# Sign Regulations in Mentor-on--Lake, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mentor-on--Lake, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/mentor-on-lake
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11

## At a glance

Mentor-on--Lake, Ohio regulates 19 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Gateway Signs in the Residential Districts (Single family, Multi-family, Garden-type, Elderly Apartment District, Condominium District, Garden Condominium District) zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 12 sq ft, with a Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way or 15 ft from side line setback (Sec. 1284.03(c)). Most commercial signs in Mentor-on--Lake require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (Single family, Multi-family, Garden-type, Elderly Apartment District, Condominium District, Garden Condominium District) | 5 | 8 ft | 150 sq ft total sign area | — |
| Business District (Business District, Office Building District, Industrial District) | 11 | 45 ft | 700 sq ft per face | — |
| Recreational Park District | 2 | — | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| Yacht Club District | 2 | — | 32 sq ft per face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 3 ft | Not specified | — |

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

### Residential Districts (Single family, Multi-family, Garden-type, Elderly Apartment District, Condominium District, Garden Condominium District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonilluminated Identification Sign | — | 3 sq ft | — | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 15 ft from side property line | 1 per residence | Front yard, not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 15 ft from side property line | — | 1284.03(a)(1) |
| Illuminated Identification Sign | — | 30 sq ft per face | — | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 15 ft from side lot line | 1 per apartment building or complex | Front yard, not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 15 ft from side lot line | — | 1284.03(a)(2) |
| Identification Sign or Bulletin Board | — | 40 sq ft | — | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 25 ft from residential lot line | 1 per public or religious institution | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way line and 25 ft from residential lot line | — | 1284.03(a)(3) |
| Subdivision Sign | — | 150 sq ft total sign area | — | Not less than approved front yard or side yard setback distance | 1 per 500 ft of lot frontage, max 3 signs | Not less than approved front yard or side yard setback distance | — | 1284.03(b) |
| Gateway Sign | 8 ft | 12 sq ft | — | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way or 15 ft from side line | 1 per gateway | Not less than 10 ft from right-of-way or 15 ft from side line | — | 1284.03(c) |

### Business District (Business District, Office Building District, Industrial District)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Wall Sign | — | 4 sq ft per lineal foot of front or side wall | — | — | 1 per business | On or in front of front or side wall | — | 1284.04(a)(1) |
| Sale, Rental or Lease Sign | — | 40 sq ft per sign face | — | Not closer to any lot line than half the required building setback distance | 1 per lot, building or portion thereof | Not closer to any lot line than half the required building setback distance | — | 1284.04(a)(3) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft | 64 sq ft per face | — | Not less than 125% of sign height from right-of-way | 1 per business | Enterprise premises only, not less than 125% of sign height from right-of-way | — | 1284.04(b)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign - Option 1 | 20 ft | 40 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per business | 5 ft in front of existing line of building | — | 1284.04(b)(2) |
| Freestanding Sign - Option 2 | 30 ft | 100 sq ft | — | Not closer than 50 ft to right-of-way | 1 per business | Not closer than 50 ft to right-of-way | — | 1284.04(b)(3) |
| Freestanding Sign - Jointly Used Premises | 25 ft | 64 sq ft per face | — | Not closer than 15 ft to sideline, 25 ft to front or right-of-way line | 1 per premises | Not closer than 15 ft to sideline, 25 ft to front or right-of-way line | — | 1284.04(b)(4) |
| Freestanding Sign - Large Premises | 45 ft | 700 sq ft per face | — | Not less than 125% of sign's height | 1 per premises | Minimum 50,000 sq ft land area, 25,000 sq ft building floor area | — | 1284.04(b)(5) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft | 2 ft | — | 1 per business | Business and Office Zoning District | — | 1284.21 |

### Recreational Park District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | Minimum 10 ft from property line | 1 per parcel of land | Minimum 10 ft from property line | — | 1284.05(a) |
| Commercial Advertising Sign | — | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | Not specified | Fences surrounding McMinn and Andrews Field Parks | — | 1284.05(b) |

## Prohibited signs in Mentor-on--Lake

- No signs shall be illuminated by flashing or moving lights and no signs shall be revolving, oscillating or otherwise moving.
- No sign visible from any public street shall be constructed or located so as to conflict with traffic control signals.
- No person shall post a sign advertising a house, garage or yard sale on a utility pole or other public property.
- No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be, is an imitation of, or resembles a traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal.
- No person shall place or maintain, nor shall any public authority permit, upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mentor-on--Lake

- Signs authorized by Chapter 1284 shall be exempted from the requirements of Section 1452.10.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Design, placement and erection of organization signs shall be subject to the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
- Sign permits for nonconforming signs or for signs which require any deviation from these Codified Ordinances shall be issued by the Zoning Inspector only after approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

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

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