# Sign Regulations in Hart, Michigan

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

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

## At a glance

Hart, Michigan regulates 30 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Community Special Event Sign (On-premises)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 ft tall and 32 sq ft, with a as required per district setback (Sec. 1259.03(f)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 10 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 4 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts | 12 | 20 ft (top); minimum bottom height 8 ft | 90 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts (D-1 Zone) | 6 | 6 ft above average grade | 200 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts (D-2 Zone) | 2 | 4 ft | 100 sq ft | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (General Use) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Homes and buildings | — | 1259.03(a) |
| Institutional Bulletin Board | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 1259.03(d) |
| Governmental Signs (park, playground, other) | — | — | — | — | — | As needed for park, playground, or governmental facilities | — | 1259.03(e) |
| Community Special Event Sign (On-premises) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | Side/rear: 15 ft; Front: as required per district | 1 | Lot on which the special event is held | — | 1259.03(f) |
| Community Special Event Sign (Off-premises) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | Side/rear: 15 ft; Front: as required per district | Up to 2 | Off-premises (up to 2 such signs allowed) | — | 1259.03(f) |
| Temporary Subdivision Development Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per subdivision development | Per subdivision development | — | 1259.03(g) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Placement as not to impede traffic/vision/right-of-way | — | 1259.03(h) |
| Temporary Yard Sign | 4 ft (non-election time); 6 ft (during election period) | 12 sq ft total for all signs (outside of election period); 32 sq ft per sign (election period) | — | — | 2 per lot (unlimited near election time) | On private property (not in right-of-way) | — | 1259.03(i); 1259.07(c) |

### Commercial Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign (Freestanding Sign Option 1) | 20 ft (top); minimum bottom height 8 ft | 64 sq ft | — | Leading edge at right-of-way line | 1 per parcel | Front yard, leading edge at right-of-way line | — | 1259.05(a)(1) |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding Sign Option 2) | 6 ft | 48 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any lot line | 1 (2 allowed on corner lots, each on separate frontage) | Front yard | — | 1259.05(a)(2) |
| Ground Sign (Polk Road Frontage Special Size) | 10 ft | 90 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any lot line | Allowed per Polk Road frontage | Fronting on Polk Road | — | 1259.05(a)(2) |
| Temporary Banner | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Per building | — | 1259.05(c) |
| Flag | — | 30 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Affixed to building or placed in ground in permanent mounting | — | 1259.05(d) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 20% of marquee surface | — | — | 1 per marquee | Per marquee | — | 1259.05(e) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 64 sq ft | — | No projection past minimum setback or into right-of-way except B-2 | 1 per building | One per building, attached to building by mount/mast arm | — | 1259.05(f) |
| Parking Lot Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One per ingress/egress point | At each point of ingress/egress | — | 1259.05(h) |

### Industrial Districts (D-1 Zone)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign (Freestanding Sign Option 1) | Bottom: min 2 ft, max 10 ft above ground | 200 sq ft | — | 20 ft from right-of-way | 1 per parcel | Front yard, leading edge at least 20 ft back from right-of-way | — | 1259.06(a)(1)A |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding Sign Option 2) | 6 ft above average grade | 48 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any lot line | 1 (2 allowed for corner lots on separate frontage) | Front yard | — | 1259.06(a)(1)B |
| Wall Sign (Main Building) | — | 20% of building face; up to 2 per building | — | — | Up to 2 per building | Main building, facing public street or parking area | — | 1259.06(a)(2) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 20% of marquee surface | — | — | 1 per marquee | Per marquee | — | 1259.06(a)(3) |
| Parking Lot Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entry/exit | At each point of ingress/egress | — | 1259.06(a)(4) |
| Freestanding Development Entrance Sign (Industrial Complex) | Bottom: min 2 ft, max 10 ft above ground | 200 sq ft | — | 20 ft from right-of-way | 1 per industrial complex | Near entrance to industrial complex | — | 1259.06(a)(5) |

## Prohibited signs in Hart

- No sign shall include obscene material that can be read or observed.
- Signs shall not be placed in, upon, or over any public right-of-way, alley, or other place, except as may be otherwise permitted by the City or Michigan Department of Transportation.
- A sign shall not be erected in any place where it may, by reason of its position, shape, color, or other characteristics, interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or constitute a nuisance.
- A sign shall not contain any moving or animated parts except for barber poles.
- A sign and its supporting mechanism shall not extend beyond any lot lines of the property on which it is located.
- Signs shall not be erected, established, or maintained on a corner lot that will obstruct the view of a driver in a vehicle approaching the intersection.
- Any sign, excluding those specifically provided for, not permanently anchored or secured to either a building or the ground, including but not limited to “A” frame, “T” frame, inverted “T” frame, or those mounted on wheeled trailers, shall be prohibited.
- Signs indicating elections are prohibited within one hundred feet of an entrance to a polling place.
- Signs must be properly maintained and shall not be allowed to become unsightly through disrepair or as a result of the effects of the weather.
- No sign shall be erected, replaced, altered, enlarged, illuminated, changed in purpose, or relocated without first obtaining a sign permit, unless specifically exempted.
- Signs exceeding thirty-two square feet in surface display area shall require a building permit prior to erection.
- No signs shall be attached to any tree within the City easements or right of ways, or to any City building or fixture.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hart

- Wall signs on homes and buildings not exceeding four square feet in surface display area.
- Governmental flags.
- Traffic or other municipal signs and notices.
- Private traffic control signs which conform to the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
- Institutional bulletin boards not exceeding thirty-two square feet in surface display area.
- Park, playground, and other governmental signs.
- Community special event signs are permitted in any district, subject to restrictions listed.
- One temporary sign not exceeding thirty-two square feet in surface display area per subdivision development, which shall be removed upon the sale of ninety percent of the lots in the development.
- Sandwich board signs, placement and size to be determined as to not impede traffic, right of way, or vision of traffic.
- Temporary yard signs as regulated.
- Permits shall not be required for signs specifically exempted, temporary yard signs, window signs, banners, and the copy of changeable letter signs.
- Advertising flags under Section 1259.05(d) do not require a sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or required variance meeting is stated in the provided ordinance text.
- All non-exempt signs require a sign permit prior to erection, replacement, alteration, enlargement, illumination, change in purpose, or relocation.
- Signs exceeding thirty-two square feet in surface display area require a building permit prior to erection.
- An electrical permit shall be required for any sign utilizing electricity.

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

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