# Sign Regulations in Charter Township Midland, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Charter Township Midland, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/charter-township-midland
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28

## At a glance

Charter Township Midland, Michigan regulates 22 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Temporary Political Campaign Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 32 sq ft (Sec. § 300-27C). Most commercial signs in Charter Township Midland require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 Residential District | 1 | — | — | — |
| R-2 Residential District | 4 | 6 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| B Business Districts (B-1, B-2) | 6 | 12 ft | 35 sq ft per face (B-1, B-2 only); also see formula. | — |
| M-1 Industrial Districts | 6 | — | 64 sq ft per face, two faces back-to-back. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 35 ft | 100 sq ft per sign | — |

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

### B Business Districts (B-1, B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 35 sq ft per face (B-1, B-2 only); also see formula. | — | — | — | Flat-wall signs, anywhere on building surface; attached, not above roofline. | — | § 300-26B(2)(b)-(e) |
| Monument Sign | 4 ft | 35 sq ft per face (limit for B-1, B-2) | — | — | — | Anywhere on premises except required yard areas. | — | § 300-26B(2)(b)-(e) |
| Pole-mounted Sign | 12 ft | 35 sq ft per face (limit for B-1, B-2) | — | — | — | Anywhere on premises except required yard areas. | — | § 300-26B(2)(b)-(e) |
| Marquee or Canopy Sign | — | 35 sq ft per face (limit for B-1, B-2) | — | — | — | On vertical faces of marquees. | — | § 300-26B(2)(b)-(e) |
| Electronic Message Board Sign | — | 24 sq ft (electronic component); total area must not exceed district maximum. | — | — | 1 per parcel | Where signs permitted. | — | § 300-26B(2)(c) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | — | — | — | — | See distance requirements. | — | § 300-26B(2)(g) |

### M-1 Industrial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 64 sq ft per face, two faces back-to-back. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Same as business districts. | — | § 300-26B(3)(b)-(e) |
| Monument Sign | — | 64 sq ft per face, two faces. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Same as business districts. | — | § 300-26B(3)(b)-(e) |
| Pole-mounted Sign | — | 64 sq ft per face, two faces. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Same as business districts. | — | § 300-26B(3)(b)-(e) |
| Marquee or Canopy Sign | — | 64 sq ft per face, two faces. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Same as business districts. | — | § 300-26B(3)(b)-(e) |
| Electronic Message Board Sign | — | 24 sq ft (electronic component); total not to exceed 64 sq ft per face per sign. | — | — | 1 per parcel | Where signs permitted per district. | — | § 300-26B(3)(c) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | — | — | — | — | See distance requirements. | — | § 300-26B(3)(g) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 20 sq ft per firm | — | — | 1 per construction project | Confined to construction site | — | § 300-27A |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per parcel; max 2 if corner parcel | — | — | § 300-27B |
| Temporary Political Campaign Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Confined within private property | — | § 300-27C |
| Portable Sign (Temporary) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot/parcel | — | — | § 300-27F |
| Home Occupation or Agriculture Sales Sign (Temporary) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per residence | — | — | § 300-27G |
| Private Traffic Direction Sign (Exempt) | 3 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Directing traffic movement onto/within a premises | — | § 300-28C |
| Temporary Land Development Project Sign (Exempt) | 6 ft | 100 sq ft per sign | — | — | See land size: 1/1-4 acres, 2/4-20 acres, 3/20+ acres | — | — | § 300-28D |
| Permanent Joint Sign for Commercial or Industrial Complex | 35 ft | 100 sq ft per face for complexes (see type); up to 24 sq ft may be electronic message board. | — | — | See requirements for each complex type | As per business district locational rules. | — | § 300-28E |

## Prohibited signs in Charter Township Midland

- Signs containing statements, words or pictures of an obscene, indecent or immoral character, such as will offend morals or decency, are prohibited.
- Signs that contain or imitate official traffic signs or signals or contain the words: "stop," "go slow," "caution," "danger," "warning" or similar words are prohibited.
- Signs of a size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal are prohibited.
- Signs advertising any activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located are prohibited.
- Signs that move in any manner or have a major moving part or contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners or other similarly moving devices are prohibited, unless specifically permitted by other legislation.
- Signs or advertising structures that convey, suggest, indicate or imply by pictures, drawings, words, emblems, logos, or other methods, depictions of human genitalia, sexual acts, nude human bodies, obscene words, or obscene gestures are prohibited.
- Any sign, except traffic or other municipal-approved signs as permitted in this chapter, that is located in or projects into or over a public right-of-way or dedicated easement is prohibited. No portion of a privately owned sign or its supporting structures shall be placed on or within the air space above publicly owned property, public right-of-way, or a proposed public right-of-way.
- Placards, posters, circulars, show bills, handbills, political signs, cards, leaflets or other advertising matter (except as otherwise provided) shall not be posted, pasted, nailed, placed, printed, stamped or attached to any fence, wall, post, tree, sidewalk, pavement, platform, pole, tower, curbstone or surface on any public easement, right-of-way, or any public or private property, except for official government notices.
- Display or parking of a motor vehicle, trailer, boat or similar vehicle on a lot or premises visible from a public right-of-way, for the primary purpose of displaying a sign attached to, painted on or placed on the vehicle or object, is prohibited, except for vehicles used regularly in the course of conducting the principal use located on the premises.
- No sign shall have blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminated devices such as changing light intensity, brightness or color.
- Beacon lights are not permitted on any sign.
- No colored lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic control devices.
- Neither the direct nor reflected light from primary light sources on signs shall create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares.
- No exposed, reflective-type bulbs and no strobe light or incandescent lamp which exceeds 15 watts shall be used on the exterior surface of any sign so as to expose the face of the bulb, light or lamp to any public street or adjacent property.

## Signs exempt from permit in Charter Township Midland

- Public signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of public duty, such as safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic signs, memorial plaques, signs of historical interest and the like, are exempt from all provisions.
- Integral building names, family names, date of erection, monumental citations, commemorative tablets and the like when carved into stone, concrete or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum, part of roof materials, or other permanent type construction and made an integral part of the structure, are exempt from all provisions.
- Signs directing traffic movement onto a premises or within a premises, not exceeding three square feet in area for each sign or three feet in height, are exempt from all provisions, but illumination must comply with § 300-30.
- Temporary land development project signs pertaining to the sale, lease, rent or development of subdivisions, planned shopping centers, industrial parks or similar parcels, subject to the size, number, and duration requirements outlined (one year permit, possible one-year extension), are exempt from all provisions except as stated.
- Permanent joint signs for industrial or commercial complexes for identification of the complex or its occupants are exempt from all provisions except as provided for size, number, location, and height limitations.
- Wall signs for an individual business are further allowed pursuant to B Business Districts and are exempt as provided.
- Replacing the copy or message on an approved sign or billboard designed for replaceable copy, such as theater marquees, is not considered creating a new sign and does not require a permit (as long as it does not involve changing the face of the sign).
- Painting, repainting, cleaning, and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or sign structure, unless a structural change is made, is not considered creating a sign and does not require a permit (does not include changing the face of a sign).
- Temporary signs, per § 300-27, and signs under § 300-28 (including subsections A-E of this Code), are explicitly exempt from permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Prior to construction or establishment of any sign, a permit shall be obtained from the Building Inspector and/or Zoning Administrator.
- A sign permit is not required for replacing the copy on an approved sign (not including changing the face), for maintenance that does not alter structure or face, or for signs explicitly exempted in § 300-27 and § 300-28.
- A temporary sign permit is required for portable signs intended to convey a message for a short period of time not to exceed 45 days per calendar year (§ 300-27F).
- Permits for temporary land development project signs (per § 300-28D) are required and may be extended by the Building Inspector and/or Zoning Administrator after a public hearing.
- Exemptions under § 300-28E for permanent joint signs do not mention requiring a master sign plan, but size/number/location are controlled.
- A variance granted by the Township Board of Zoning Appeals is required for prohibited signs if an exception is sought.

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

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