# Sign Regulations in Norton Shores, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Norton Shores, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/norton-shores
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MI/Norton_Shores/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COORNOSHMI_CH30SI)

## At a glance

Norton Shores, Michigan regulates 26 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Entranceway Sign (General Definition)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 24 sq ft, with a Min 10 ft from street ROW setback (Sec. Sec. 48-1296(18)-(19)). Most commercial signs in Norton Shores require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 48 in (4 ft) | 24 sq ft | — |
| General Industrial District (GI) | 8 | 30 ft | 672 sq ft | — |
| General Retail District (C-2), Major Commercial District (C-3) | 5 | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — |
| Neighborhood Commercial District (C-1) | 5 | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | 32 sq ft | — |
| Professional Office District (PO), General Office District (GO) | 6 | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — |
| Agricultural District (AG), Recreational District (REC) | 3 | Cannot project above roofline | 25 sq ft | — |
| Cluster District (CR-6), Apartment Districts (AR-7, AR-8) | 5 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5) | 5 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| Planned Unit Development (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Traffic Directional and Control Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Any zone; as required by government | — | Sec. 48-1296(5) |
| Mobile Trailer Type Sign | 4 ft | — | 8 ft (length) | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 48-1296(16) |
| Projecting Sign - General Provisions | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | — | — | — | — | Allowed in PO, GO, C-1, C-2, C-3, GI districts (unless directional sign, which is allowed more generally) | — | Sec. 48-1296(14) |
| Wall Sign - General Provisions | Cannot project above roofline | — | — | — | — | Parallel to wall (including painted signs) | — | Sec. 48-1296(15) |
| Ground Sign (General Definition) | 10 ft | — | — | — | — | Placed in the ground surface, not attached to any building | — | Sec. 48-1296(17)-(19) |
| Entranceway Sign (General Definition) | 10 ft | 24 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from street ROW | — | Not less than 10 ft from any street ROW; at entrances to subdivisions/apartment/condo/permitted institution | — | Sec. 48-1296(18)-(19) |
| Decorative Banner Sign | 48 in (4 ft) | — | 30 in (2.5 ft) | — | — | Attached to light poles in on-site parking facility or utility poles along street frontage (with owner's permission) | — | Sec. 48-1296(21) |
| Not-for-Profit Athletic Field Sign | 48 in (4 ft) | — | 96 in (8 ft) | — | — | On athletic field fences at not-for-profit athletic fields | — | Sec. 48-1296(22) |

### General Industrial District (GI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding Sign) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | Sec. 48-1304(2) |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above roofline | — | — | — | 2 per business | Each wall facing an adjacent public street | — | Sec. 48-1304(3) |
| Directional Sign – Ground or Projecting | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | To indicate location of parking areas or service areas, on premises only | — | Sec. 48-1304(4), 48-1296(11) |
| Projecting Sign | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | Sec. 48-1304(5); 48-1296(14) |
| Freestanding Off-Premises Advertising Sign | 30 ft | 672 sq ft | — | — | — | 100 ft to 1,000 ft from edge of U.S. 31 ROW; | — | Sec. 48-1304(6), 48-1296(3) |
| Entranceway Sign | 10 ft | 24 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from ROW | — | Not less than 10 ft from any ROW, only in yards adjacent to streets at entrances | — | Sec. 48-1304(7), 48-1296(18)-(19) |
| Decorative Banner Sign | 4 ft | — | 2.5 ft | — | — | As per general requirements | — | Sec. 48-1304(8), 48-1296(21) |
| Electronic Off-Premises Advertising Sign | 30 ft | 672 sq ft | — | — | — | 100–1,000 ft from edge of ROW of U.S. 31, at least 1,750 ft from similar electronic signs | — | Sec. 48-1304(9), 48-1296(23) |

### Professional Office District (PO), General Office District (GO)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Freestanding) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | Sec. 48-1301(2) |
| Wall Sign | Cannot project above roofline | — | — | — | 2 per business | Each wall facing an adjacent public street | — | Sec. 48-1301(3) |
| Directional Sign – Ground or Projecting | — | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | To direct traffic to parking areas or service areas | — | Sec. 48-1301(4) |
| Projecting Sign | 25 ft or roofline, whichever is less | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Per building | — | Sec. 48-1301(5), 48-1296(14) |
| Entranceway Sign | 10 ft | 24 sq ft | — | Min 10 ft from ROW | — | Not less than 10 ft from any ROW; only in yards adjacent to streets at entrances | — | Sec. 48-1301(6), 48-1296(18)-(19) |
| Decorative Banner Sign | 4 ft | — | 2.5 ft | — | — | As per general requirements | — | Sec. 48-1301(7), 48-1296(21) |

## Prohibited signs in Norton Shores

- All signs not expressly permitted by this chapter are prohibited.
- Portable signs, such as teepee, triangular, fold-up, roll-out, or T-shaped signs that are not freestanding, projecting, or wall signs are prohibited.
- Flags, banners (except decorative banners), pennants, and streamers other than those representing a nation or political unit are prohibited.
- No sign that directs attention to off-premises businesses, except specifically allowed off-premises advertising signs in the GI general industrial district.
- Signs located on or projecting into or overhanging within ten feet of the edge of a public right-of-way or dedicated public easement are prohibited, unless approved by the building and zoning administrator for traffic safety; however, no sign except traffic control/directional signs may project onto or overhang a public right-of-way.
- No sign shall be erected where its position, shape, color, or other characteristics may interfere with authorized traffic signs/signals/devices, or use confusing words like 'stop', 'look', 'turn', 'danger' that may mislead or confuse traffic.
- Signs with moving parts, motion pictures, or flashing or blinking lights are not permitted.
- Political signs may not be erected more than 45 days before an election and must be removed within one week after the election. Political signs are also prohibited from being located on or projecting into a public right-of-way, may not interfere with traffic signs/signals, or contain moving parts, changing colors, flashing/blinking lights, or pictorial intermittent signs.
- No mobile trailer type sign is allowed in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 residential districts, CR-6 cluster districts or AR-7, AR-8 apartment districts.
- Electronic message board signs that scroll, flash, or convey appearance of movement or animation are not permitted.
- Electronic message board signs are not permitted in residential zoning districts or developments.
- Electronic message board signs must not emit sound.
- Electronic message board signs are only permitted as on-site freestanding signage and may not be on/off-premises advertising signs.
- Electronic off-premises advertising signs may not display motion, rotation, animation, or flashing/moving lights. The transition between messages must be instantaneous and static.
- Electronic off-premises advertising signs may not resemble warning or traffic signals/signs.
- Electronic off-premises advertising signs may not exceed defined brightness levels and must not interfere with official traffic signs, devices, or signals.
- Any sign advertising a business or activity that is no longer operating is considered abandoned and must be removed or covered within 60 days after notification.

## Signs exempt from permit in Norton Shores

- Permit not required for traffic directional and control signs required by city, county, state, or federal agencies.
- Permit not required for real estate signs advertising land or buildings for rent, lease, or sale when located on the property being listed, subject to district regulations.
- Permit not required for performance of ordinary maintenance and repair of existing signs.
- Provision not applicable to bumper stickers or signs affixed to vehicles used incidentally to the vehicle's primary transportation purpose.
- Permit not required for informational or directional signs as defined, having a maximum area of five square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All signs must conform to all codes and ordinances of the city, and a sign permit (and necessary electrical permit) is required for construction, renovation, alteration, or relocation of any sign unless specifically exempted.
- A sign permit will only be issued if the proposed sign conforms in all respects to the provisions of the sign ordinance and all other zoning and state construction codes.
- In the case of nonconforming signs, approval to alter, renovate, or move a nonconforming sign may be granted by the board of appeals if such authorization reduces the degree of nonconformance.
- No specific mention of a master sign plan or required variance meeting in the extracted sections.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/norton-shores