# Sign Regulations in Avon Lake, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Avon Lake, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/avon-lake
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/avonlake/latest/avonlake_oh/0-0-0-17043)

## At a glance

Avon Lake, Ohio regulates 5 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 7 feet tall and 40 square feet, with a Minimum of 7 feet from the right-of-way and 15 feet from any adjacent lot lines setback (Sec. § 1236.10(b)). Most commercial signs in Avon Lake require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| Historic District | 1 | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — |
| Residential District | 2 | 6 feet | 36 square feet | — |
| B-1 District | 1 | — | — | — |
| B-3 District | 1 | 7 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 1 | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — | Minimum of 7 feet from the right-of-way and 15 feet from any adjacent lot lines | One per street frontage, additional allowed with conditions | Nonresidential Districts | — | § 1236.10(b) |
| Building Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Principal structures in nonresidential districts | — | § 1236.10(c) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of the window area | — | — | — | Nonresidential districts | — | § 1236.10(d) |

### Historic District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 7 feet | 40 square feet | — | Minimum of 7 feet from the right-of-way and 15 feet from any adjacent lot lines | One per street frontage, additional allowed with conditions | Nonresidential Districts | — | § 1236.05(b) |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - Entrance | 6 feet | 12 square feet | — | 15 feet from the public right-of-way and 20 feet from any adjacent lot lines | Two wall signs or one monument sign per entrance | Subdivision or multi-family dwelling development | — | § 1236.10(a)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign - Conditional Use | 6 feet | 36 square feet | — | 7 feet from the public right-of-way and 20 feet from any adjacent lot lines | One monument sign per lot | Lot containing a use approved as a conditional use | — | § 1236.10(a)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Avon Lake

- Any sign that copies or imitates a sign installed by any governmental agency or purports to have been authorized by a governmental agency.
- Signs that interfere with, obstruct the view of, or are similar in appearance to any authorized traffic sign, signal or device because of its position, shape, use of words or color.
- Signs that constitute a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate or inappropriate design, construction, repair or maintenance.
- Signs that employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention, except for electronic message centers as allowed in this chapter.
- Signs with moving or flashing lights except for electronic message centers as allowed in this chapter.
- Feather signs.
- Beacons and searchlights, except for emergency purposes.
- Windblown devices, pennants, streamers, and similar signs that are designed to move by atmospheric, mechanical, electrical or other means, whether containing words or numerals or containing no message.
- Air-activated graphics.
- Balloon signs.
- Roof signs.
- Signs that are applied to trees, bus shelters, utility poles, benches, trash receptacles, newspaper vending machines or boxes, or any other unapproved supporting structure, or otherwise placed in the public right-of-way except as otherwise specifically provided for in this code.
- Signs that obstruct or substantially interfere with any window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress to any building.
- Signs which are not securely affixed to the ground or otherwise affixed in a permanent manner to an approved supporting structure unless specifically permitted as a temporary sign.
- Portable signs.
- Vehicle signs viewed from a public road with the primary purpose of providing signage not otherwise allowed by this chapter.
- Any sign not specifically allowed by this chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Avon Lake

- Signs and/or notices issued by any court, officer or other person in performance of a public duty.
- Whenever any sign, either conforming or nonconforming, is required to be removed for the purpose of repair, relettering or repainting, the same may be done without a zoning permit or any payment of fees provided that there is no alteration or remodeling to the structure or the mounting of the sign itself, there is no enlargement or increase in any of the dimensions of the sign or its structure, and the sign is accessory to a legally permitted or legally nonconforming use.
- Signs that are an integral part of the original construction of vending or similar machines, fuel pumps, automated teller machines or similar devices that are not of a size or design as to be visible from a street or by any person other than those using the machine or device.
- Any sign that is located completely inside a building that is not visible from the exterior.
- Signs that are located within a stadium, open-air theater, park, arena or other outdoor use that are not visible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property, and can be viewed only by persons within such stadium, open-air theater, park, arena or other outdoor use.
- Certain temporary signs as established in § 1236.11: Temporary Signs.
- No more than four flags located on flagpoles or on wall-mounted posts provided that the maximum height of flag poles shall not exceed the maximum building height for structures in the subject zoning district, and a maximum sign area of area of 40 square feet for any individual flag attached to the pole; and the maximum projection for wall-mounted flag post is six feet and a maximum sign area of 15 square feet per flag.
- A single wall sign placed on the facade of an individual dwelling unit that is not illuminated and does not exceed two square feet in area.
- Signs that are an integral part of the historic character of a structure that has been designated an official landmark or historic structure by any agency or body of the governments of the United States, state, Lorain County or city.
- Any signs located on umbrellas, seating or similar patio furniture provided they are located outside of the right-of-way.
- Ground signs and markings located completely within the interior of a lot used for a cemetery where such signs are not designed to be visible from a public street.
- Signs that are part of a public art installation.
- Any sign on a truck, bus or other vehicle that is used in the normal course of a business for transportation, or signage required by the state or federal government.
- Signs installed or required by a governmental agency including the city, Lorain County, state and United States, including local and regional transit agencies.
- Any warning signs or traffic safety signs required by public utility providers.
- Hand-held signs not set on or affixed to the ground.
- Any address numbers required by the city, Lorain County or the state.
- Changes of copy on signs with changeable copy.
- Any signs, including illuminated signs, or related decorations erected in observance of religious, national or state holidays which are not intended to be permanent in nature and which contain no advertising material.
- General maintenance, painting, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or any sign structure unless a structural change is made.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All permanent signs related to a use or development that requires a site plan review approval shall be required to be reviewed as part of the site plan review application prior to issuance of a zoning permit.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/avon-lake