# Sign Regulations in Harper Woods, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Harper Woods, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/harper-woods
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Harper_Woods/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH21SI)

## At a glance

Harper Woods, Michigan regulates 7 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the R2, C1, RS1, O1, M1 zoning district are capped at 22 ft. (1 ft height per 3 ft setback) tall and 200 sq. ft., with a At minimum-required setback of district and not less than 25 ft. setback (Sec. Sec. 21-11; Sec. 21-20 Table; Ord. No. 2017-06, 11-6-2017). Most commercial signs in Harper Woods require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R2, C1, RS1, O1, M1 | 2 | 22 ft. (1 ft height per 3 ft setback) | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| C1, O1, RO1, M1 | 1 | Top of face or valance of marquee/awning/canopy | 35 sq. ft. | — |
| C1 and Regional Shopping Districts | 1 | Not to exceed height above roofline/building, nor extend vertically above window sill of second story | 15 sq. ft. | — |
| C1, C2, RS1 | 1 | — | 100 sq. ft. (main level); 4 sq. ft. (second story, valance only) | — |
| C1, C2 | 1 | 3.5 ft. | 6 sq. ft. per side | — |
| C1, RS1, Regional Shopping Districts | 1 | — | 60% of sign area for copy/text; 100% for graphic display | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### R2, C1, RS1, O1, M1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 22 ft. (1 ft height per 3 ft setback) | 200 sq. ft. | — | At minimum-required setback of district and not less than 25 ft. | 1 per street or highway frontage per parcel | At the zoning district's minimum-required setback line, not less than 25 ft from property line; must not be within the clear vision area required by zoning ordinances. | — | Sec. 21-11; Sec. 21-20 Table; Ord. No. 2017-06, 11-6-2017 |
| Wall Sign | — | 100 sq. ft. | Length of sign not to exceed 30 ft; average height of letters/components max 36 inches | — | 1 per street/highway frontage per parcel (see additional requirements for multi-tenant) | On wall/building face, compliant with projection rules | — | Sec. 21-12; Sec. 21-20 Table; Ord. No. 2017-06, 11-6-2017 |

### C1, O1, RO1, M1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Marquee Sign | Top of face or valance of marquee/awning/canopy | 35 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Attached to and contained within perimeter of face/valance of marquee/awning/canopy; not to extend more than 8 ft from wall, or closer than 3 ft to curb line. | — | Sec. 21-13; Sec. 21-20 Table; Ord. No. 2017-06, 11-6-2017 |

### C1, C2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3.5 ft. | 6 sq. ft. per side | 2 ft. | — | 1 per business | In front of and within 12 ft. of main entrance outside public right-of-way; clearance: 36 inches sidewalk (unobstructed) | — | Sec. 21-16(c); Sec. 21-20 Table; Ord. No. 2017-06, 11-6-2017 |

## Prohibited signs in Harper Woods

- Signs that are insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe, or installed, erected or maintained in violation of the ordinance.
- Signs that obstruct any fire escape, means of egress, window or door opening used as an element of a means of egress, or prevent free passage on a roof.
- Signs attached in a manner that interferes with required openings for ventilation, except as otherwise permitted.
- Projecting signs erected on a wall outside the building line that extend above the roof cornice or parapet wall, or obstruct access to the roof.
- Signs permitted to project upon alley lot lines.
- Signs erected on or above the roof of a building (roof signs).
- Snipe signs in all public rights-of-way or attached to any public property.
- Parking, placing, or storing a vehicle or trailer for more than seventy-two (72) hours on which there is a motor vehicle sign on public property for advertising purposes; all vehicle business signs.
- Painted wall signs (signs painted directly onto a building wall).
- Pole or pylon signs, except as otherwise permitted.
- All temporary signs, including inflatable caricatures, unless otherwise permitted.
- Any sign which, by reason of its size, location, coloring, content or manner of illumination (including, but not limited to, flashing or moving lights, or signs bearing words such as stop, look, danger, etc.), constitutes a traffic hazard or a detriment to traffic safety by obstructing or distracting drivers or the visibility of any traffic sign or control device.
- Any sign containing obscene, indecent or immoral matter.
- Posting, painting or attaching placards, posters, circulars, cards, leaflets or other advertising matter to any property without written consent of the owner or on public property, except for public officers or legal notices.
- Maintaining any sign structure or frame that no longer supports or contains a sign.
- Portable signs and portable message center signs, except where expressly permitted. Portable signs worn by humans may be permitted provided they do not negatively impact traffic safety.

## Signs exempt from permit in Harper Woods

- Identification signs on commercial or institutional buildings not more than four (4) square feet in area.
- Signs erected or placed on municipal, state or federal buildings that announce the name, nature, and/or information as to use of or admission to the premises.
- Signs erected for traffic direction, street identification or other public purpose by the city or other public body.
- Temporary signs as described in section 21-3, and in accordance with the standards in 21-6(e), such as signs not larger than four (4) square feet, not exceeding a total of sixteen (16) square feet per property, not located within the right-of-way or on public property, not illuminated (unless expressly allowed), and removed within specified timeframes.
- Temporary signs, and the use of lights forming a sign, during the period from Thanksgiving to January 10, not exceeding a total of sixteen (16) square feet per property.
- Names of buildings, memorial plaques, designation of historical places and other similar non-advertising signs as approved by the building official.
- Window signs, provided they do not exceed more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total window area where displayed, and only in C1, C2, and regional shopping districts.
- Ordinary servicing, repainting of existing sign messages, or cleaning of a sign, provided original approval and ordinance requirements are not violated.
- Change of message on a sign designed for periodic message change, without change of structure, including bulletin boards or billboards, but not including a sign to which a new permanent face may be attached.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit must be obtained before erecting, relocating, or modifying any sign which is not otherwise exempted.
- Application for a sign permit requires submission of plans/specifications, including elevations, dimensioned drawings, and may require a seal from a registered architect or engineer if public safety requires.
- Replacement of a sign head, addition of electronic changeable copy display, or conversion to electronic display or multi-vision display on existing signs is considered a major alteration requiring a permit and planning commission approval.
- Planning commission approval is required for ground signs within 100 feet of an interstate freeway.
- Electronic display signs require a photometric plan and are subject to planning commission or administrative review (for approval of color if multi-color is used).
- Requests for sign variance (dimensional/area, etc.) require a hearing before the sign board of appeals (zoning board of appeals), and may require erection or submission of a three-dimensional mock-up model of the proposed sign.

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

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