# Sign Regulations in Hiawassee, Georgia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Hiawassee, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/hiawassee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Hiawassee/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH28SI)

## At a glance

Hiawassee, Georgia regulates 18 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (excluding stanchion/marquee)s in the Non-residential area, Commercial area, Industrial area zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and Varies by aggregate limits (see below), with a Minimum 30 ft from intersection of street right-of-way lines extended setback (Sec. Sec. 28-12(b); Sec. 28-13(a), (h)). Most commercial signs in Hiawassee require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential area | 2 | 5 ft | 25 sq ft | — |
| Platted residential subdivisions | 2 | 5 ft | 25 sq ft | — |
| Non-residential area, Commercial area, Industrial area | 12 | 30 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | Flagpole: 25 ft or building height (residential); 60 ft (nonresidential) | 30% of window area | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential area

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Signage | 5 ft | 15 sq ft aggregate; 6 sq ft per sign | — | — | — | On the property | — | Sec. 28-10; Sec. 28-19 |
| Subdivision Entrance Monument Sign | 5 ft | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance | At each public entrance to subdivision | — | Sec. 28-11; Sec. 28-19 |

### Non-residential area, Commercial area, Industrial area

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (excluding stanchion/marquee) | 20 ft | Varies by aggregate limits (see below) | — | Minimum 30 ft from intersection of street right-of-way lines extended | Varies by parcel size, see aggregate area | No closer than 30 ft to intersection of street right-of-way lines extended | — | Sec. 28-12(b); Sec. 28-13(a), (h) |
| Stanchion Sign (over 3 acres) | 30 ft | 300 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel per street frontage | On property; per street frontage | — | Sec. 28-12(a); Sec. 28-13(c)(1), (4) |
| Stanchion Sign (≥30,000 sq ft and <3 acres) | 30 ft | 150 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel per street frontage | On property; per street frontage | — | Sec. 28-12(a); Sec. 28-13(c)(2), (4) |
| Stanchion Sign (<30,000 sq ft) | 30 ft | 70 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel per street frontage | On property; per street frontage | — | Sec. 28-12(a); Sec. 28-13(c)(3), (4) |
| Monument Sign | 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel per street frontage | On property; one per parcel per street frontage | — | Sec. 28-12(c); Sec. 28-13(d) |
| Wall Sign | 10 ft | 300 sq ft or 10% of wall face (lesser) | — | — | 1 per tenant per street facing wall | On wall of premises; only in commercial, industrial or non-residential areas; per street facing wall | — | Sec. 28-13(e), (i) |
| Awning Sign | 10 ft | 300 sq ft or 10% of wall face (lesser) | — | — | 1 per tenant per street facing wall | On awning, per street facing wall | — | Sec. 28-13(e), (i) |
| Monument Sign | 12 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel per street frontage | On property; one per parcel per street frontage | — | Sec. 28-12(c); Sec. 28-13(d) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window Sign | — | 30% of window area | — | — | — | Installed flush with or on a window, viewed from outside | — | Sec. 28-18(a)(1) |
| Numerals for property identification | 4 in (residential), 10 in (nonresidential) | — | — | — | — | On property/building for address | — | Sec. 28-18(a)(2) |
| Seasonal Display | — | — | — | — | — | Outside public right-of-way | — | Sec. 28-18(a)(3) |
| Lawn Sign (general; all businesses) | — | 6 sq ft | 36 in | — | 2 per business | On property (not public right-of-way) | — | Sec. 28-18(a)(4) |
| Flag | Flagpole: 25 ft or building height (residential); 60 ft (nonresidential) | — | — | — | 2 per parcel | On property; flagpole requirements per zone | — | Sec. 28-18(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Hiawassee

- Abandoned, dilapidated or neglected signs, including those presenting a non-neat or disorderly appearance such as rust, holes, broken, missing, loose or bent parts, faded or flaking paint, non-operative or partially non-operative illuminating or mechanical devices, or missing letters.
- Animated signs.
- Beacon signs.
- Billboard signs exceeding 300 square feet and permitted by the department of transportation digital signs.
- Flashing signs.
- Obscene signs containing nudity or depicting sexual conduct as defined by O.C.G.A. § 32-6-52 or as thereafter amended.
- Roof signs extending above the immediately adjacent roof line of the building.
- Signs on public rights-of-way other than publicly owned or maintained signs.
- Signs which simulate an official traffic control or warning sign or hide from view any traffic or street sign, signal or public service sign.
- Signs which emit or utilize any sound detectable on any traveled road or highway by a person with normal hearing.
- Signs which interfere with road or highway visibility or obstruct or otherwise interfere with the safe and orderly movement of traffic.
- Signs erected by nailing, fastening, or affixing the sign in any manner to any tree, post, curve, utility pole, or other structure except as set forth in the ordinance.
- Signs that have movement within the actual sign, i.e., rotating or components, excluding changeable copy sign(s).
- Snipe signs (a stake sign or sign posted on a tree, utility pole or other structure in the public right-of-way).
- Window signs that exceed 30 percent of the window area.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hiawassee

- Window sign(s) with a combined maximum aggregate sign area not to exceed 30 percent of the available window space are exempt from permit requirements and do not count toward maximum aggregate sign area.
- Numerals displayed for purposes of identifying property location and not exceeding four inches in height in residential areas and ten inches in height in nonresidential areas are exempt from permit requirements and do not count toward maximum aggregate sign area.
- Seasonal displays located outside of the public right-of-way that are erected for a maximum period of 30 days no more than twice a year are exempt from permit requirements and do not count toward maximum aggregate sign area.
- Lawn signs, not to exceed two per business and not to exceed 24 inches × 36 inches in size, are exempt from permit requirements and do not count toward maximum aggregate sign area.
- Parcels may display no more than two flags that shall not count toward maximum aggregate sign area limits and do not require a permit (flagpoles subject to height limitations).
- Signs meeting residential subdivision sign area and height limits are exempt from permitting requirements (per Sec. 28-10).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The ordinance does not specifically require a master sign plan or sign plan, but all signs allowed by this chapter (except those exempted) require a permit issued by the city prior to posting, displaying, substantially changing, or erecting a sign (Sec. 28-3).
- Variance applications for relief from sign regulations must be submitted to the city council and heard under the same timeframes and rules governing an appeal under this chapter (Sec. 28-17).

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

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