# Sign Regulations in Scottville, Michigan

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Scottville, Michigan (MI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/michigan/scottville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Scottville, Michigan regulates 14 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Identification Sign or Bulletin Board (Apartment, Cemetery, Church, Educational Facility, Golf Course, Mobile Home Park, Recreation Subdivision, Public or Semi-Private Institution)s in the Residential Zones zoning district are capped at 10 ft above grade tall and 32 sq ft, with a Minimum 25 ft setback (Sec. § 153.232 (B)). Most commercial signs in Scottville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | — | 6 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zones | 3 | 10 ft above grade | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Zones | 6 | 35 ft | 64 sq ft (standard), 128 sq ft (major road or >160 ft frontage), up to 160 sq ft with additional setback. | — |
| Commercial Zone | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Signs | — | — | — | — | — | All signs shall be on private property. | — | § 153.231 ALL ZONES |
| Garage Sale Sign (On Premises) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per sale | On the premises of the sale. | — | § 115.04 SIGNS (A, C) |
| Garage Sale Sign (Main Thoroughfare) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per sale | On a main thoroughfare with consent of adjacent property owner. | — | § 115.04 SIGNS (B, C) |
| Street Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 152.061 STREET SIGNS |

### Residential Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street abutted | On the premises; one sign permitted per abutting street. | — | § 153.232 (A) |
| Identification Sign or Bulletin Board (Apartment, Cemetery, Church, Educational Facility, Golf Course, Mobile Home Park, Recreation Subdivision, Public or Semi-Private Institution) | 10 ft above grade | 32 sq ft | — | Minimum 25 ft | 1 per eligible use | On site, minimum setback of 25 ft. | — | § 153.232 (B) |
| Directional or Informational Signs | — | — | — | At least 300 feet from any residential structure | — | Not nearer than 300 feet to any residential structure; as approved by Zoning Administrator. | — | § 153.232 (C) |

### Commercial and Industrial Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Standard) | 35 ft | 64 sq ft (standard), 128 sq ft (major road or >160 ft frontage), up to 160 sq ft with additional setback. | — | At least 8 ft above ground (standard); 3 ft if 24 sq ft or less. Sign post at least 20 ft from street right-of-way; can be closer depending on distance to side property lines but never closer than 10 ft to ROW. | 1 per use (see multi-use provision for increased area on same supports) | Must comply with specific setback and placement requirements outlined. | — | § 153.233 (A) |
| Flat Sign (Wall Sign) | No higher than 4 ft above roof line of building. | Whichever is less: 10% of side area or 48 sq ft. | — | — | Maximum 4 per building (one per side); max 2 per use if multiple uses | Attached to building; parallel with side mounted on. | — | § 153.233 (B) |
| Rental or Sale Sign | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use or parcel | On property offered for sale/rent. | — | § 153.233 (C) |
| Temporary Sign (Commercial Zone) | — | 60 sq ft per side (including border) | — | At least 25 ft from pavement edge. | 1 per parcel | On premises; not within 25 feet of pavement edge and not in right-of-way or blocking ingress/egress visibility. | — | § 153.233 (F) |
| Service Station/Automobile Sales Allowed Signs (Additional) | — | 9 sq ft (temporary signs) | — | — | 2 temporary signs; unspecified for directional/pump signs | Inside property line. | — | § 153.233 (D) |
| Shopping Center Signs (Flat and Freestanding) | — | Flat sign same as standard in section; freestanding as standard above | — | — | Flat: 2 per use; Freestanding: 1 for center | — | — | § 153.233 (E) |

## Prohibited signs in Scottville

- No sign shall be erected at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device.
- No rotating beam, beacon, or flashing illumination shall be permitted.
- Illuminated signs shall be lighted in a manner so that no illumination source is directly visible beyond the property lines of the lot upon which the sign is located.
- All signs shall be on private property.
- Under no circumstances shall any signs be attached to any tree within the city easements or rights-of-way, or to any city building or fixture.
- It is unlawful to place a permanent sign on a sidewalk.
- Temporary moveable signs on sidewalks require prior written approval and must not impede the free movement of pedestrians and wheeled devices.

## Signs exempt from permit in Scottville

- Signs incidentally illuminated by street lights or house lights are permitted, but not intentionally illuminated.
- The abandonment provision requiring the removal of signs after a use ceases does not apply to seasonal activities during their regular closed periods.
- Temporary moveable signs are allowed on sidewalks, but only with prior written approval of the city and only during business hours in front of the business to which the sign refers.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required for the erection, construction, or alteration of any sign exceeding 16 square feet in area.

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

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