# Sign Regulations in Alma, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Alma, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/alma
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Alma/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH60ZO_ARTIXSI)

## At a glance

Alma, Michigan regulates 24 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Any Sign (excluding flags)s in the Residential District zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 8 sq. ft. per sign, with a 5 ft setback required setback (Sec. Sec. 60-238(b)(1), (6); Ord. No. 691, § 1(32-146), 5-4-2005; Ord. No. 835, 11-9-2022). Most commercial signs in Alma require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 7 | 8 ft above grade for ground sign; must not extend above first story for wall sign | 32 sq. ft. sign face plus additional 48 sq. ft. for brick or stone base | — |
| Nonresidential Districts (SR, BMR, OS, ORT, WF, B-1, B-2, LI, GI) | 6 | 25 ft (in B-1: 18 ft; Shopping centers: 35 ft) | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| B-1 | 4 | 42 inches | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| B-2, OS, LI, GI | 1 | — | Per size requirements for the zone; See wall and ground sign regulations | — |
| SR, BMR, OS, ORT, WF, B-1 | 1 | — | Per regular ground sign rules for the district | — |
| B-2, LI, GI | 1 | — | Per regular ground sign rules for the district | — |
| Campus-Institutional District (CI) | 3 | 8 ft | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 20 ft above roof level | 300 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Any Sign (excluding flags) | 5 ft | 8 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft setback required | 6 per dwelling unit | On parcel, setback 5 feet | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(1), (6); Ord. No. 691, § 1(32-146), 5-4-2005; Ord. No. 835, 11-9-2022 |
| Flag | — | 3 ft height x 5 ft width | — | — | 3 per dwelling | Mounted on one or more flagpoles | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(2); Sec. 60-236 (definition of flag); Ord. No. 835, 11-9-2022 |
| Special Use/Lawful Nonconforming Use Sign | 8 ft above grade for ground sign; must not extend above first story for wall sign | 18 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per granted special use or lawful nonconforming use | At premises of special or nonconforming use | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(3) |
| Home Occupation or Bed and Breakfast Sign | — | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per use | At premises | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(4) |
| Ground Sign (Church, School, Hospital Use) | 8 ft | 32 sq. ft. sign face plus additional 48 sq. ft. for brick or stone base | — | — | 1 per public street with 400 ft frontage; maximum 2 per site | Parcel with primary use dedicated to church, school, or hospital; mounted perpendicular to street frontage. | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(5) |
| Permanent Sign (Campus Entry Area) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft for sign face plus 48 sq ft base | — | — | 1 per campus entry | Campus entry area | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(7) |
| Temporary Election Signs | 5 ft | 8 sq. ft. per sign | — | 5 ft setback required | 4 per dwelling (temporary, election period only) | Setback 5 ft | — | Sec. 60-238(b)(8) |

### Nonresidential Districts (SR, BMR, OS, ORT, WF, B-1, B-2, LI, GI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of building facade (min 30 sq ft); Materials: Incombustible if above first story or >64 sq ft | — | — | — | Attached to exterior wall; not extending more than 8 inches from face; not less than 8'6" over sidewalk/pedestrian areas | — | Sec. 60-242(1); Sec. 60-241(7); Ord. No. 691, § 1(32-150), 5-4-2005; Ord. No. 835, 11-9-2022 |
| Ground Sign | 25 ft (in B-1: 18 ft; Shopping centers: 35 ft) | 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of frontage (max 200 sq ft, shopping centers: 300 sq ft) | — | 10 ft from right-of-way and side lines; 50 or 100 ft from residential districts (see note) | 1 per street or highway frontage (max 2 for corner lots) | May be located in required front yard; must not be closer than 10 ft to right-of-way or side property lines; must not be closer to residential districts than: SR, BMR, OS, ORT, WF, B-1 – 50 ft; B-2, LI, GI – 100 ft | — | Sec. 60-242(2); Sec. 60-241(7); Ord. No. 835, 11-9-2022 |
| Canopy and Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to building; awnings: must not extend more than 5 ft over sidewalk or beyond 2 ft inside curbline, whichever is more restrictive | — | Sec. 60-242(4); Sec. 60-241 |
| Portable Sign | — | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | — | On commercially zoned property, not in right-of-way | — | Sec. 60-242(5) |
| Feather Flag Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per 40 linear feet of frontage | Outside of public right-of-way and clear vision triangle | — | Sec. 60-245(b) |
| Temporary Sign/Banner | — | 60 sq ft; max 10 ft in any dimension | 10 ft (maximum dimension) | — | Max 3 at one time (without permit) | Must not extend over or into any street, alley, sidewalk, or public thoroughfare unless with special permit | — | Sec. 60-245(a) |

### B-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (B-1) | 18 ft | 0.5 sq. ft. per lineal foot (max 100 sq. ft.) | — | 10 ft from right-of-way/side; 50 ft from residential | 1 per street or highway frontage (max 2 for corner lots) | Required front yard; 10 ft from right-of-way and side lines; 50 ft from residential districts. | — | Sec. 60-242(2)c, (2)d, (2)e, (2)f |
| Projecting Sign (B-1) | — | 15 sq. ft. (7.5 sq ft per side, both sides included) | — | — | 1 per business per frontage (or one angular at corner); in shopping centers, one per business | Attached perpendicular to building wall, with minimum 8 ft clearance over sidewalk, max mounting height 14 ft | — | Sec. 60-242(3)a |
| Sidewalk Sign (B-1) | 42 inches | — | 30 inches | — | 1 per establishment | At entrance to business on a sidewalk (private or public) | — | Sec. 60-242(8) |
| Electronic Message Center (B-1) | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per site | On wall of building | — | Sec. 60-242(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Alma

- Abandoned signs, defined as signs which show deterioration due to lack of maintenance, are prohibited.
- Signs which are of a size, location, movement, or manner of illumination that may be confused with or construed as traffic-control devices, hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal, or obstruct the view in any direction at a street or road intersection are prohibited.
- Signs in any public right-of-way are prohibited, except as allowed by the city commission, county road commission, or state department of transportation.
- Signs that are pasted or attached to utility poles or placed on trees, fences, rocks, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs are prohibited.
- Any sign displayed on an automobile, truck, or other motorized vehicle when that vehicle is used primarily for the purpose of such advertising display is prohibited.
- All portable or nonstructural signs are prohibited, except as allowed under other sections of this chapter.
- Flashing signs with moving or blinking lights, or signs with exposed incandescent light bulbs are prohibited.
- Any sign (except electronic message centers or other scrolling signs) with visible moving parts, visible revolving parts, visible mechanical movement, or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means, including intermittent electrical pulsations of less than 30 seconds, or by action of normal wind current, except as otherwise provided, are prohibited.
- Street furniture signs are prohibited, with the exception of signage on table umbrellas used for outdoor cafe dining.
- A rotating search light or similar device that emits beams of light is prohibited.
- Signs on public or private towers (including radio, television, cellular phone, or water towers) are prohibited, unless specifically erected by the municipality or approved by the city zoning board of appeals.
- Any sign or sign structure which is structurally unsafe, constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment, is not kept in good repair, or is capable of causing electrical shock to persons likely to come in contact with it is prohibited.
- Any sign that obstructs a window, door, or other opening that could be used for fire escape is prohibited.
- Any sign unlawfully installed, erected, or maintained is prohibited.
- No sign shall be located within, project into or overhang a public right-of-way, except as otherwise permitted.
- No fence, wall, hedge, screen, sign, or other structure or planting shall be higher than three feet on any corner lot within the triangular area formed by intersecting street right-of-way lines and a straight line joining the two street lines at points which are 30 feet from the point of intersection.

## Signs exempt from permit in Alma

- Signs of up to two square feet in area mounted on the wall of a commercial building (Owner/tenant signs) are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Parking lot signs/directional signs placed within a permitted parking lot, with a maximum of six feet in height and 16 square feet in area, are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Public signs erected by or on the order of a public officer or zoning official in the performance of public duty are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Regulatory, directional, and street signs erected by a public agency in compliance with state manual of uniform traffic control devices are exempt from sign permit requirements.
- Temporary signs and banners, if in compliance with section 60-245 and not more than three such signs are in place at any one time per parcel and do not exceed specified duration, are exempt from the sign permit requirement.
- Residential signs shall not be subject to the permit requirement contained in section 60-241.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit from the zoning administrator or enforcing officer is required prior to erecting or maintaining any sign within the city, unless specifically exempted.
- Application for a sign permit must include plans and specifications, method of construction, and may require blueprints, stress sheets, calculations, owner's written consent, and insurance policy statements.
- Any variance from sign requirements requires an application to the zoning board of appeals, which may require submission of drawings, engineers' reports, or other data as needed.
- A permit is specifically required for feather flag signs; no feather flag sign shall be erected or installed except pursuant to a permit.
- Any sign not meeting exemption criteria or outside specified residential/temporary categories must follow formal permit and plan requirements.

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

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