# Sign Regulations in Burton, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Burton, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/burton
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Burton, Michigan regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Billboard Freestanding Sign (Off-site Advertising)s in the Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 300 sq ft per face (limit 2 faces), with a See location details above setback (Sec. §153.07(B)(2)(a-k)). Most commercial signs in Burton require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts | 6 | 42 inches | 300 sq ft | — |
| Multiple Family Districts | 4 | 6 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — |

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

### Commercial Districts, Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Accessory) | — | 300 sq ft | — | Cannot be in public right-of-way or project more than 15 inches into right-of-way without permission and other requirements; see §153.06(D). | 1 per single building/structure/shopping center; 2 if parcel abuts 2+ streets | On same parcel as building/use. If structure abuts 2+ streets, 2 freestanding signs permitted. | — | §153.07(A)(1)-(2), (4)-(8) |
| Wall Sign (Building) | — | 200 sq ft | — | See public right-of-way projection limits in §153.06(D). | Unlimited, subject to maximum total area per structure/unit | On principal front of building/unit | — | §153.07(A)(3), (4)-(6) |
| Sandwich Board Sign (A-frame) | 42 inches | — | — | 10 ft from road/right-of-way | 1 per business | In front of business, minimum 10 ft from any public road, street, or right-of-way | — | §153.07(A)(9) |
| Billboard Freestanding Sign (Off-site Advertising) | 25 ft | 300 sq ft per face (limit 2 faces) | — | See location details above | — | Industrial districts only; not closer than 50 ft to any public right-of-way, 660 ft to any interstate freeway | — | §153.07(B)(2)(a-k) |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft (adjacent to highway/major street) | 16 sq ft (adjacent to highway/major street) | — | — | — | On private property adjacent to a state highway or city major street | — | §153.08(B)(1)-(4) |
| Name Plate (Commercial/Industrial Unit) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per unit | On unit | — | §153.08(B)(3)-(4) |

### Multiple Family Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground or Wall Sign (Development Name) | — | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per development (in addition to name plates) | At entrance or location identifying development | — | §153.07(C)(1); §153.08(A)(3)-(4) |
| Name Plate (Individual Dwelling) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | At individual dwelling unit | — | §153.08(A)(2) |
| Temporary Sign (Multiple Family Districts, State Highway/Major Street) | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property adjacent to state highway/major street | — | §153.08(A)(1)(a-b) |
| Temporary Sign (Multiple Family Districts, Local Street/Private Drive) | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property on city local street or designated private drive | — | §153.08(A)(1)(c) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin or Announcement Board (Non-dwelling Principal Use/Spec. Approval Use) | — | 32 sq ft | — | No closer to front lot line than 1/2 required front yard setback nor nearer the side lot line than required side yard setback | 1 per use | For permitted principal uses other than dwellings and for permitted uses after special approval | — | §153.07(D)(1) |
| Temporary Sign (Residential Districts, State Highway/Major Street) | 6 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property adjacent to state highway/major street | — | §153.08(A)(1)(a-b) |
| Temporary Sign (Residential Districts, Local Street/Private Drive) | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property on city local street or designated private drive | — | §153.08(A)(1)(c) |
| Name Plate (Residential Unit) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | At dwelling unit | — | §153.08(A)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Burton

- All signs not expressly permitted by this chapter are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed, or maintained without the prior permission of the owner or the person in possession of the property upon which it is placed.
- A sign permit is required for the erection, construction, or alteration of any sign, except as provided in § 153.05.
- No sign shall be erected at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
- No sign shall be placed, erected, or operated so as to interfere with the necessary free and unobstructed view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- No sign, except those placed and maintained by the city, county, or state, shall be erected or placed in the public right-of-way, nor allowed to project more than 15 inches into the public right-of-way without special approval.
- No sign or part of a sign shall extend over any part of the public right-of-way used for vehicular traffic.
- No light pole, utility pole, telephone pole or other similar structure shall be used for the placement of any sign.
- Signs must be maintained so as not to endanger life, property, or be in a state of disrepair. Neglected, unsafe, or dilapidated signs are deemed a nuisance.

## Signs exempt from permit in Burton

- Signs placed, constructed, erected, or displayed by any entity of federal, state, or local government, or signs required by such entities, including public notice signs and those required to conform to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Signs placed, constructed, or erected on property or right-of-way owned or maintained by any federal, state, or local government entity.
- Traffic control signs and other signs related to public safety installed or required by the city.
- A sign not exceeding sixteen square feet on property where construction work is being done to warn of danger or hazardous conditions. (Also exempt from setback, limitation on number of freestanding signs, and total sign area regulations.)
- A work of art that in no way identifies or advertises a product, service, or business, or impedes traffic safety.
- A private traffic directional sign within a property not exceeding 3 square feet per face and 6 feet in height, without advertising or trade name identification, and not illuminated.
- Signs that are not visible from abutting property or public rights-of-way.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No general requirement for a master sign plan or comprehensive sign plan is indicated in the cited ordinance text. The approval process is individual via sign permit reviewed by the Zoning Administrator (except for exempted sign types).
- For billboards (off-site advertising) in industrial districts, a drawing with specifications from a state registered engineer or architect must be filed with the Building Inspector for review and approval prior to any construction.
- All non-accessory (billboard) signs in M-1 or M-2 districts require approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals after a public hearing, showing compliance with specified provisions.
- Administrative approval for certain sign types may be subject to site plan review under § 157.092.
- Temporary signs, banners, or inflatable signs require special approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals if they are to be permitted.

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

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