# Sign Regulations in New Hope, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** New Hope, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/new-hope
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MN/New_Hope/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CD_ORD_CH3BUSIRE)

## At a glance

New Hope, Minnesota regulates 3 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Wall Sign (Home Occupations)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 square feet (Sec. Sec. 4-3(g)(3)(k)). Most commercial signs in New Hope 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 | 2 | — | 6 square feet | — |
| R-1, Single-family residential district (R-1), R-2, Single- and two-family residential district (R-2), R-3, Medium density residential district (R-3), R-4, High density residential district (R-4), R-5, Senior citizen residential district (R-5) | 2 | — | 6 square feet | — |
| R-O, Residential-office district (R-O), R-B, Residential/business district (R-B) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| LB, Limited neighborhood business district (LB), CB, Community business district (CB), CC, City center district (CC), B-W, Business/warehouse district (B-W), I, Industrial district (I) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| PUD, Planned unit development district (PUD) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| FP, Floodplain district (FP), Floodway district (FW), Flood fringe district (FF), General floodplain district (GF) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| S, Shoreland permit overlay district (S) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| GPO, Governmental, park and open space district (GPO) | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |
| Crystal Airport Overlay District | 1 | — | 2 square feet | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupations) | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per home occupation | Affixed to the principal residential building, identifying home occupation only. | — | Sec. 4-3(g)(3)(k) |
| Accessory Antenna Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per antenna installation | On associated ground equipment (not on antenna) | — | Sec. 4-3(l)(2)(f) |

### R-1, Single-family residential district (R-1), R-2, Single- and two-family residential district (R-2), R-3, Medium density residential district (R-3), R-4, High density residential district (R-4), R-5, Senior citizen residential district (R-5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Home Occupations) | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per home occupation | Affixed to the principal building, for home occupation | — | Sec. 4-3(g)(3)(k), applicable in all residential districts via Sec. 4-5(c)(7), 4-6(c)(7), 4-7(c)(6), 4-8(c)(6), 4-9(c)(5) |
| Accessory Antenna Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per antenna | On ground equipment, antenna, or fence as required | — | Sec. 4-3(l)(2)(f); See also each residential district for accessory antennas: 4-5(c)(7), 4-6(c)(7), 4-7(c)(6), 4-8(c)(6), 4-9(c)(5) |

### R-O, Residential-office district (R-O), R-B, Residential/business district (R-B)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accessory Antenna Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per antenna | On ground equipment, antenna, or fence as required | — | Sec. 4-3(l)(2)(f); see also 4-10(c)(6), 4-11(c)(6) |

## Prohibited signs in New Hope

- All signs must comply with the most restrictive requirements when there is a conflict between this Code and other city ordinances, rules, or regulations.
- Permits shall not be issued for, nor shall any structure be erected, used, or occupied, in any manner not in conformity with the provisions of this Code.
- No sign may be erected or maintained that is not in compliance with the zoning Code and sign Code.
- Obstructions (including structures, signs, landscaping, fencing) are prohibited in sight visibility triangles at intersections, between two feet and eight feet in height, if they interfere with traffic or pedestrian visibility.
- In any district, structures (potentially including signs) shall not be built upon or extend over easements of record.
- Use of required parking areas for the open storage, sale or rental of goods, storage of commercial or inoperable vehicles, or other uses not permitted by off-street parking regulations is prohibited (could include sign displays if on parking surfaces).
- No sign shall be so located as to restrict the sight lines and orderly operation and traffic movement within any parking lot.
- Signs are prohibited from being placed or constructed within sight visibility triangles in a manner that may interfere with traffic or pedestrian visibility.
- No sign (as a structure or obstruction) may impede or obstruct natural drainage, or be placed within an easement in a way that impedes the flow of surface water.
- Signs erected after April 7, 1988, must comply, and existing signs prior to that date are only legal nonconforming if they were then legal.

## Signs exempt from permit in New Hope

- Signs may be exempt from certain requirements if specified as a nonconforming use (i.e., signs legally installed before certain Code dates).
- Temporary outdoor lighting used during customary holiday seasons and for civic celebrations and promotions is exempt from outdoor lighting requirements (may apply to illuminated temporary signs or decorations).
- Lighting required by a government agency for the safe operation of airplanes, or security lighting required on government buildings or structures (including illuminated government signs) is exempt.
- Emergency lighting used by police, fire and rescue authorities is exempt from outdoor lighting standards.
- Passive solar energy systems are exempt from special solar energy system regulatory requirements and instead regulated as any other building element (applicable for solar-powered sign lighting elements).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All applications for a building or occupancy permit in all zoning districts must be accompanied by a site plan drawn to scale and dimensioned, indicating the location of off-street parking and loading spaces as well as signage, in compliance with the requirements set forth in this section.
- Except for single-family residential, all applications (such as site plan review) that include outdoor lighting or signs must include evidence the proposed outdoor lighting will comply with Code: site plans showing location on premises of all illuminating devices, fixtures, lamps, supports, reflectors, and other lighting devices (including illuminated signs), photometric plans, and descriptions.
- Site plan and building plan review is required prior to the issuance of any building permits, which includes sign location and design (Sec. 4-35).
- A comprehensive site plan is required for actions such as erection of buildings, moving buildings, changing the use of land/building (which may include new signs), modifications/enlargements to buildings over a certain size, grading/site preparation, modifications to building facade visible from right-of-way, or any variation from city design guidelines (Sec. 4-35(b), Site Plan Review).
- All site and construction plans officially submitted to the city are treated as a formal agreement between the applicant and the city. No changes may be made to plans (including signs) without formal plan modification request to the zoning administrator (Sec. 4-35(i)).
- Any variation from the design guidelines adopted as part of the city’s comprehensive plan, which may specify signage, requires site plan review.
- Any PUD (planned unit development) must include sign standards as part of its approval, and the PUD process allows deviations from the provisions of Sec. 3-50, New Hope Sign Code, through PUD rezoning or CUP (Sec. 4-34(a)).
- The city may require submission of a sign plan, photometric plan, or master plan in conjunction with required approvals (PUDs, site plans, conditional use permits, etc.).
- Sign plans and locations may be subject to separate design review and approval as part of the Site Plan Review process, a Conditional Use Permit, or Planned Unit Development review.

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

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