# Sign Regulations in Cannon Falls, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cannon Falls, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/cannon-falls
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Cannon Falls, Minnesota regulates 26 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Residential Area Identification Signs in the R-3 District, R-4 District zoning district are capped at 10 ft tall and 32 sq ft (Sec. § 152.354(B)(1)). Most commercial signs in Cannon Falls require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 17 | — | No limit (any size per M.S. § 211B.045) | — |
| R-E District, R-1 District, R-2 District | 1 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| R-3 District, R-4 District | 3 | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| R-B District, B-1 District, B-2 District | 3 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| I-1 District, I-2 District | 3 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| PUD, Planned Unit Development District | 1 | Per most restrictive zoning district in which the use is allowed | Per most restrictive zoning district in which the use is allowed | — |
| Historic Downtown Overlay District | 4 | — | Per underlying zoning district and § 152.727(D) | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (On-premise) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | Up to 4 | On-premise | — | § 152.353(A)(4)(a) |
| Campaign Sign (Election per M.S. § 211B.045) | — | No limit (any size per M.S. § 211B.045) | — | — | Any number | — | — | § 152.353(A)(5)(a) |
| Campaign Sign (Other elections, Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | Residential zones | — | § 152.353(A)(5)(b)1-3 |
| Campaign Sign (Other elections, Commercial/Industrial/Institutional) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | Commercial, Industrial, Institutional zones | — | § 152.353(A)(5)(b)1-3 |
| Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft (residential), 64 sq ft (business/industrial/institutional) | — | — | 1 per street abutting | Confined to site of construction, alteration, repair | — | § 152.353(A)(7) |
| "For Sale" or "To Rent" Sign (Residential) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 on corner | Only upon property offered for sale or rent | — | § 152.353(A)(8)(a) |
| "For Sale" or "To Rent" Sign (Commercial/Industrial/Institutional) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On property being offered, may be placed within front yard setback if on private property | — | § 152.353(A)(8)(b) |
| A-frame Sign (Sandwich Board) | — | 12 sq ft per side | — | — | 1 per business | During operation; cannot impede traffic | — | § 121.06 |

### R-3 District, R-4 District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Area Identification Sign | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per area | — | — | § 152.354(B)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Single/Double Occupancy) | 10 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | § 152.354(B)(2)(a) |
| Wall, Canopy, or Marquee Sign (Single/Double Occupancy) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building; 2 on corner lots | On building | — | § 152.354(B)(2)(b) |

### Historic Downtown Overlay District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | May extend up to 5 ft into public right-of-way; at least 7 ft above sidewalk | — | § 152.355(G), § 152.727(C), (E) |
| Wall Sign | — | Per underlying zoning district and § 152.727(D) | — | — | Max 3 permanent per business; 3 per bay | On building | — | § 152.727(D)-(E), § 152.727(B) |
| Mural | — | 10% of cumulative wall area (for business identification); mural itself per design review | — | — | — | Side building facade facing public street or parking; not on front | — | § 152.355(H) |
| Portable Sign (Sandwich/A-frame) | — | Within city regulations (12 sq ft per side per § 121.06, consistent with area/height regs of city sign regulations) | — | — | 1 per business | Within 5 ft of business entryway, on sidewalk; during business hours only | — | § 152.727(F), § 121.06 |

## Prohibited signs in Cannon Falls

- Signs shall not create a hazard to the safe, efficient movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- No private sign shall contain words which might be construed as traffic controls unless intended to direct traffic on premises.
- Signs and sign structures shall be properly maintained and kept in a safe condition; rotted, unsafe, deteriorated or defaced signs must be repainted, repaired, or replaced.
- No sign shall be attached or allowed to hang from any building until all necessary wall and roof attachments have been approved by the Building Official.
- No signs, guys, stays or attachments shall be placed or maintained on rocks, fences, utility poles, public signs or trees, nor interfere with any electric light, power, telephone or telegraph wires or supports.
- No sign or sign structure shall be closer to any lot line than a distance equal to one-half the minimum required yard setback.
- No sign shall be placed within any drainage or utility easement.
- No sign or sign structure shall be erected or maintained that prevents free ingress or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign or sign structure shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs prohibited (but visible) in residential districts shall be positioned so that the copy is not visible from residential uses or districts along adjoining side and rear yard property lines.
- No sign or structure may be placed or maintained in the traveled or untraveled portion of any street or public property without a permit from Council.
- Motion signs and flashing signs are prohibited, except time and temperature signs and barber poles.
- Projecting signs are prohibited except as provided and with appropriate permits.
- Roof signs are prohibited, except that a business sign may be placed on the fascia or marquee of a building provided it does not extend above the highest elevation, is secured, and does not extend beyond the roof periphery.
- Business signs advertising an activity, business, product, or service no longer produced or conducted on the premises are prohibited (with a 30-day grace period for new tenants).
- Advertising or business signs on or attached to equipment such as semi-truck trailers where signing is a principal use of the equipment are prohibited.
- Advertising signs (off-premise) are prohibited, except as specified in exceptions.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cannon Falls

- Public signs of a noncommercial nature, including safety signs, directional signs to public facilities, trespassing signs, traffic signs, scenic or historical interest signs, and memorial plaques, erected by or on behalf of the city or its employees.
- Identification signs not exceeding three square feet.
- Informational signs not exceeding 16 square feet.
- On-premise directional signs not larger than four square feet (up to four signs, more possible with Council approval).
- Off-premise directional signs permitted where access is confusing or could threaten safety, size subject to Council approval, no advertising permitted.
- All noncommercial campaign signs may be posted in any number and of any size from 46 days before to ten days after a state general election (subject to MN Statute 211B.045 and other provisions).
- Holiday signs or displays pertaining to religious, national, state, or local holidays, displayed for no more than 75 days in any calendar year.
- Non-illuminated construction signs confined to the site, limited in size and duration based on district and construction completion.
- "For Sale" and "To Rent" signs meeting size, placement, illumination, and content requirements.
- Rummage (garage) sale signs, subject to duration, size, and location requirements.
- At least one address sign displaying the assigned property number of at least four inches in height is required on each principal building.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A comprehensive sign plan is required for any single principal building devoted to four or more businesses or industrial uses (multiple occupancy structures); the plan must be submitted and approved by the Council.
- No sign permit shall be issued for an individual use in a multiple occupancy structure unless it is consistent with the approved comprehensive sign plan.
- A site plan to scale is required as part of a sign license application.
- As part of a preliminary plat application, the subdivider shall identify all signs associated with the proposed plat; type, size and location must be approved by the city.
- When Council approval is required for a sign, the application is processed according to conditional use permit procedures.
- Variances for signs may be granted by the City Council (Board of Adjustment and Appeals) upon application.
- Additional signs for shopping centers and industrial parks over 20 acres may be subject to City Council approval.
- The type, size, and location of subdivision-related signs are subject to city approval during the platting process.
- Sign application information may include a site plan, plans, specifications, stress sheets, owner consent, and other information required by the city to show compliance.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/cannon-falls