wall Sign) | — | Up to 220 sq. ft. per building | — | — | — | Building facade | — | Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table) |
| Canopy Sign | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | One per building | On building canopy | — | Sec. 40-36 (Sign Table) |
| Air or Gas-filled Device (Temporary Sign) | 20 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 40-30(1)(a) |
| Banner (Temporary Sign) | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | One per public street frontage | — | — | Sec. 40-30(2) |
| Flag | Must not exceed allowed structure height in the applicable zoning district | Up to 30 sq. ft. (pole up to 30 ft); 60 sq. ft. (30-50 ft pole); 150 sq. ft. (pole 50+ ft) | — | At least equal to height of flagpole from boundaries. | Up to three flagpoles per lot, two flags per pole | Setback at least equal to the height of the flagpole from all property boundaries. | — | Sec. 40-31 |
| Non-illuminated Staked Sign (Exempt) | 4 ft. above ground level. | 6 sq. ft. per sign; 10 sq. ft. combined area per parcel. | — | Not within public right-of-way; 10 ft from edge of pavement. | — | Not within public right-of-way; no closer than 10 ft from edge of pavement of public roadway. | — | Sec. 40-32(1) |
| Oversized Sign | Up to 70 ft. on GA Hwy. 23 & 129 (for signs >=350 sq ft); 40 ft. on other roads (>=350 sq ft); 30 ft. for 300-349 sq ft | 700 sq. ft. per sign structure (each side if double-faced) | — | 75 ft (350+ sq ft signs), 50 ft (300-349 sq ft signs) | — | Adjacent to GDOT designated truck routes. Prohibited in downtown historical corridor, and within 500 ft of dwelling, residential district, city building, church, school, daycare, park, cemetery, or scenic byway ROW. | — | Sec. 40-37 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance Sign | — | — | — | — | — | At public street or driveway entrance to subdivision or development. | — | Definition Sec. 40-3 |
| Subdivision Directional Sign (Temporary Off-premise) | — | — | — | — | — | At intersections, off-premises, directs to property for sale/lease/rent. | — | Definition Sec. 40-3 |
| Weekend Directional Sign (Temporary Off-premise) | — | — | — | — | — | At intersections, off-premises, directs to specific project. | — | Definition Sec. 40-3 |

## Prohibited signs in Cochran

- Roof signs.
- Streamers.
- Portable signs.
- Multi-faced signs.
- Flashing, blinking, varying light intensity signs or animated signs, with the exception of signs used for official government purposes and variable message board signs.
- Signs placed within public rights-of-way, utility, and railway easements, except publicly owned, authorized, or maintained signs that serve an official public purpose.
- Signs erected by nailing, fastening, or affixing the sign in any manner to any tree, rock, post, curb, utility pole, natural feature, official street sign or marker, traffic control sign or device, or other structure except as may be set forth herein.
- Any sign placed or erected on property without the permission of the owner.
- Individual or aggregate window signs exceeding ten percent of the window area per building elevation.
- Signs that contain words, pictures, or statements that are obscene, as defined by O.C.G.A. § 16-12-80.
- Signs that simulate an official traffic control device, warning sign, or regulatory sign or which hide from view any traffic control device, signal, or public service sign.
- Signs that emit or utilize in any manner any sound capable of being detected on any traveled road or highway by a person with normal hearing abilities.
- Signs that interfere with road or highway visibility or obstruct or otherwise interfere with the safe and orderly movement of traffic or which otherwise pose a hazard to traffic due to structural deficiencies in the structure of such signs.
- Signs which obstruct any fire escape, any means of egress or ventilation or shall prevent free passage from one part of a roof to any other part thereof, as well as signs attached to any fire escape.
- Signs that do not conform to applicable building and electrical codes.
- Signs for which a permit is required that do not display the sign permit number and the name and address of the person responsible for erecting and maintaining the sign.
- Signs that are in violation of the rules and regulations of any zoning overlay district presently existing or as may later be enacted.
- Any sign constructed of nondurable material including, but not limited to, paper, cardboard or flexible plastic that has been displayed for more than 60 days. This provision does not apply to temporary signs as governed by this article.
- Signs located on any substandard lot created after the enactment of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived, unless the substandard lot is created as the result of governmental action.
- Any sign that is structurally unsound or is a hazard to traffic or pedestrians.
- Dilapidated or neglected signs.
- Pole signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cochran

- Non-illuminated staked signs having a combined sign area of ten square feet or less per parcel. An individual staked sign may not exceed six square feet in size and may not exceed four feet in height above ground level. No sign shall be located within the public right-of-way and no closer than ten feet from the edge of pavement of a public roadway.
- Signs for the sole purpose of displaying street numbers as may be required by other ordinances and other signs required by law.
- Signs erected by, or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his duty including but not limited to public notices, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic and street signs, memorial plaques, and signs of historical interest.
- Window signs not exceeding ten percent of the available window space per building elevation.
- One official sign per road frontage, as required by the State of Georgia, identifying vehicle emissions inspection stations licensed by the State of Georgia.
- Swinging or projecting signs not exceeding three square feet in sign area, attached under the eave or awning of a building. The installed projecting sign shall provide a minimum of seven feet clearance above ground level as measured from the bottom edge of the sign to the ground.
- All lots, buildings, structures, or property owned by the City of Cochran shall be exempt from all requirements of this chapter.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- It shall be unlawful for any person to post, display, alter the structure, or erect a sign without obtaining a sign permit from the City of Cochran.
- Applications for sign permits shall be submitted by the property owner or the property owner's agent on official forms furnished by the City of Cochran.
- A sign location permit or temporary sign permit shall not be issued until the appropriate application has been submitted and fees have been paid in full, as established by the City of Cochran City Council.
- For historic character mural signs for residential and nonresidential property, a special exception shall be approved by the city planning and zoning.
- An increase in maximum height of an oversized sign may be permitted provided the applicant for such an increase is granted a special use permit by the mayor and council after receiving recommendations from the planning commission and after a public hearing, subject to listed conditions.
- A variance may be granted by the zoning board of appeals pursuant to procedures set forth in the ordinance.

## Full detail

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

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