# Sign Regulations in Saint Anthony, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Saint Anthony, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/saint-anthony
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Saint Anthony, Minnesota regulates 24 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Ground Sign (for Schools, Public Facilities, Religious Institutions, City Buildings)s in the R-3, R-4 zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and As per § 157.22: 34 sq ft for single face, 68 sq ft for double face; up to 80 sq ft if 2+ tenants (for tenant buildings), with a At least 15 feet from curb line of public street setback (Sec. § 157.25(A)(4); § 157.22; § 157.24). Most commercial signs in Saint Anthony require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1, R-1A, R-2 | 4 | — | Up to 10 square feet per sign surface | — |
| R-3, R-4 | 7 | 8 feet | As per § 157.22: 34 sq ft for single face, 68 sq ft for double face; up to 80 sq ft if 2+ tenants (for tenant buildings) | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 1 | 8 feet | Per § 157.22: 34 sq ft for single face, 68 sq ft for two faces; up to 80 sq ft for buildings with multiple tenants | — |
| C Commercial District | 10 | Per ground sign: 8 feet | 300 square feet (total for major anchor/tenant ground signs) | — |
| Light Industrial District | 5 | 8 feet | 150 square feet | — |
| Recreation/Open Space District (R/OS) | 5 | 8 feet | 150 square feet | — |
| Planned Unit Development (PUD) | 1 | 8 feet | 32 square feet per permit (one side per sign) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 8 feet | 34 sq ft if one face, 68 sq ft if two or more faces, additional 12 sq ft for buildings with 2+ businesses/tenants (total up to 80 sq ft) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### R-3, R-4

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Identification of Multiple Dwelling Complex) | 8 feet | 50 square feet sign surface area | — | — | One per multiple dwelling complex (nine or more units) | On-property identifying the complex | — | § 157.25(A)(2) |
| Ground Sign (for Schools, Public Facilities, Religious Institutions, City Buildings) | 8 feet | As per § 157.22: 34 sq ft for single face, 68 sq ft for double face; up to 80 sq ft if 2+ tenants (for tenant buildings) | — | At least 15 feet from curb line of public street | One per site | On property to which the sign pertains | — | § 157.25(A)(4); § 157.22; § 157.24 |
| Directional Sign (Religious Institutions / Places of Worship) | — | — | — | — | Up to 3 per institution, 1 per intersection | Municipal rights-of-way | — | § 157.25(A)(3) |
| Identification Sign (for Individual Units) | — | No explicit area specified; limited to address or resident name | — | — | — | On dwelling unit, curb, or mailbox | — | § 157.25(A)(1)(a); applies as relevant for R-3, R-4 units |
| Non-commercial Sign | — | 6 square feet per surface, total 12 sq ft all surfaces | — | 10 ft from side lot line; not in right-of-way/easement | One per lot | On owner's property | — | § 157.25(A)(1)(b); likely applies for individual units as supplement |
| Temporary Sign (Relating to R/OS District Event) | — | Up to 10 square feet per sign surface | — | — | One per event | Entirely on owner's property | — | § 157.18(G) |
| Garage or Rummage Sale Sign | — | 6 square feet per sign surface | — | — | One | On property where sale occurs | — | § 157.18(I) |

### C Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Wall Sign | — | 150 square feet | — | — | One per right-of-way frontage per commercial establishment | On the commercial establishment | — | § 157.25(B)(1); § 157.16(G) |
| Ground Sign (Shopping Center Major Anchor/Tenant, >75,000 sq ft) | — | 300 square feet (total for major anchor/tenant ground signs) | — | — | Depends on number of major anchors | Shopping center (over 75,000 sq ft) | — | § 157.25(B)(2) |
| Additional Wall Signs (Shopping Center >75,000 sq ft) | — | One-half the usual allowed area | — | — | No more than half the number of commercial establishments | As approved in sign plan | — | § 157.25(B)(3) |
| Historical Identification Symbol | — | 5 square feet surface area | — | — | One per establishment | On commercial establishment | — | § 157.25(B)(5) |
| Marquee Sign (Movie Theater) | — | 200 square feet | — | — | One per theater | Movie theater (as conditional use) | — | § 157.25(B)(6) |
| Ground Sign (Strip Mall <75,000 sf; Shopping Center >75,000 sf) | — | 150 square feet surface area | — | — | One per complex | Strip mall/shopping center | — | § 157.25(B)(7) |
| Dynamic Display Sign (Ground Sign) | Per ground sign: 8 feet | Dynamic portion: up to 35% of allowed sign area for the ground sign | — | 15 feet from curb line | One ground sign if dynamic display | As ground sign, conditionally permitted | — | § 157.24(C), (D), (F), (O); § 157.25(B)(1) |
| Temporary Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet total surface area (all issued under a single permit, one side per sign) | — | 10 feet from property line; 15 feet from roadway | No more than two per permit | On principal business use property | — | § 157.30 |

### Light Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canopy or Wall Sign | — | 150 square feet | — | — | One per right-of-way frontage | On business structure | — | § 157.25(C)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign | 8 feet | 34 sq ft for single face; 68 sq ft for two faces; up to 80 sq ft for multiple tenants | — | 15 feet from curb line | One per principal structure | On property | — | § 157.25(C)(1); § 157.22 |
| Dynamic Display Sign (Ground Sign) | 8 feet | 35% of ground sign area | — | 15 feet from curb line | One ground sign if dynamic display | As ground sign, requires conditional use permit | — | § 157.24(C), (D), (F), (O); § 157.25(C)(1) |
| Sign per Building Size | — | 150 square feet | — | — | — | On light industrial business building | — | § 157.25(C)(2) |
| Temporary Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet total surface area per permit (one side per sign) | — | 10 feet from property line; 15 feet from roadway | No more than two per permit | On property of principal business use | — | § 157.30 |

## Prohibited signs in Saint Anthony

- No sign may be erected, placed, altered, or moved unless in conformity with this chapter.
- No sign may by reason of its location, color, or intensity, create a hazard to the safe and efficient movement of vehicles or pedestrian traffic.
- No sign may contain words which might be construed as traffic controls, such as 'Stop,' 'Caution,' 'Warning,' or otherwise resemble any official marker erected by a governmental body or agency, unless such sign is a directional sign.
- Any sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles any official traffic control device or railroad sign or signal, or emergency vehicle signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal is prohibited.
- No sign, or attachment to it, may be erected, placed, or maintained by any person on rocks, fences, or trees, nor in such a manner as to interfere with any electric lights, power, telephone or telegraph wires, or the supports thereof.
- Signs that are not specifically permitted in this chapter are prohibited.
- Balcony signs and signs mounted or supported on a balcony are prohibited.
- Any sign that obstructs any part of a doorway or fire escape is prohibited.
- Signs that interfere with the proper function of a traffic sign or signal, or otherwise constitute a traffic or safety hazard, are prohibited.
- Signs within the public right-of-way or public easement are prohibited.
- Whirling devices are prohibited.
- Signs on glass doors with sign surface area exceeding 20% of the glass area of the door are prohibited.
- Signs (other than wall signs) with any surface area or structural member closer than ten feet to a side lot line are prohibited.
- Signs projecting beyond the property line of the property upon which the sign is located are prohibited.
- Signs projecting more than five feet above the roof line of the structure to which it is affixed are prohibited.
- Signs intended for the purpose of advertising in residential districts (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4), including those visible from outside the building, are prohibited.
- Wall signs having a sign surface area exceeding 15% of the area of the wall surface to which it is affixed are prohibited.
- Signs constructed so that the message or communication is not flat against the sign structure are prohibited.
- Signs affixed to utility poles, fences, trees, rocks, bridges, towers, fences, or similar public structures are prohibited.
- Signs which emit sound, odor, or visible matter are prohibited.
- Animated signs are prohibited.
- Flashing signs are prohibited.
- Vehicles with incorporated or attached signage parked primarily for use as a sign shall not be parked in any zone for more than 72 hours.
- Billboards are prohibited.
- All types of signs except for bus schedules and identification information at certain locations are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited, except bus/transit bench signs as defined in § 94.03.
- Portable signs are prohibited.
- Video display signs are prohibited.
- Fluorescent tubes, neon, LED banding or similar use of LED lighting treatments, and fiber optic light sources are prohibited.
- Any sign which no longer advertises a bona fide business, or a product sold, or is otherwise considered an abandoned sign under this section, shall be taken down and removed by the owner, agent, or person having the beneficial use of the building or structure upon which sign may be found within 30 days after written notification from the Code Official.

## Signs exempt from permit in Saint Anthony

- Changing the advertising message of a painted or printed sign, theater marquee, or a changeable copy sign and the painting, repainting, and cleaning of signs will not require a sign permit, but must comply with this chapter and any other applicable law.
- Changing the display surface on a painted or printed sign only (poster replacement and/or on-site changes involving sign painting elsewhere than directly on a building) does not require a permit.
- Signs six square feet or less in size do not require a permit.
- Temporary or permanent window signs authorized by zoning and other laws of the city do not require a permit, provided all such signs on a frontage do not have a total sign surface area greater than 50% of the glass area (excluding doors), and subject to window height limitations.
- Signs affixed on benches at public bus stops or signs within bus/transit benches as defined in § 94.03 do not require a permit.
- Replacement of an existing commercial identification sign that lawfully exists under this code, as long as the new sign has the same dimensions and is in the same location and is not a prohibited sign under § 157.17, does not require a permit.
- All non-commercial signs of any size may be posted in any number from 46 days before the state primary in a state general election year until ten days following the state general election, except within ten feet from the curb and ten feet from the property lines.
- The owner of any property zoned R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4, C, or I may display one temporary sign of up to ten square feet per sign surface relating to activities or events occurring in a R/OS, Recreation and Open Space District, for up to 28 days per calendar year, in addition to one permitted six square foot noncommercial speech sign.
- Any property in R/OS Recreation and Open Space District may display one temporary sign per street frontage of up to ten square feet per sign surface relating to activities or events occurring on property zoned R/OS Recreation and Open Space District.
- For property zoned residential, one sign of up to six square feet per sign surface may be displayed on days when an active garage or rummage sale is occurring on-site, up to a maximum of nine days per calendar year.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A comprehensive sign plan must be provided for the whole of a shopping center, strip mall, or professional building development, including the location, size, height, color, lighting, and orientation of all signs, and must be submitted for preliminary plan approval.
- Where a shopping center comprehensive sign plan is proposed, the plan must include the location, size, height, color, lighting, and orientation of all signs.
- When a ground sign plan is submitted, the plan must include the location of the sign in relation to lot lines and building height, including any difference from established grade, grade level, dimensions of the berm, size, color, lighting, and hours of illumination.
- Comprehensive sign plans will be reviewed by the City Planning Commission, which will forward a recommendation to the City Council on the appropriateness of the proposed sign plan.
- Upon submittal of a comprehensive sign plan and subject to approval of the City Council, shopping centers and strip malls may be allowed additional or larger signs than otherwise permitted.
- Variances may be granted by the City Council after a public hearing is held by the Planning Commission, and the installation of signs must take place within one year after a variance has been granted.
- Dynamic displays are conditionally permitted and require issuance of a conditional use permit from the City Council, subject to additional requirements.

## 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 8 zoning districts in Saint Anthony — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Saint+Anthony+MN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-saint-anthony

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