# Sign Regulations in Arden Hills, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Arden Hills, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/arden-hills
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Arden Hills, Minnesota regulates 21 sign types across 17 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Sign District 1 (R-1, R-2) zoning district are capped at 4 ft. tall and 4 sq. ft., with a At least 5 ft from any property line. setback (Sec. Section 1230.01 Subd. 4; Section 1240, Table 1240.02 - Sign District 1). Most commercial signs in Arden Hills require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (17 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign District 1 (R-1, R-2) | 2 | 4 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 2 (Non-residential uses in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 2 | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 3 (R-3, R-4) | 2 | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. (per sign), 8 sq. ft. aggregate | — |
| Sign District 4 (Properties fronting on County Road E east of Highway 51 except those with frontage on Lexington Avenue) | 2 | 8 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 5 (Properties fronting on Lexington Avenue South of Interstate 694) | 2 | 8 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 6 (Commercial or industrial use fronting on Lexington Avenue north of Interstate 694, Highway 96, and B-1) | 2 | 16 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 7 (I-Flex, Gateway Business, or other commercial or industrial district without specified frontage) | 2 | 8 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 8 (Neighborhood Business) | 2 | 6 ft. | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| Sign District 9 (Parts of the TCAAP area not fronting on Highway 96) | 2 | 16 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — |
| TRC (Traditional Residential Character, via Section 11.0+) | 17 | 30 ft. | 400 sq. ft. (total cumulative all surfaces) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | 8 ft. | 40 sq. ft. (total per lane) | — |

_6 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 17 zones)

### Sign District 1 (R-1, R-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per dwelling | On the residence. | — | Section 1240, Table 1240.02 - Sign District 1 |
| Freestanding Sign | 4 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | At least 5 ft from any property line. | 1 per dwelling | Front yard, at least 5 ft from any property line. | — | Section 1230.01 Subd. 4; Section 1240, Table 1240.02 - Sign District 1 |

### Sign District 2 (Non-residential uses in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per use | On principal building. | — | Section 1240, Table 1240.02 - Sign District 2 |
| Freestanding Sign | 6 ft. | 16 sq. ft. | — | At least 5 ft from property line. | 1 per site | Front yard, at least 5 ft from property line. | — | Section 1240, Table 1240.02 - Sign District 2 |

### TRC (Traditional Residential Character, via Section 11.0+)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Highway Monument Sign | 30 ft. | 400 sq. ft. (total cumulative all surfaces) | — | — | 1 per 1,000 ft frontage; max 2 | Within 60 ft of I-35W or Hwy 10. | — | Section 11.4, Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Corridor Monument Sign | 12 ft. | 150 sq. ft. (multi-tenant) | — | — | 1 per lot (2 for frontage >700 ft/corner) | As per permitted zoning. | — | Section 11.5, Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Building Identity Sign (I-35W, Hwy 10, MN-96) | — | 200 sq. ft. or 15% façade | — | — | 1 per building | Upper façade, single tenant buildings | — | Section 11.6(a), Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Building Identity Sign (Other Frontages) | — | 150 sq. ft. or 10% façade | — | — | 1 per building | Upper façade, single tenant buildings | — | Section 11.6(b), Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Storefront/Tenant Wall Sign (I-35W, Hwy 10, MN-96) | Mounted below 25 ft from finished grade | 150 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant space | Ground floor façade of multi-tenant buildings | — | Section 11.7(a), Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Storefront/Tenant Wall Sign (Other frontages) | Mounted below 25 ft from finished grade | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant space | Ground floor façade of multi-tenant buildings | — | Section 11.7(b), Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Directional Sign | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per entrance, max 2 per frontage | At lot entrance from public street | — | Section 11.12, Table 11-1, TRC Code |
| Sandwich Board and Mounted Menu Sign | 4 ft. | 8 sq. ft./face | — | — | 1 per storefront | On sidewalk adjacent storefront | — | Section 11.14, Table 11-1, TRC Code |

## Prohibited signs in Arden Hills

- Signs with moving, swinging, revolving, or rotating parts are prohibited in all sign districts.
- Dynamic display signs are prohibited in all sign districts, except as specifically provided in section 1240.04.
- Roof signs are prohibited in all sign districts.
- Projecting signs are prohibited in all sign districts.
- Any sign not constructed, wired, assembled, attached, or supported in conformance with applicable building or other codes and regulations is prohibited.
- Signs in the public right-of-way are prohibited, except as provided in Section 1250.03, by Minnesota Statutes, or allowed by the agency regulating the right-of-way.
- Signs attached to public utility poles, trees, street signs, stoplights, or fences are prohibited.
- Permanent outdoor advertising signs, including billboards, are prohibited.
- Portable signs are prohibited, except portable A-frame, T-frame, sandwich, or other similar signs that do not exceed six (6) square feet in size.
- Signs located in the clear vision area are prohibited.
- Signs imitating traffic control signs are prohibited, except those used to control traffic on private property.
- Any sign, sign type, sign lighting, or sign technology not specifically listed as permitted in this Chapter is prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Arden Hills

- Governmental signs including, but not limited to, traffic control and other regulatory signs, street signs, identification signs, informational signs, danger signs, and railroad crossing signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Non-commercial signs in an election year may be posted no more than 70 days prior to an election and must be removed within 10 days after.
- Address identification signs not exceeding four (4) square feet for each structure or portion of a structure with an assigned address are exempt.
- Exempt residential signs: Properties in Sign Districts 1 and 3 may have up to eight (8) square feet of signage, with no individual sign larger than six (6) square feet, not illuminated, and freestanding signs must be at least five (5) feet from any property line.
- Temporary off-premise signs as designated in Section 1250.03 are exempt.
- Portable A-frame, T-frame, sandwich, or other similar signs (max 6 sq. ft., non-illuminated, within 15 feet of primary building entrance, displayed only during business hours, no more than two at once) are exempt.
- Incidental signs or signs within a building that are not readily visible from the public right-of-way, adjacent properties, and are not illuminated are exempt.
- Window signs that are inside of a building shall not require a permit but must comply with Section 1240.02 Table 1.
- Any sign under this section may display any lawful non-commercial message that does not direct attention to a business operated for profit and complies with size, height, and lighting requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No person, property owner, lessee shall place, erect, alter, modify, enhance, or change in any way a sign that does not conform to the requirements of this Chapter and all other applicable regulations.
- Except for those signs listed in Section 1230.01 (exemptions), no sign shall be erected, altered, reconstructed, maintained, moved, or enhanced in the City without obtaining a sign permit from the City.
- A complete set of plans drawn to scale showing necessary elevations, setbacks, size, and details to fully and clearly represent the construction and placement of the sign(s) is required for each permit application unless waived by the City Administrator or designee.
- Normal maintenance and repair do not require a permit, but re-facing (except the text on a manual changeable message sign), removing sign for cabinet repair, changes to size or illumination, or structural changes do require a permit.
- Sign standard adjustments (variances for height, number, type, lighting, area, and/or location) may be approved with a Site Plan Review or a Planned Unit Development process as described in Section 1320 and 1355 of the Zoning Code. Dynamic display signage cannot be permitted via this process.
- Permanent scoreboard or athletic field signs visible from outside require sign permit approval per special provisions of 1250.05 and 1250.06.
- Where a new group massing of temporary banner signage (at athletic fields under 1250.04) is requested, a sign permit is required.
- If the applicant is not the property owner, written permission from the property owner must be provided prior to approval of the permit.
- Signs on interior of lot and not intended to be viewed or utilized by traffic on public streets do not require a permit.

## 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 17 zoning districts in Arden Hills — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Arden+Hills+MN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-arden-hills

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