# Sign Regulations in Clayton Charter Township, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clayton Charter Township, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/clayton-charter-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Clayton Charter Township, Michigan regulates 13 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding/Pole/Pylon Signs in the Commercial District, Industrial District zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 200 sq ft, with a 10 ft from right-of-way setback (Sec. § 152.089(F)). Most commercial signs in Clayton Charter Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial District, Industrial District | 7 | 35 ft | 1,200 sq ft | — |
| Residential District | 3 | 6 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| Non-residential zones | 1 | — | 40% of total sign area | — |
| All zoning districts | 1 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — |

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

### Commercial District, Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Billboard/Off-Premise Sign | 35 ft | 1,200 sq ft | — | — | — | Within 300 ft of I-69, M-21 or M-13 rights-of-way | — | § 152.089(B) |
| Freestanding/Pole/Pylon Sign | 30 ft | 200 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per business or center | Must be set back minimum 10 ft from all road rights-of-way or easement lines | — | § 152.089(F) |
| Wall Sign | 10 ft | — | 90% of wall width | — | 1 per street frontage, shopping center: 1 per tenant/corner | Flat and parallel to building facade; at least 8 ft above ground/sidewalk; not above wall top | — | § 152.089(J) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | 1 per window | On or inside window, visible from outside | — | § 152.089(K) |
| Changeable Message/Reader Board Sign (Ground Sign Only) | — | 40% of total sign area | — | — | — | On ground sign only | — | § 152.089(C) |
| Menu Board Sign | — | 24 sq ft per sign | — | — | 2 per location | Only in commercial zones, interior of lot, not between front wall of principal structure and street | — | § 152.089(H) |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft per face | — | 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 grand opening sign per site; special event signs per event | Site where business is located, minimum 10 ft setback from all road rights-of-way | — | § 152.092 |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Church Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft standard, 50 sq ft with bulletin board | — | Comply with district set back | 1 per parcel (or 2 for corner), plus 1 per related facility | On premises | — | § 152.089(D) |
| Community Identification Sign | 6 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance, possibly 2 (wing wall option) | Residential development entrance | — | § 152.089(E) |
| Institutional Bulletin Board Sign (Churches, Schools, Municipal Buildings, Museums, Libraries) | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way | — | On premises, 10 ft setback from right-of-way | — | § 152.089(G) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agribusiness or Recreational Use Sign | 6 ft | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use | — | — | § 152.089(A) |
| Political Sign | — | From 4 sq ft (2'x2') to 32 sq ft (4'x8') | Up to 8 ft | — | — | Private property with owner permission; not in right-of-way or on governmental property | — | § 152.089(L) |

## Prohibited signs in Clayton Charter Township

- Any sign not expressly permitted.
- Any sign or sign structure which is structurally unsafe.
- Any sign or sign structure which constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, or abandonment.
- Any sign or sign structure which constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of blocking views.
- Any sign or sign structure which is capable of causing electric shock to a person who comes in contact with it.
- Any sign or sign structure which is unlawfully installed, erected, or maintained.
- Any sign or sign structure which is located in a public street or utility right-of-way, except where expressly permitted.
- Any sign or sign structure which is not kept in good repair, such that it has broken parts, missing letters, or non-operational lights.
- Abandoned or obsolete signs.
- Real estate signs no longer valid due to the sale, rental, or lease of the property.
- Signs with flashing or moving lights.
- Moving signs, including any sign which has visible moving parts, visible revolving parts, visible mechanical movement, or other visible movement achieved by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means, including intermittent electric pulsations or movement caused by normal wind current, excluding barber poles and electronic time/temperature signs that do not contain business messages.
- Signs that simulate or could in any way be confused with the lighting of emergency vehicles or traffic signals.
- Any sign which makes use of the words “stop”, “look”, or “danger”, or any other words, phrases, symbols, or characters, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
- Any sign which contains obscene, indecent, or immoral matter.
- Any sign erected within 10 feet of a fire hydrant.
- Any sign which obstructs vision or free access to or egress from a required door, window, fire escape, or other required exit from a building or structure.
- Balloons, pennants, festoons, inflatable figures, spinners, and streamers, unless specifically permitted by this subchapter.
- String lights used for commercial purposes, other than holiday decorations (holiday decorations are admissible only 45 days per calendar year per holiday).
- Any sign erected on a tree or utility pole, except government or utility signs of a government or utility.
- Portable signs, except where expressly permitted by this subchapter.
- Signs affixed to a parked vehicle or truck trailer which is being used principally for advertising purposes, rather than for transportation purposes, and parked close to a street in a large commercial parking lot.
- Business logos on directional signs.
- Billboards/off-premises signs, unless provided for in this subchapter or covered under the State Highway Act.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clayton Charter Township

- Changing the advertising copy or message on an approved painted or printed sign, on a theater marquee, and on similar approved signs specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
- Painting, repainting, cleaning, or other normal maintenance or repair of a sign or sign structure, unless a structural change is made.
- Construction signs (with limits: size, setback, duration).
- Flags which are decorative or bear the official design of a nation, state, municipality, educational institution, or non-profit organization.
- Garage sale/estate sale signs meeting area, attachment, and temporal limits.
- Gas station pump island signs with no business identification or advertising, and area/quantity limits.
- Help wanted signs soliciting employees at place of business not exceeding 6 square feet.
- Historical designation signs designating historic structures not exceeding 16 square feet.
- Integral memorial signs or tablets, name/date plaques, or commemorative tablets meeting material and size requirements.
- Menu and order boards for drive-throughs located on interior of lot and not legible from adjacent properties.
- Miscellaneous: small placards on gas pumps, vending machines, ice containers (not to exceed 2 square feet per placard).
- Non-commercial signs not exceeding 2 square feet.
- Any sign completely within an enclosed building and not visible from outside.
- Nameplates identifying occupants, not exceeding 2 square feet, with per lot limits.
- Real estate signs advertising a single lot or residence not exceeding 8 square feet.
- Portable real estate "open house" signs not exceeding 4 square feet.
- Temporary model signs (up to 6 square feet) directing public to a model home or unit.
- Rental office directional signs in multifamily developments (up to 4 feet in height and 3 square feet in area, 10 feet setback).
- Residential identification signs (address/occupant) with height and quantity limits.
- Seasonal decorations and community event signs erected not more than 21 days before and 7 days after event, and not exceeding 32 square feet.
- Regulatory, directional, and street signs erected by a public agency.
- Private traffic control signs conforming to Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Parking lot signs indicating restriction on parking, within permitted parking lot (max 6 feet high, not exceeding 6 square feet).
- Driveway directional signs: one per driveway, max 4 square feet, max 3 feet high.
- Vehicle signs on a bus, truck, trailer, or other vehicle while operated and used for transport in the normal course of business.
- Warning signs not exceeding 6 square feet (or 2 square feet if two or more signs).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs, permanent or temporary, require review and approval of the Building Department, except as otherwise provided in this subchapter.
- Application for a building permit is required for most signs and must include location, ownership, design, and any other information required by the Building Department.
- The Planning Commission may permit up to a 10% increase in maximum permitted free-standing sign area if extensive landscaping and a decorative base consistent with the principal building or overall site plan are provided.
- Signs for business or institutional special events are subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission.
- Requests for variances from the regulations are heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals and are subject to specific findings.

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

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