# Sign Regulations in Hopkins Township, Michigan

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

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

## At a glance

Hopkins Township, Michigan regulates 13 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Advertising Sign, Identification Sign, On-Premises Sign, or Pole Signs in the Commercial Districts (C-1, C-2), Industrial Districts (I-1) zoning district are capped at Pole sign up to 25 ft (min 8 ft to bottom of sign); all others up to 8 ft from ground level tall, Up to 48 sq ft (or combined up to 100 sq ft if multiple uses/businesses); pole sign may be up to 100 sq ft, and Pole sign supports not more than 3 ft wide on any side wide (Sec. § 157.206(A)-(C)). Most commercial signs in Hopkins Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural (AG) District | 4 | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — |
| Rural Estate Residential District (R-1) | 7 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1A, R-2, R-3) | 7 | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial Districts (C-1, C-2), Industrial Districts (I-1) | 4 | 35 ft above grade of ground/sign site or abutting roadway, whichever is higher | 672 sq ft (within 100 ft of ROW); 64 sq ft (100-500 ft from ROW) | — |

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

### Rural Estate Residential District (R-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising Sign, Identification Sign, or On-Premises Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per permitted principal non-residential use | — | — | § 157.204(A) |
| Development Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per project | — | — | § 157.204(B) |
| Institution Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per institution | — | — | § 157.204(C) |
| Off-Premises Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per property | — | — | § 157.204(D) |
| Residential and Subdivision Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per vehicle entrance | One per vehicle entrance | — | § 157.204(E) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.204(F) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per street frontage | On principal or accessory non-residential buildings, 1 per street frontage, must directly face street | — | § 157.204(G) |

### Residential Districts (R-1A, R-2, R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising Sign or On-Premises Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | One per permitted principal non-residential use | — | — | § 157.205(A) |
| Development Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per project | — | — | § 157.205(B) |
| Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.205(C) |
| Institution Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per permitted principal non-residential use | — | — | § 157.205(D) |
| Residential and Subdivision Sign | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per vehicle entrance | One per vehicle entrance | — | § 157.205(E) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.205(F) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per street frontage | On principal or accessory non-residential buildings; 1 per street frontage, must directly face street | — | § 157.205(G) |

### Commercial Districts (C-1, C-2), Industrial Districts (I-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising Sign, Identification Sign, On-Premises Sign, or Pole Sign | Pole sign up to 25 ft (min 8 ft to bottom of sign); all others up to 8 ft from ground level | Up to 48 sq ft (or combined up to 100 sq ft if multiple uses/businesses); pole sign may be up to 100 sq ft | Pole sign supports not more than 3 ft wide on any side | — | One per lot/parcel or one per road frontage for corner lots | One sign per lot/parcel (one per road frontage for corner lots). Signage for all businesses in one building or lot must be combined on one sign. | — | § 157.206(A)-(C) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 157.206(D) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage, must directly face street | — | § 157.206(E) |
| Billboard (within 500 ft of US-131) | 35 ft above grade of ground/sign site or abutting roadway, whichever is higher | 672 sq ft (within 100 ft of ROW); 64 sq ft (100-500 ft from ROW) | — | 50 ft from property line adjoining ROW, 10 ft from any interior boundary | — | Within 500 ft of US-131 | — | § 157.207(A)-(I) |

## Prohibited signs in Hopkins Township

- A sign not expressly permitted by this chapter is prohibited.
- Any sign, including window signs, which have flashing, moving, oscillating or blinking lights excluding automatic changeable copy signs and barber pole signs which are permitted.
- Abandoned signs.
- Human signs.
- Roof signs.
- Sign structures without signs.
- String lights.
- Unsafe signs.
- Utility pole signs.
- Vehicle signs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Hopkins Township

- Official traffic signs erected by a government agency.
- Government signs two square feet or less.
- Election signs.
- Window signs.
- Memorial signs.
- Murals.
- Signs not visible from any street.
- Essential service signs which are two square feet or less.
- Placards.
- Community service group or agency signs two square feet or less.
- Newspaper box signs.
- Farm identification signs.
- Flags or insignias of any nation, state, township, community organization or educational institution or flags of a non-commercial nature.
- Temporary banners or portable signs erected by a government or community service group/agency or school announcing a public or community event.
- Signs for residential garage and/or yard sales.
- Roadside stand signs less than 16 square feet in area.
- Real estate signs.
- On-site directional signs not exceeding two square feet in area, placed no higher than three feet from drive grade, set back at least five feet from any lot line, and limited to traffic control functions only.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All permanent signs, except those exempted, require a sign permit by application to the Township Zoning Administrator.
- Permit applications must include any necessary plans for review as per § 157.202.
- For pole signs 20 feet or higher in commercial and industrial districts, design plans must be sealed by a professional engineer to ensure structural integrity (see § 157.206(C)).

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

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