# Sign Regulations in Stacy, Minnesota

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

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

## At a glance

Stacy, Minnesota regulates 14 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the Single Family Residential District (R1), One and Two Family Residential District (R2), Multiple Family Residential - Townhomes District (R-3A), Multiple Family Residential - Apartments District (R-3B), Manufactured Home Park District (R-M), Planned Unit Development (PUD), Rural Residential - I (RR-I), Rural Residential - II (RR-II) zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 36 square feet, with a Setback of 10 feet from lot lines. setback (Sec. § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.104(E)). Most commercial signs in Stacy require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single Family Residential District (R1), One and Two Family Residential District (R2), Multiple Family Residential - Townhomes District (R-3A), Multiple Family Residential - Apartments District (R-3B), Manufactured Home Park District (R-M), Planned Unit Development (PUD), Rural Residential - I (RR-I), Rural Residential - II (RR-II) | 4 | 10 feet | 48 square feet | — |
| Central Business District (CBD), General Business District (GB), Rural Transit Center (RTC), Light Industrial District (LI), Industrial District (I) | 11 | 10 feet | 80% of total awning size; printing limited to 30% of awning area | — |
| Park District (P), Open Space District (OS) | 6 | 10 feet | 80% of the fence section the sign is affixed to | — |
| Agriculture District (A), Rural Residential - Agriculture (RR-A) | 3 | 10 feet | 48 square feet | — |
| Natural Resource Preservation (NRP) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Shoreland District (SL), Sunrise Overlay District (SRO), Carlos Avery Overlay District (CAO), Rural Business Overlay (RBO), General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | 7% of building footprint or 500 sq ft max (total for property) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Single Family Residential District (R1), One and Two Family Residential District (R2), Multiple Family Residential - Townhomes District (R-3A), Multiple Family Residential - Apartments District (R-3B), Manufactured Home Park District (R-M), Planned Unit Development (PUD), Rural Residential - I (RR-I), Rural Residential - II (RR-II)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Changeable Message Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | Setback of 10 feet from lot lines. | 1 per lot | Only allowed for non-residential uses (i.e., churches, schools, etc.) | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.104(D) |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | Setback of 10 feet from lot lines. | 1 per non-residential property | Only allowed for non-residential uses (i.e., churches, schools, etc.) | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.104(E) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 48 square feet | — | Setback of 10 feet from lot lines. | 1 per business | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.094(C)-(D) |
| Window Sign | — | 35% of one window | — | — | 1 per property | One window sign per property. | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |

### Central Business District (CBD), General Business District (GB), Rural Transit Center (RTC), Light Industrial District (LI), Industrial District (I)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 feet | 6 square feet per side | — | — | 1 per business | On property within 10 feet of the primary entrance or out of right-of-way in front of the property. Not on sidewalk. | — | § 153.104(A) |
| Awning Sign | — | 80% of total awning size; printing limited to 30% of awning area | — | — | One awning sign per awning plus one under-awning sign per business | Must maintain vertical clearance of 7'6", located min 18" from back of curb. | — | § 153.104(B) |
| Canopy Sign | — | 80% of total canopy size; printing limited to 30% of canopy area | — | — | 1 canopy sign per canopy, 1 under-canopy sign | Min vertical clearance 7'6", min 18" from back of curb; support posts 5' apart and from walls. | — | § 153.104(C) |
| Changeable Message Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | At least 50 feet from any residential district or use; 10 feet from lot lines. | 1 per lot | — | — | § 153.104(D) |
| Drive-Thru Sign | — | 72 square feet | — | — | One per drive-thru lane | In close proximity to a drive-thru lane, on subject site. | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Freestanding Sign | No higher than adjacent street lighting (CBD and GB) | 80 square feet | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | — | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.104(F) |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 80 square feet | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | One per property (unless complex per § 153.102) | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.104(E) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 48 square feet | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | 1 per business | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2); § 153.094(C)-(D) |

### Park District (P), Open Space District (OS)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballfield Sign | — | 80% of the fence section the sign is affixed to | — | — | — | On ballfield fencing | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Freestanding Sign | No higher than adjacent street lighting | — | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | — | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Monument Sign | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | — | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 48 square feet | — | 10 feet from lot lines. | — | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Wall Sign | — | 40% of the face of the building | — | — | — | On building wall | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 50% of the window | — | — | — | — | — | § 153.101(B)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Stacy

- Any sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be or resembles any official traffic control device, railroad sign or signal, or emergency vehicle signal.
- Signs erected or temporarily placed within any street right-of-way, upon public lands or easements, or other public rights-of-way, except as specifically provided or subject to a license or franchise.
- Signs or sign structures that prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, stairway, or other opening.
- Signs or sign structures attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Abandoned signs (must be removed within 30 days after written notice from the city).
- Any sign that obstructs the vision of drivers or pedestrians, or detracts from the visibility of any official traffic control device.
- Except where specifically permitted, any sign displaying moving parts, rotating, illuminated with flashing or intermittent lights, or any animated sign. (Clocks and barber poles are exempt.)
- Temporary or portable signs, except as permitted by a temporary sign permit.
- Signs painted, attached, or in any other manner affixed to trees, rocks, or similar natural surfaces, or on street/traffic signs, utility poles, bridges, towers, or similar public structures.
- Bench signs or signs affixed to amenities such as trash receptacles, located in the public right-of-way, unless approved by the city.
- Illuminated signs in which light is directed onto adjacent property or public streets. Search lights and beacons, and methods of attracting attention by directing light radiation away from a sign surface, are also prohibited except where specifically permitted.
- Any sign which becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety of a building or premises or public safety must be taken down and removed by the owner.
- Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or interfere with an official traffic sign, signal, or device, or a driver's view of approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic.
- Except as otherwise provided, private signs encroaching upon or overhanging public right-of-way.
- No sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree, or other public facility located within the public right-of-way.
- Signs that blink, flash, or are animated by lighting in any fashion that would cause the appearance of traffic signs/lights or municipal vehicle warnings visible from the roadway.
- Portable signs except as allowed for temporary signs.
- Inflatable or flying devices such as balloons, streamers, or pinwheels, except those permitted as temporary signs.
- Signs that are structurally unsafe or in disrepair or which create a hazard by their condition, location, or lighting.
- Permanent signs or placards attached or added to any sign beyond that included in the application and permit.
- Animated signs, except flashing signs giving time, date, temperature, weather conditions, or similar public info.
- Roof signs extending above the peak of the roof.
- Exterior neon signs.
- A sign that violates any state law.
- Audio components on any sign, except for those utilized for visually impaired and for two-way communication.
- Any form of pyrotechnics.
- Any sign which is obscene, as defined by state law.
- Any sign which emits an audible sound, odor, or visible matter.
- Any torn, tattered, or faded sign, including temporary signs.
- No new billboards will be allowed in the city.

## Signs exempt from permit in Stacy

- Official notices authorized by a court, public body, or public safety official, subject to general provisions.
- Interior window signs in business and industrial districts (no more than 1/2 of any individual window covered; not counted against sign area for other sign types).
- Interior signs.
- Directional, warning, or informational signs authorized by federal, state, or municipal governments, provided they do not exceed 48 square feet.
- Pedestrian, vehicular traffic, and parking directional signs in parking lots or on buildings, not exceeding 8 square feet in area and 6 feet in height, with no advertising message; maximum one per access/egress point per development.
- Memorial tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into masonry or constructed of bronze/incombustible material.
- Headstones, gravestones, grave markers, or similar placed at burial plots, columbariums, mausoleums, etc.
- Flags to the following limits: up to 150 sq ft in Public, Commercial, and Industrial zones; up to 40 sq ft in Residential zones (anything larger is regulated as a sign).
- Awnings without printing, except for street address number (number only), considered architectural feature.
- Canopies without printing, except for street address number (number only), considered architectural feature.
- Street address signs and combination nameplate/street address signs (no advertising copy, max 6 sq ft in area).
- Temporary signs not more than 4 sq ft, in place no longer than 4 days per event, not in right-of-way or on trees/utility poles.
- Bulletin boards.
- Signs denoting architect, engineer, or contractor on site and real estate signs relating to sale, development, or rental (removed within 10 days after completion/sale/lease of 90% of property, max 2 signs at one time, total area not to exceed 48 sq ft).
- Government signs in all districts.
- Signs not visible beyond boundaries of the lot or parcel.
- Security signs.
- Signs required by law.
- Signs integrally attached to or part of waste roll-offs, dumpsters, garbage cans, vending/dispensing machines, portable storage units, or similar equipment owned/maintained by a commercial business for waste collection/storage.
- Signs attached to or placed on personal property or motor vehicles/trailers, with conditions: primary purpose is not display of signs; signs are magnetic, decals, or painted as integral part of vehicle/equipment, do not break silhouette; vehicle/trailer must be operable, licensed, and actively used in the daily function of the business.
- Decorative display and/or elements (balloons, streamers, pennants, pinwheels without words or symbols).
- No exempt sign may be illuminated, except: uplighting of official federal, state, county, or city flags; and lighting of official government signs as needed by government body.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign plan is required for all development complexes consisting of 3 or more tenant spaces in commercial areas. The plan shall be filed with the project application and processed concurrently.
- The purpose of the sign plan is to integrate signs with building and landscaping design to form a unified architectural statement.
- Sign plans must address use of the same type of cabinet supports or mounting, construction material, and illumination for signs; for wall signs, must specify uniform positioning for both anchor and minor tenants.
- A complete set of plans and a site plan are generally required with sign permit applications, including landscape plan and photo-quality color renderings.
- The Planning Commission reviews all permanent sign permit applications; variances must be approved by the City Council as required by § 153.188.

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

---

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