# Sign Regulations in Medina, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Medina, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/medina
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/medina/latest/medina_oh/0-0-0-33364)

## At a glance

Medina, Ohio regulates 22 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Permanent Pole Sign (C-3 District)s in the Commercial and Industrial Districts (C-S, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1) zoning district are capped at Varies by shopping center floor area tall and Varies by shopping center floor area, with a Varies by shopping center floor area setback (Sec. 1147.14(c)). Most commercial signs in Medina require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | — | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4), Open Space-Conservation District (O-C), Public Facilities District (P-F) | 7 | 6 feet | 100 square feet | — |
| Multi-Use District (M-U) | 7 | 6 feet | 12 square feet per side | — |
| Commercial and Industrial Districts (C-S, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1) | 11 | 6 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| Historic District | 10 | 14 feet | 100 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4), Open Space-Conservation District (O-C), Public Facilities District (P-F)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Sign Plate | — | — | — | — | One per specified location | Each single-family dwelling unit, each two-family dwelling unit, each public entrance to each multi-family residential building, and each public entrance to each nonresidential building. | — | 1147.12(a) |
| Permanent Ground Sign | 6 feet | 20 square feet | — | — | One per entrance | Each residential development entrance | — | 1147.12(b) |
| Permanent Ground Sign (Nonresidential Building) | 6 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.12(c) |
| Permanent Wall Sign (O-C and P-F Districts) | — | 100 square feet | — | — | One per building | Primary building frontage side of the building | — | 1147.12(d) |
| Permanent Wall Sign (Secondary Frontage) | — | 25 square feet | — | — | One per building | Secondary building frontage side of the building | — | 1147.12(d) |
| Temporary Ground Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per specified location | Each single-family dwelling unit, each two-family dwelling unit, each multi-family residential building, and each public entrance to each nonresidential building | — | 1147.12(e) |
| Temporary Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Inside of display or show windows | — | 1147.12(f) |

### Commercial and Industrial Districts (C-S, C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Sign Plate | — | — | — | — | One per entrance | Each public entrance to each building unit | — | 1147.14(a) |
| Permanent Ground Sign | 6 feet | 40 square feet | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.14(b) |
| Permanent Pole Sign (C-3 District) | Varies by shopping center floor area | Varies by shopping center floor area | — | Varies by shopping center floor area | One per shopping center | Primary entrance to a shopping center that exceeds 50,000 square feet in floor area | — | 1147.14(c) |
| Permanent Building Sign (Primary Frontage) | — | 300 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Primary building frontage side of the building unit | — | 1147.14(d) |
| Permanent Building Sign (Secondary Frontage) | — | 75 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Secondary building frontage side of the building unit | — | 1147.14(d) |
| Temporary Ground or Wall Sign (C-1 and C-2 Districts) | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.14(f) |
| Temporary Ground or Wall Sign (C-S and C-3 Districts) | — | 12 square feet | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.14(f) |
| Temporary Ground or Wall Sign (I-1 District) | — | 24 square feet | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.14(f) |

### Historic District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Sign Plate | — | — | — | — | One per entrance | Each public entrance to each building unit | — | 1147.15(a) |
| Permanent Ground Sign | 6 feet | 12 square feet per side | — | — | One per building | Each nonresidential building | — | 1147.15(b) |
| Permanent Building Sign (Primary Frontage) | — | 100 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Primary building frontage side of the building unit | — | 1147.15(c) |
| Permanent Building Sign (Secondary Frontage) | — | 25 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Secondary building frontage side of the building unit | — | 1147.15(c) |
| Permanent Window Sign (Primary Frontage) | — | — | — | — | One per building unit | Primary building frontage side of the building unit | — | 1147.15(d) |
| Permanent Projecting Sign | 14 feet | 4 square feet per side | — | — | One per building unit | Each ground floor nonresidential building unit with not less than twelve (12) linear feet of primary building frontage | — | 1147.15(e) |
| Temporary Ground Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per specified location | Each single-family dwelling unit, each two-family dwelling unit, each multi-family residential building, and each public entrance to each nonresidential building | — | 1147.15(f) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sidewalk Sign | 4 feet | 5 square feet per side | — | Set back a minimum of one foot from the curb line | One per building unit | Per ground floor building unit with not less than twelve (12) feet of primary building frontage | — | 1147.15(h) |

## Prohibited signs in Medina

- Abandoned signs.
- Billboard signs.
- All other off-premises signs, except temporary signs for civic or community affairs of a public or semi-public nature, not for private gain.
- Pole signs with a single pole.
- Temporary changeable copy signs.
- Rooftop signs except those signs that appear to be a continuation of the face of the building or a mansard roof so long as the sign does not extend above the upper edge of the mansard roof line.
- Animated and inflatable signs.
- Signs painted on sidewalks.
- Signs attached to trees, utility poles, streetlights, and public benches including benches at bus stops.
- Mobile signs, except those on licensed commercial delivery and service vehicles. Such vehicles shall not be parked in any district closer to the right-of-way than the front line of the principal building.
- Merchandise, equipment, products, vehicles or other items not themselves for sale and placed for attention getting, identification or advertising purposes.
- Signs erected or attached to accessory structures and fences.
- Internal illumination of all or part of the roof.
- Any sign not specifically authorized by this Chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Medina

- Architectural features that are either part of the building or part of a freestanding structure are not considered signs and are thus exempt from these regulations.
- Safety and public purpose signs and flags of any nation, government or public service organization, as determined by the Safety Director or designee thereof.
- Scoreboards on athletic fields.
- Cornerstone inscriptions, commemorative plaques or other text and graphics that are part of facades and/or intended for viewing from within the property.
- Gravestones, religious symbols or monuments in cemeteries or monument sales lots.
- Signs not exceeding one (1) square foot in sign area such as street numbers on buildings, security system signs or stickers, identification of store hours, emblems of credit cards accepted, and seals indicating membership in business or trade associations.
- Signs accessory to juvenile activities, such as a child's lemonade stand or temporary play-related sidewalk markings.
- Holiday or other temporary decorations.
- Instructional signs, as determined by the Planning Director.
- Other signs similar in nature in the judgment of the Planning Director to the above signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Conditional sign permits may be issued by the Historic Preservation Board in accordance with the standards and regulations of Chapter 1147 of the Zoning Code.
- In reviewing a proposal for a conditional sign permit, the Historic Preservation Board and Planning Commission shall consider whether the proposal meets the design guidelines.
- A sign plan is required for conditional sign permits, including photographs of existing conditions, elevation drawings, and color and material samples.

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

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