# Sign Regulations in Monticello, New York

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Monticello, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/monticello
- **Data last verified:** 2025-08-14
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/12184734#12184731)

## At a glance

Monticello, New York regulates 19 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, RM, RM-MHP) zoning district are capped at 36 inches tall and 36 inches wide (Sec. Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' and § 280-19E(10)). Most commercial signs in Monticello require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, RM, RM-MHP) | 13 | 36 inches | 50 square feet maximum (both sides); or 1 sq ft per 5 ft of lot frontage (whichever is less) | — |
| Core Business District (B-2) | 11 | 36 inches | 75 square feet maximum (both sides); or 1 sq ft per 1 ft of lot frontage (whichever is less) | — |
| All Other Commercial/Industrial Districts (B-1, B-1-O, BLI) | 13 | 36 inches | 100 square feet (maximum); or 10% of first-story facade, whichever is less | — |
| B-1 Zone | 1 | 15 feet | 50 square feet per side | — |
| BLI district | 1 | — | 6 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 36 inches | — | — |

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

### Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, RM, RM-MHP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tree or Pole Sign | — | 1 square foot | — | — | One per 100 feet lot frontage | — | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Residential Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | Maximum one per lot | — | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 1 | — | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 2 | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per front lot line abutting a street | — | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | — | 36 inches | — | One per building location | Sidewalk, within 3 feet of building exterior, minimum walkway for pedestrians 4 feet | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' and § 280-19E(10) |
| Temporary Sign - Option 3 | — | 32 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per lot | — | — | Residential Districts, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Wall Sign | — | 25 square feet (maximum); or 5% of first-story building facade area, whichever is less | — | — | — | Attached flush to building wall; cannot extend above wall | — | Residential Districts, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet from grade level | 50 square feet maximum (both sides); or 1 sq ft per 5 ft of lot frontage (whichever is less) | — | — | — | On the lot, set back as required by § 280-19E(4) | — | Residential Districts, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' |

### Core Business District (B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign - Option 1 | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 per front lot line abutting a street | — | — | Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 2 | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Incidental Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 3 | — | 32 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per lot | — | — | Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Banner | — | 32 square feet (total all banners at any time) | — | — | — | — | — | Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | — | 36 inches | — | One per building location | Sidewalk, within 3 feet of building exterior, minimum walkway for pedestrians 4 feet | — | § 280-19E(10) & Core Business District, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet (maximum); or 10% of first-story facade, whichever is less | — | — | — | Attached flush to building wall; cannot extend above wall | — | Core Business District, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' & §280-19I |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 75 square feet maximum (both sides); or 1 sq ft per 1 ft of lot frontage (whichever is less) | — | — | — | On the lot, set back as required by code | — | Core Business District, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' |

### All Other Commercial/Industrial Districts (B-1, B-1-O, BLI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign - Option 1 | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 2 per front lot line abutting a street | — | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 2 | — | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | — | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Allowed Without Permits' |
| Directory Sign | 12 feet | 20 square feet per side, plus individual signs of 10 square feet each | — | — | — | — | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Temporary Sign - Option 3 | — | 20 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per lot | — | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 36 inches | — | 36 inches | — | One per building location | Sidewalk, within 3 feet of building exterior, minimum walkway for pedestrians 4 feet | — | § 280-19E(10) & All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Allowed With Permits From Enforcement Officer' |
| Wall Sign | — | 100 square feet (maximum); or 10% of first-story facade, whichever is less | — | — | — | Attached flush to building wall; cannot extend above wall | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' |
| Freestanding Sign | — | 100 square feet maximum (both sides); or 1 sq ft per 2 ft of lot frontage (whichever is less) | — | — | — | On the lot, set back as required by code | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Maximum Sign Surface Area Allowed for All Lot Signs Combined' |
| Billboard | 30 feet high (billboard only) | Over 50 square feet (billboards only) | — | — | — | On the lot, as allowed only | — | All Other Commercial/Industrial, 'Signs Permitted Upon Review by Planning Board' |

## Prohibited signs in Monticello

- All signs must be removed within 30 days or as otherwise provided when the reasons for their erection no longer apply.
- Signs shall not be permitted on the roof or above the roofline of the building to which they are attached.
- No part of any sign shall project above the top or beyond the ends of the wall surface on which it is located.
- No sign (except official traffic signs) over 24 square feet shall be set less than 5 feet from the side lot line; all signs must comply with clear-sight triangle and minimum 10-foot setbacks from highway right-of-way (except Core Business District).
- No sign, except a public sign visible from a public street, shall use any word, phrase, symbol or character that could be interpreted by a motorist as being a public safety warning or traffic sign.
- No light shall be permitted that, by reason of intensity, color, location, movement, or direction of its beam, may interfere with public safety.
- No sign shall be attached to any utility pole or other object not intended for such use, except as defined as a tree or pole sign.
- A portable sign shall be considered as any other sign and subject to all regulations contained in this section.
- No sign shall exceed in height 1/2 its distance from the highway right-of-way, notwithstanding any other height limitation.
- Portable sandwich board signs must not exceed 36 inches in height or width, must not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic, and are limited to one per building location; must be removed at least six hours per twenty-four-hour period, and placed within three feet maximum of the building exterior allowing a minimum walkway of four feet for pedestrian traffic.
- Existing nonconforming signs cannot be relocated or increased in size except as provided; any nonconforming sign abandoned for more than 90 days, damaged to 25%+ of replacement cost, or illegally established must be removed.
- No owner of any sign or lessee/owner of land shall permit such sign to become unsafe, unsightly or disrepaired so as to endanger the public or become a public nuisance.
- Signs must be removed if they reference something (business, product, operation) which no longer exists within 30 days of discontinuance unless a waiver is granted.
- Signs must not present an overhead danger or obstacle to persons below.
- Signs should not substantially interfere with the views to and from other enterprises or residences.

## Signs exempt from permit in Monticello

- Temporary signs for events occurring no more than four times per year may be permitted within all districts without a permit if they meet size/setback limitations and are not attached to trees, utility poles, bridges, or traffic signs.
- Official traffic signs (defined as placed by government for purposes of traffic control) are generally exempt from sign regulations.
- Incidental signs (directed only to persons on the lot) are generally allowed (size limits may apply).
- Replacement of an existing sign with an identical or largely similar object does not require a new permit if there is no significant change.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Business and property owners are strongly encouraged to submit master signage plans which specify the location, dimensions, type, design and number of all signs to be erected on the property.
- Master signage plans must be submitted for approval to the Planning Board and, once approved, no further permits will be required for any sign in compliance with the plan.
- Certain signs, as indicated in the Schedule of Sign Regulations (e.g., any sign not specifically permitted by right or by permit from the Code Enforcement Officer), must be submitted to the Planning Board for approval before a permit may be granted.
- Any significant change or replacement of sign faces existing or permitted in the future that fall under the Planning Board's purview require Planning Board approval.
- Landscape plans must be submitted for signs of 16 square feet or greater.
- Where a sign is to be constructed with a new building project, landscaping must be included as part of the overall site plan.
- Signs allowed only by Planning Board review (not listed as by-right or by permit) require a sign plan (submission with elevation/plan drawings and full design specs) and may require Board meetings.

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

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