# Sign Regulations in Forest Park, Georgia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Forest Park, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/forest-park
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Forest_Park/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT8PLDE_CH3SI)

## At a glance

Forest Park, Georgia regulates 26 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Entry Feature Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 40 sq. ft., with a 10 ft minimum from right-of-way. setback (Sec. Sec. 8-3-24(h)). Most commercial signs in Forest Park require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 24 ft above sidewalk (maximum, measured to the top of the sign from sidewalk below); must not extend above roofline or parapet wall of building with flat roof | 180 sq. ft. | — |
| Single Family Residential District (RS), Two Family Residential District (RT) | 2 | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| Multiple Family Residential District (RM), Mobile Home Park District (MH) | 2 | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| Institutional Commercial District (IC) | 5 | Wall sign standards (24 ft max). | Must meet wall sign standards. Max 180 sq. ft. | — |
| General Commercial District (GC) | 4 | 8 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| Downtown Mainstreet District (DM) | 5 | 24 ft above sidewalk; must not extend above roofline. | 180 sq. ft. | — |
| Urban Village District (UV) | 3 | 8 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial Districts | 6 | 10 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — |
| Gillem Zoning District (GZ) | 7 | 10 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft. (including base) | Up to 64 sq. ft. depending on frontage. | — | 5 ft minimum from front lot line, 10 ft from common lot line. | — | Must be set back minimum 5 ft. from front lot line and 10 ft. from common lot line. Placed within 100 ft of street must display address. Must be constructed of durable materials, visually coordinated with surroundings. | — | Sec. 8-3-24(d) |
| Directory Sign | 10 ft (including base) | Up to 75 sq. ft. depending on frontage. | — | 10 ft minimum from right-of-way | — | Must be set back at least 10 ft from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 8-3-24(f) |
| Projecting Sign | 12 ft (sign); top of sign no higher than top of building (24 ft above sidewalk max). On one-story buildings, may be max 2 ft above top of building. | 48 sq. ft. | 6 ft (projection width) | — | — | May be erected on building corner (allocation of sign area from both streets permitted). | — | Sec. 8-3-24(e) |
| Entry Feature Sign | 8 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft minimum from right-of-way. | Max 2 per entrance | Must be set back at least 10 ft from right-of-way; must fit aesthetic of building/surroundings. | — | Sec. 8-3-24(h) |
| Sidewalk/Sandwich Board/A-frame Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq. ft. | 2 ft | — | — | Placed along building facade with customer entrance, within 12 ft of facade, within 10 ft of front door. | — | Sec. 8-3-13(6); Sec. 8-3-24(a) |
| Banner (Temporary Sign) | If at grade: 5 ft. If on building: up to 24 ft (not to extend above roofline) | 32 sq. ft. for most banners; up to 120 sq. ft. on new buildings 3 stories+ for up to 3 months | — | — | 1 per lot | Must be affixed to building or supporting freestanding sign. | — | Sec. 8-3-17(b)(3); Sec. 8-3-24(i) |
| Standard Informational Sign | 8 ft. above grade or 4 ft. above ground, whichever is greater | 16 sq. ft. (one sign) or up to four signs not to exceed aggregate of 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 (max 16 sq. ft) or up to 4 (aggregate 16 sq. ft.) | Freestanding, not in right-of-way. | — | Sec. 8-3-13 (Standard Informational Sign) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (On Premises) | 5 ft. above ground | — | — | 5 ft from right-of-way unless impractical for pre-existing buildings. | 1 per available unit | On premises, must not interfere with traffic, 5 ft. minimum from right-of-way except for certain pre-existing buildings where impossibility applies. | — | Sec. 8-3-17(c) |

### Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Up to 500 ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has up to and including 500 ft frontage. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.1 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (501-1,000 ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has more than 500 ft up to 1,000 ft of frontage. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.2 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (1,001+ ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has more than 1,000 ft of frontage (excluding spin/outparcel sites). | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.3 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Spin Site/Out-parcel) | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per spin site or outparcel | 1 per spin site or outparcel identified on an approved site plan. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.4 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Arterial Streets) | 10 ft. | — | — | — | — | On arterial streets only. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.5 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Wall Option) | 8 or 10 ft. | If constructed as part of a brick/stone wall at least 30 ft in length, sign face may double to 64/128/144 sq. ft. based on base size. Sign panels measured separately. Monument sign size may increase by 32 sq. ft. if owner forgoes directory sign. | — | — | — | As above | — | Sec. 8-3-23(9)a.6 |

### Gillem Zoning District (GZ)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Up to 500 ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has up to and including 500 ft frontage. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.1 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (501-1,000 ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has more than 500 ft up to 1,000 ft of frontage. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.2 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (1,001+ ft frontage) | 8 ft. | 72 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street | 1 per street on which lot has more than 1,000 ft of frontage (excluding spin/outparcel sites). | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.3 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Spin Site/Out-parcel) | 8 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per spin site or outparcel | 1 per spin site or outparcel identified on an approved site plan. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.4 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Arterial Streets) | 10 ft. | — | — | — | — | On arterial streets only. | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.5 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (Wall Option) | 8 or 10 ft. | If constructed as part of a brick/stone wall at least 30 ft in length, sign face may double to 64/128/144 sq. ft. based on base size. Sign panels measured separately. Monument sign size may increase by 32 sq. ft. if owner forgoes directory sign. | — | — | — | As above | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)b.6 |
| Billboard | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 8-3-23(10)a |

## Prohibited signs in Forest Park

- It is unlawful to post, display, materially change, or erect a sign in the city without first having obtained a sign permit, except where specifically not required by the standards of this chapter.
- No sign may be erected on any premises owned or controlled by a person if it does not comply with the standards of this chapter.
- No person shall maintain or permit to be maintained on any premises any sign which is in a dangerous or defective condition.
- Balloons (except as explicitly allowed), pennants, streamers, feather signs, or air or gas filled figures are prohibited.
- Signs consisting of colored string lights (except during November, December, January) or outlining building elements, beacons, search lights, and laser lights or images are prohibited.
- Any sign which emits a sound or emits a signal which can be converted into audible sounds is prohibited.
- Signs in a public right-of-way, except those belonging to a government, public service agency, or railroad, are prohibited.
- Signs mounted or located on a tree, utility pole, or similar structure are prohibited.
- Roof signs and signs extending vertically above any portion of a roof or parapet are prohibited.
- Portable signs (except sidewalk/sandwich signs), including signs attached to any parked vehicle or trailer, so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, are prohibited.
- Signs which depict obscene material are prohibited.
- Signs which advertise an illegal activity are prohibited.
- Signs not maintained in good repair, in violation of codes, or with broken panels, visible rust, visible rot, damaged support structures, or missing letters are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Animated signs, flashing signs, and electronic signs (except as explicitly allowed) are prohibited.
- Signs which imitate official traffic signs or signals or contain the words 'stop', 'go', 'slow', 'caution', 'warning', or similar words to resemble official traffic control signs are prohibited.
- No advertisement, advertising sign, or advertising structure shall be within five feet of the outside boundaries of a federal or state highway or municipal streets or structures.
- No sign may be attached to or placed against a building to prevent ingress or egress through any door or window, or obstruct or be attached to a fire escape.
- No sign may be painted on, mounted on, or attached to a vehicle, board, or object when stationary, if used to circumvent the sign regulations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Forest Park

- Signs erected by the City of Forest Park and public signs and all other signs of public interest, erected by or on the order of a public officer in performance of their duty (such as public notices, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic and street signs, memorial plaques, and signs of historical interest) do not require a permit.
- Any sign internal to a development and not visible from a street or neighboring property does not require a permit.
- Window signs: signs installed inside a window for viewing from outside provided they do not exceed 25% of the window area do not require a permit.
- Exposed neon window sign stating 'open', not greater than 5 square feet in area and limited to one per establishment (included in 25% window sign area), does not require a permit.
- Construction fence wraps (with stated requirements and conditions) do not require a permit.
- Flags: fabric or other flexible material designed to be flown from a flagpole affixed to the front of a home or porch, up to three per lot, do not require a permit.
- Sidewalk signs: portable signs not secured or attached to ground, that meet specified requirements, do not require a permit.
- Political signs: signs announcing candidacy or expressing a political point of view placed only on private property and with owner permission do not require a permit, but must be removed within 15 days after the election.
- Numerals for property identification, not to exceed eight inches in height, do not require a permit.
- Sidewalk/A-frame signs do not require a permit if placed within specified distance of the business' front door.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Sign permit is required for all signs unless specifically listed as exempt.
- Application for a sign permit must include necessary details, including a survey, elevations for wall signs, and other information as listed in Sec. 8-3-9.
- For wall signs, two (2) sets of building elevations must be submitted with the sign permit application.
- All signs must be in compliance with zoning district requirements as part of the sign permit process.
- Variance from sign standards must follow the variance process of the planning commission; variances are available for hardship under specific criteria but not for exceeding maximum sign size.
- Nonconforming signs must be removed or brought into compliance before any new sign is permitted on the same lot.
- Nonconforming signs lose grandfather status and require a new permit (and compliance) if the business ceases for more than 30 days, if damaged beyond minor repair, or if improvements to the business exceed 50% of the existing value.
- Where a site plan is referenced for allowance of certain signs (e.g., spin sites, outparcels), the site plan must be approved as part of a single zoning case.
- Freestanding monument signs on certain parcels (e.g., spin site or out-parcel) require identification on a site plan approved pursuant to a zoning case; this implies a site plan review is part of allowance.
- Directory signs and some sign placements are allowed only if shown on or coordinated via site plans or as part of consolidated directories as defined in the ordinance.

## 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 9 zoning districts in Forest Park — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Forest+Park+GA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-forest-park

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