# Sign Regulations in Olivet, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Olivet, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/olivet
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/mi/olivet/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH42ZO_ARTVISURE_S42-122SI)

## At a glance

Olivet, Michigan regulates 13 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Real Estate Sign (Sale or Lease)s in the R-M1 Multiple-Family Residential zoning district are capped at 6 sq ft, with a At least one-half of the required front yard depth from the street line setback (Sec. Sec. 42-122(c)(2)a). Most commercial signs in Olivet require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1A One-Family Low Density Residential, R-1B Medium Density Residential | 5 | — | 50 sq ft | — |
| R-M1 Multiple-Family Residential | 6 | — | 50 sq ft | — |
| B-1 General Business | 4 | 25 ft max; also must not be placed so low as to obstruct motorists’ visibility | Up to 20% of the surface area of the wall on which signs are placed (aggregate per wall) | — |
| B-2 Highway Service | 6 | 25 ft max; must not be so low as to obstruct motorists’ visibility | Up to 20% of the surface area of the wall on which signs are placed (aggregate per wall) | — |
| M-1 Industrial | 3 | Up to 20% of the building height; may not project above the cornice or roof line | Up to 20% of the surface area of the wall on which signs are placed (aggregate per wall) | — |
| A-1 Agricultural | 8 | — | 50 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | 20 sq ft | — |

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

### R-M1 Multiple-Family Residential

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Sale or Lease) | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least one-half of the required front yard depth from the street line | One per lot | On the lot offered for sale or lease; place no closer to the street line than one-half the minimum front yard depth | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)a |
| Home Occupation/Professional Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft on platted lots; 4 sq ft in unplatted areas (where a home occupation/professional use is permitted within R-M1 dwellings) | — | — | One per dwelling | Affixed flat to the dwelling | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)b; Sec. 42-185 |
| Subdivision/Development Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | At least 25 ft from any street line | One per subdivision/development | On the subdivision/development site | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)c–d |
| Identification Sign (Multiple-Family/Group Housing Development) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | One identification sign per development | At the multiple-family or group housing development | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(3)b |
| Organization/Institution Identification Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any property line (freestanding) | One per lot | On the lot of the church, school, club, association, or institution | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(9) |
| Nonconforming Use Wall Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per nonconforming use | On the building wall of a legal nonconforming use | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(8) |

### B-2 Highway Service

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Attached/Parallel to Building) | Up to 20% of the building height; may not project above the cornice or roof line | Up to 20% of the surface area of the wall on which signs are placed (aggregate per wall) | — | — | No explicit count limit; constrained by 20% area per wall | Mounted on exterior walls of the principal building facing public streets or on-site parking | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(4)a–e, g; Sec. 42-93(e)(4) |
| Freestanding Sign (Highway Service District/Development Identification) | — | — | — | Minimum 25 ft from any public street right-of-way | One freestanding identification sign structure for the development | At the Highway Service development site | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(5)c; Sec. 42-93(b), (e)(4) |
| Directional/Regulatory Traffic Sign (On-Site) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | As needed for on-site traffic control | Within the development’s internal drives/parking | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(5)b |
| Freestanding Sign (Gasoline Service Station Identification) | 25 ft max; must not be so low as to obstruct motorists’ visibility | — | — | Minimum 25 ft from public street right-of-way for B-2 freestanding sign placement standards; 15 ft pavement edge rule applies to the station identification sign standard from B-1 | One freestanding sign structure per station | On the gasoline service station site within B-2 | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(4)f (applies to B-2 via Sec. 42-122(c)(5)a); Sec. 42-93(d)(5), (e); Sec. 42-184(d)(7) |
| Organization/Institution Identification Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any property line (freestanding) | One per lot | On the lot of the church, school, club, association, or institution located in this zone | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(9); Sec. 42-93(e)(4) |
| Nonconforming Use Wall Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per nonconforming use | On the building wall of a legal nonconforming use in this zone | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(8); Sec. 42-122(c)(4)b, (5)a |

### A-1 Agricultural

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Sale or Lease) | — | 6 sq ft | — | At least one-half of the required front yard depth from the street line | One per lot | On the lot offered for sale or lease; place no closer to the street line than one-half the minimum front yard depth | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)a; Sec. 42-122(c)(7)a (A-1 incorporates R-1A/R-1B signs) |
| Home Occupation/Professional Sign | — | 1.5 sq ft on platted lots; 4 sq ft in unplatted areas | — | — | One per dwelling | Affixed flat to the dwelling | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)b; Sec. 42-122(c)(7)a; Sec. 42-185 |
| Subdivision/Development Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | At least 25 ft from any street line | One per subdivision/development | On the subdivision/development site | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(2)c–d; Sec. 42-122(c)(7)a |
| Farm Products Sign | — | 50 sq ft | — | At least 15 ft from any street line | One per premises | On the farm premises | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(7)b |
| Barn/Accessory Building Identification (Non-Advertising) | — | — | — | — | — | On barn or accessory building surfaces | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(7)c |
| Memorial/Historical Sign (e.g., Centennial Farm) | — | — | — | — | — | On the farm unit | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(7)d |
| Organization/Institution Identification Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | 10 ft from any property line (freestanding) | One per lot | On the lot of the church, school, club, association, or institution located in this zone | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(9) |
| Nonconforming Use Wall Sign | — | 20 sq ft | — | — | One per nonconforming use | On the building wall of a legal nonconforming use in this zone | — | Sec. 42-122(c)(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Olivet

- Obsolete signs are not allowed in any district
- Signs that are illegal under state laws or regulations or applicable local ordinances or regulations are not allowed in any district
- Signs that are not clean and in good repair are not allowed in any district
- Signs not securely affixed to a substantial structure are not allowed in any district
- Signs that attempt or appear to attempt to regulate, warn, or direct the movement of traffic or that interfere with or resemble any official traffic sign, signal, or device are not allowed in any district
- Signs erected or maintained upon trees, or painted or drawn upon rock or other natural features, are not allowed in any district
- Signs which project above the cornice or roof line are not allowed in any district, except where a particular zoning district specifically allows otherwise
- Signs not consistent with the standards in this chapter are not allowed in any district
- Temporary signs may not be placed on city property, including the right-of-way; such signs may be removed and discarded by the city without notification

## Sign permit fees & timelines in Olivet

| Item | Details | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Other | 10 calendar days (starts when After the date of the mailing of the zoning administrator's decision) | — |

_The full published fee and review-timeline schedule for Olivet is available in PermitPal (free account)._

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

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