# Sign Regulations in Dewitt Township, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Dewitt Township, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/dewitt-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-03
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://www.dewitttownship.gov/DocumentCenter/View/151/Zoning-Ordinance-PDF?bidId=#page=227)

## At a glance

Dewitt Township, Michigan regulates 22 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Expressway Freestanding Signs in the Planned Office Development (POD) zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall, 150 sq ft, and Width of sign structure not to exceed sign face width by more than 50% wide, with a Min 10 ft from expressway ROW; min 150 ft from other public road ROW setback (Sec. Section 5.4.D.5.iv). Most commercial signs in Dewitt Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (A) | 7 | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6) | 6 | 8 ft | Combined 40 sq ft per street entrance | — |
| Multiple Family Residential District (M-1, M-2, M-3, M-4) | 3 | 6 ft | Combined 40 sq ft per street entrance | — |
| Mobile Home Park District (MHP) | 4 | 8 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Institutional District | 4 | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (BC, BL, BSC), Office District (OP, PO, POD), Industrial Park District (IP), Industrial Light District (IL), Industrial Heavy District (IH) | 6 | Max 20 ft overall | 52 sq ft | — |
| Planned Office Development (POD) | 5 | 15 ft | Single sign: 200 sq ft; Combined: 300 sq ft (max 2 signs) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| Industrial Park District (IP), Industrial Light District (IL), Industrial Heavy District (IH) | 1 | 30 ft | 300 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### Agricultural District (A)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Sign (Wall or Freestanding) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | Placement standards in Section 5.4.D.7.iv and Section 5.16 apply | 1 per parcel | On-premises, flat against building wall or freestanding | — | Section 5.4.C.2.i |
| Farm Enterprise Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — | See Section 5.4.D.7.iv and Section 5.16 | 1 per parcel, plus 1 per distinct collection of buildings | On-premises | — | Section 5.4.C.2.ii(1) |
| Farm Enterprise Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Flat against building wall | — | Section 5.4.C.2.ii(2) |
| Temporary Sign | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — | Placement per Section 5.4.D.7 and Section 5.16 | — | On-premises | — | Table 5.4.E |
| Institutional Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per institution | Flat against building or canopy | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(1) |
| Institutional Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — | — | 1 per institution | On-premises | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(2) |
| Ballfield/Activity Area Wall/Fence Sign (Institutional) | — | — | — | — | — | Interior facing wall/fence of ball fields/activity areas | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(3) |

### Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Sign (Wall or Freestanding) | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | Placement standards per Section 5.4.D.7.iv and Section 5.16 | 1 per parcel | On-premises, fixed to building or freestanding | — | Section 5.4.C.2.i |
| Housing Development Freestanding Sign | 6 ft | Combined 40 sq ft per street entrance | — | — | 2 per street entrance | At entrance(s) to development | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iii |
| Institutional Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per institution | Flat against building wall or parallel to wall on canopy | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(1) |
| Institutional Freestanding Sign | 8 ft | 34 sq ft | — | — | 1 per institution | On-premises | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(2) |
| Ballfield/Activity Area Wall/Fence Sign (Institutional) | — | — | — | — | — | Interior facing wall/fence | — | Section 5.4.C.2.iv(3) |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 4 sq ft | — | Per Section 5.4.D.7 and Section 5.16 | — | On-premises | — | Table 5.4.E |

### Planned Office Development (POD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance Freestanding Sign | 10 ft | 42 sq ft | — | Design/placement per Section 5.4.D.7; address number as per 5.4.D.5.vi | 1 (2 if qualifying) | At/near vehicular entrance, perimeter along public street | — | Section 5.4.D.5.i |
| Internal Identification Sign (Freestanding/Wall) | 10 ft (freestanding) | Total 42 sq ft per building | — | Freestanding sign per design standards in 5.4.D.7 | 1 freestanding, or up to 2 wall signs per building | Oriented to internal roadways/parking | — | Section 5.4.D.5.ii |
| Development Wall Sign | — | Single sign: 200 sq ft; Combined: 300 sq ft (max 2 signs) | — | — | Max 2 per development | On any single building within development | — | Section 5.4.D.5.iii |
| Expressway Freestanding Sign | 15 ft | 150 sq ft | Width of sign structure not to exceed sign face width by more than 50% | Min 10 ft from expressway ROW; min 150 ft from other public road ROW | 1 (in lieu of development signs) | Along limited access expressway/interchange | — | Section 5.4.D.5.iv |
| Temporary Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | Section 5.4.D.7 and Section 5.16 | — | On-premises | — | Table 5.4.E |

## Prohibited signs in Dewitt Township

- Any sign which, by reason of its size, location, coloring, or manner of illumination, constitutes a traffic hazard or a detriment to traffic safety by obstructing the vision of drivers, or by obstructing or detracting from the visibility of any traffic control device on public streets and roads.
- Signs that would interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic, including signs that simulate or could be confused with the lighting of emergency vehicles or traffic signals.
- Signs and sign structures that are no longer in use as originally intended or have been abandoned; or are structurally unsafe, constitute a hazard to safety and health, or those not kept in good repair.
- Any sign which obstructs free ingress to or egress from a required door, window, fire escape or other required exit way.

## Signs exempt from permit in Dewitt Township

- No hunting, no trespassing signs and on-premises directional signs not exceeding four square feet in area.
- Signs located in the interior of buildings.
- Any identification or address sign affixed to a wall, mailbox, post, lamp post, or pillar; and which is not larger than two square feet in display surface; and not for the purpose of advertising a home occupation.
- Traffic control or other municipal signs such as, but not limited to, directional signs placed in rights-of-way, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger and other temporary emergency signs.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, and dates of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other non-combustible material.
- Flags.
- Change of copy on any sign designed for periodic changes, such as message board signs and billboards.
- Signs located on the premises of a farm that identify and advertise seed, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, feed, feed supplements, livestock, or agricultural test plots that do not exceed six square feet in display area.
- Historical markers describing designation by a state or federal agency of a historic site or structure that do not exceed 18 square feet.
- Family names, farm names, or agricultural icons, such as farm implements, livestock, or field crops, patterned in the roof shingles of a farm structure.
- Signs to improve the community aesthetic character, place-making, or promote a community message that adds community value subject to administrative approval by the Planning Department.
- Temporary event signs that will be utilized for a period not to exceed 30 days for said event shall, with administrative approval by the planning department, not require sign permits, provided they are placed the required distances from the road right of way as required by Section 5.16 of the zoning ordinance.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The planning commission may approve modifications to planting requirements to ensure visibility of freestanding signs, indicating sign-related coordination may be required as part of a broader landscape/site plan review (Section 5.4.D.8).
- Temporary event signs may be administratively approved by the Planning Department without a permit, indicating that an administrative review/sign plan is required prior to placement.
- Interior facing ball field/ball diamond/recreational activity area signage must be administratively approved by the zoning official, demonstrating a sign plan/administrative approval process.
- The installation of signs at all ballfields will be managed via a sponsorship policy developed by township staff and approved by the township board, suggesting a coordinated sign planning process for sponsorship signage.
- For sponsorship signage at ballfields, fees and other requirements are established through a board-approved fee schedule, implying a sign plan or sponsorship plan may be required.

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

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