# Sign Regulations in Kearney Township, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kearney Township, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/kearney-township
- **Data last verified:** 2026-01-16
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://kearneytownship.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kearney-Twp.-Zoning-Ordinance-Article-VIA-Sign-Ordinance.pdf)

## At a glance

Kearney Township, Michigan regulates 13 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Small Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 42 inches above ground level tall and 3 sq ft, with a No part of a sign or its supports may be on or over public property or within/over a public right-of-way setback (Sec. Section 6A.04(A); lighting and construction standards: Sections 6A.08(E), 6A.08(A)-(I); right-of-way restriction: Section 6A.07(B)). Most commercial signs in Kearney Township require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 42 inches above ground level | 10 sq ft | — |
| Commercial/Retail (C) | 4 | 10 ft above uniform finished grade | 10% of front face area or 100 sq ft, whichever is less | — |
| Office | 3 | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | 10% of front face area or 56 sq ft, whichever is less | — |
| Industrial/Manufacturing (M) | 3 | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | 10% of front face area or 56 sq ft, whichever is less | — |
| Agricultural (A) (Agricultural Commercial) | 3 | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | Aggregate area of all signs (wall and ground combined) may not exceed 30 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (R1, R2, R3, RR) | 4 | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | 24 sq ft (face of sign) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Small Sign | 42 inches above ground level | 3 sq ft | — | No part of a sign or its supports may be on or over public property or within/over a public right-of-way | 1 per parcel | On private property; may not extend into public right-of-way | — | Section 6A.04(A); lighting and construction standards: Sections 6A.08(E), 6A.08(A)-(I); right-of-way restriction: Section 6A.07(B) |
| Governmental Sign | — | — | — | No part of a sign or its supports may be on or over public property or within/over a public right-of-way | — | As authorized by municipality, state, or federal government | — | Section 6A.04(B); lighting standards: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination restriction: Section 6A.07(C) |
| Directional Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | 1 per legal driveway entrance/exit | On private property for entrance/exit or street number direction | — | Section 6A.04(C) |
| Flag (Governmental) | Flag pole may not exceed 30 ft above ground level | — | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | Up to 2 governmental flags per parcel | On private property | — | Section 6A.04(D); lighting standards: Section 6A.08(E) |
| Warning Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | — | On private property to warn of dangerous conditions/hazards | — | Section 6A.04(E); lighting standards: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination restriction: Section 6A.07(C) |
| Historical Site Sign (Government-Erected) | — | 10 sq ft | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | — | As erected by a government agency exclusively denoting a government-recognized historical site | — | Section 6A.04(F); lighting standards: Section 6A.08(E) |

### Commercial/Retail (C)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 10% of front face area or 100 sq ft, whichever is less | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way (Section 6A.07(B)) | 1 wall sign per commercial/retail parcel | Attached to exterior wall of building on the parcel | — | Section 6A.05(A); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C); permit process: Section 6A.06 |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding) | 10 ft above uniform finished grade | 10% of front face area or 100 sq ft, whichever is less | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way (Section 6A.07(B)) | 1 ground sign per commercial/retail parcel | On-site freestanding sign located on the parcel | — | Section 6A.05(A); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C); permit process: Section 6A.06 |
| Window Sign (Interior) | — | 10% of window area | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | — | Placed inside window areas of buildings in commercial/retail zones | — | Section 6A.05(A) (window signs in commercial/retail zones and area deduction); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C) |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | 1 electronic message sign per site | On-site on the parcel | — | Section 6A.05(F); lighting: Sections 6A.08(E), 6A.07(C); permit process: Section 6A.06 |

### Residential Zoning Districts (R1, R2, R3, RR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Neighborhood Identification Sign | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | 24 sq ft (face of sign) | — | Must be outside and not extend into any public right-of-way | 1 neighborhood identification sign per entrance street | At entrance streets to a residential neighborhood (subdivision, multiple-family, attached housing development) | — | Section 6A.05(E)(1); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C); right-of-way restriction: Section 6A.05(E)(1) |
| Ground Sign (Non-Dwelling Use) | 8 ft above uniform finished grade | 15 sq ft | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | 1 ground sign per non-dwelling use in residential area | On-site ground sign for non-dwelling uses such as schools, religious facilities, institutional uses, club houses in residential areas | — | Section 6A.05(E)(2); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C) |
| Wall Sign (Non-Dwelling Use) | — | 15 sq ft | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | 1 wall sign per non-dwelling use in residential area | Attached to exterior wall for non-dwelling uses such as schools, religious facilities, institutional uses, club houses in residential areas | — | Section 6A.05(E)(2); lighting: Section 6A.08(E); internal illumination: Section 6A.07(C) |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | No part may be located on or over public right-of-way | 1 electronic message sign per site | On-site on the parcel | — | Section 6A.05(F); lighting: Sections 6A.08(E), 6A.07(C); permit process: Section 6A.06 |

## Prohibited signs in Kearney Township

- Any sign installed without a required permit (unless specifically authorized without a permit) is prohibited.
- No portion of a privately owned sign or its supports may be placed on or within the airspace above public property, a public right-of-way, or a proposed public right-of-way.
- Internally lit signs with a transparent or light background are prohibited; only dark-background internally lit signs are allowed when otherwise compliant.
- Video display signs are prohibited.
- Revolving signs are prohibited.
- Signs may not simulate or imitate traffic signs in a manner that interferes with, misleads, or confuses the public.
- Signs on motor vehicles or trailers parked in a location visible to traffic on a public road or parking area for longer than 6 days in a 60-day period are prohibited.
- Portable/moveable signs (e.g., wheeled devices, sandwich boards) and special event signs are prohibited as stated in the ordinance.
- A sign may not obstruct a fire escape.
- Flashing, rotating, and intermittent lighting are prohibited.
- No sign, including cables and supports, may be within 6 feet of any electrical conductor, electrical light pole, electric street lamp, traffic light, or other public utility pole; applicable electrical clearance codes must be met.
- A nonconforming sign may not be replaced by another nonconforming sign and may not be reestablished after damage or destruction.
- Unsafe or abandoned signs are declared a public nuisance and must be removed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kearney Township

- One small sign per parcel without illumination, maximum 3 square feet in area and 42 inches in height.
- Governmental signs.
- Directional signs on private property without a commercial message: one entrance/exit sign per legal driveway, maximum 1.5 square feet.
- Two governmental flags per parcel; flagpole height up to 30 feet (non-governmental flags are subject to the ordinance and not exempt).
- Warning signs exclusively devoted to dangerous conditions or unusual hazards, up to 3 square feet.
- Historical site signs erected by a government agency exclusively denoting a government-recognized historical site, up to 10 square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or multi-tenant sign plan requirement is stated in the provided text.
- A sign permit is required for all non-exempt signs; permit applications must include one copy of the plans and specifications and, if required by the Designated Agent, an engineer's seal.

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

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