# Sign Regulations in Allegan, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Allegan, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/allegan
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Allegan/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH23SI)

## At a glance

Allegan, Michigan regulates 15 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Development Signs in the R-1 - Single Family Residential - Low Density, R-2 - Single Family Residential - Medium Density, R-3 - Multiple-Family Dwelling Units, R-4 - Mobile Home Residential Districts zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 20 square feet (Sec. Sec. 23-7(a)(1)). Most commercial signs in Allegan require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | — | 50% of the maximum permitted sign area for the primary sign type | — |
| R-1 - Single Family Residential - Low Density, R-2 - Single Family Residential - Medium Density, R-3 - Multiple-Family Dwelling Units, R-4 - Mobile Home Residential Districts | 3 | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| C-2 - General Commercial, C-3 - Restricted Commercial, M-1 - Manufacturing, PGL - Public/Governmental Lands | 6 | 20 feet | 160 square feet (if advertising for 3 or more establishments) | — |
| C-1 - Central Business District | 3 | Cannot extend above the cornice or eave line | 35 square feet | — |
| C-2 - General Commercial | 1 | 30 feet | 100 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### R-1 - Single Family Residential - Low Density, R-2 - Single Family Residential - Medium Density, R-3 - Multiple-Family Dwelling Units, R-4 - Mobile Home Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development Sign | 6 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per development | At entrance to residential development | — | Sec. 23-7(a)(1) |
| Ground Sign (Non-Residential Use) | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per development | On property of the non-residential use | — | Sec. 23-7(a)(2) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Residential Use) | Cannot extend above cornice or eave line | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall facing a public road or parking lot | Per building wall facing a public road or parking lot | — | Sec. 23-7(a)(2) |

### C-2 - General Commercial, C-3 - Restricted Commercial, M-1 - Manufacturing, PGL - Public/Governmental Lands

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Cannot extend above cornice or eave line | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall facing a public road or parking lot | Building wall facing public road or parking lot | — | Sec. 23-7(b) |
| Marquee Sign | Cannot extend above cornice or eave line | 35 square feet | — | — | — | Marquee facing public road or parking lot | — | Sec. 23-7(b) |
| Roof Sign | Cannot be taller than 6 feet above cornice or eave line | 100 square feet | — | — | — | On or above the roof of the building | — | Sec. 23-7(b) |
| Pole Sign | 20 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per frontage; collective sign for multi-tenant | Per frontage; corner lots: 1 pole sign allowed, other frontage may use ground sign | — | Sec. 23-7(b) |
| Ground Sign | 6 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per frontage; collective sign for multi-tenant | Per frontage; ground sign may be used on other frontage if pole sign is used | — | Sec. 23-7(b) |
| Collective Pole or Ground Sign (Multi-tenant sites) | — | 160 square feet (if advertising for 3 or more establishments) | — | — | 1 per development | On site of multi-tenant commercial or industrial building | — | Sec. 23-7(d) |

### C-1 - Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign | Cannot extend above the cornice or eave line | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall facing a parking lot or public street | Per building wall facing a parking lot or public street; cannot extend more than 5 feet from wall | — | Sec. 23-7(c) |
| Wall Sign | Cannot extend above the cornice or eave line | 35 square feet | — | — | 1 per building wall facing a parking lot or public street | Per building wall facing a parking lot or public street | — | Sec. 23-7(c) |
| Marquee Sign | Cannot extend above the cornice or eave line | 35 square feet | — | — | — | Marquee facing parking lot or public street | — | Sec. 23-7(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Allegan

- It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, place, or maintain a sign in the City of Allegan except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
- No sign shall be located closer than one (1) foot to a public road right-of-way or property line. Except for projecting signs, no sign shall overhang a public street right-of-way unless otherwise noted.
- No sign, including temporary signs, shall be permitted within the public rights-of-way or upon any city owned property except where permitted by the city council.
- No sign shall be located or permitted within a clear unobstructed vision corner at intersections, being not less than twenty (20) feet from right-of-way intersections along the right-of-way line in the form of an isosceles triangle.
- Illumination shall not be flashing, blinking, intermittent, oscillating, or an on-and-off type of lighting. No sign may utilize a revolving beacon light.
- Illumination shall be arranged so that light is deflected away from adjacent properties and that no direct sources of light shall be visible to any motorist or pedestrian located in a public right-of-way or from any adjacent property; any external lighting shall be downward facing or otherwise directed to illuminate only the sign face.
- No illumination or sign shall be so placed or designed to be confused with, or appear similar to, a highway sign or traffic safety device.
- Where a proposed sign meets the definition of more than one sign type, the most restrictive requirements and limitations of the defined sign types shall apply, as determined by the zoning administrator.
- All signs, together with their structural elements and supporting framework, shall be maintained in a safe condition and kept in good repair, free from peeling, rust, decay, structural weakness, physical deterioration or similar condition.
- The following types of signs are prohibited in all zoning districts: abandoned signs, or signs in disrepair in violation of maintenance requirements; animated signs, audible signs, and/or flashing signs (except traffic control devices); signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals.

## Signs exempt from permit in Allegan

- Signs erected by the city, county, state, or federal government for street direction or traffic control; to designate hours of activity; or use of parking lots, recreational areas, governmental buildings or other public space; or for other public purposes.
- Signs erected by an essential service establishment denoting utility lines, railroad lines, hazards, and precautions, including portable flashing signs.
- Signs designating sites recognized by the State Historical Commission as Historic Landmarks.
- Real estate signs advertising premises for sale, rent, or lease when not more than thirty (30) square feet in area and six (6) feet in height for a commercial or industrial zoned property, or six (6) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height for other properties. A real estate sign shall be located on the property that is for sale, rent, or lease.
- Signs not larger than two (2) square feet in area posted to control and/or prohibit hunting or trespassing within the city, spaced not less than fifty (50) feet apart.
- Political signs not larger than six (6) square feet in area may be placed upon any parcel of property in all districts provided they do not obstruct the vision of vehicular traffic on any street, and must be removed within forty-eight (48) hours following the election or referendum.
- A temporary special event sign, used to advertise a garage sale or estate sale on residential property, graduation party or similar temporary event, not to exceed six (6) square feet in area, must be removed within forty-eight (48) hours after the completion of the event, and must be placed on private property with the property owner's permission.
- Holiday lights, works of art, and decorations with no commercial message.
- Memorial signs not larger than twelve (12) square feet in area which are either cut into a masonry surface or constructed of bronze or other incombustible material when located flat on the face of a building.
- A construction sign not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in area and having a height not greater than six (6) feet, with only one allowed per development or project, to be removed not later than issuance of certificates of occupancy for ninety (90) percent of the buildings.
- In parking areas, only directional or regulatory signs are permitted, with no advertising matter or commercial message, and sign area no greater than four (4) square feet.
- One (1) human sign is permitted per lot at any given time, provided that the human sign does not block the sidewalk and remains outside of public rights-of-way.
- No permit is required for the maintenance of a sign or for a change of copy on painted, printed, or changeable copy signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- When a site plan is required by the zoning ordinance, proposed signage shall be illustrated on the site plan showing sign area, height, clearance, illumination, location, setbacks, and other applicable information to enable the city to determine compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
- When a site plan is not required, a scaled drawing clearly depicting compliance information shall accompany the building permit application.
- The zoning administrator may require that additional information be illustrated on a plan or drawing to determine compliance with this chapter.
- Applications for variance must include materials required for a permit (as described in section 23-2), which include a building permit application and all supplementary/sign plan materials requested.

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

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