# Sign Regulations in North Olmsted, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Olmsted, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/north-olmsted
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/northolmsted/latest/northolmsted_oh/0-0-0-12548)

## At a glance

North Olmsted, Ohio regulates 7 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 12 feet tall and 65 square feet (8 feet height) or 50 square feet (12 feet height), with a Minimum of 5 feet from every right-of-way line. setback (Sec. 1163.12.C).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 30 inches | 65 square feet (8 feet height) or 50 square feet (12 feet height) | — |
| One or Two Family Residence Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residential Cluster Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| Business Districts | 1 | 6 feet | 32 square feet (single sign), 72 square feet (aggregate) | — |
| Residential Office District | 6 | 30 inches | 65 square feet (8 feet height) or 50 square feet (12 feet height) | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No maximum number of permitted building signs. | — | — | 1163.12.A.6 |
| Canopy Sign | 18 inches above the canopy | 15 square feet | — | — | — | Above any canopy that extends over a customer entrance. | — | 1163.12.A.7 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Perpendicular to the wall of the building. | — | 1163.12.A.8 |
| Window Sign | — | 33% of the window area | — | — | — | Attached to the window surface. | — | 1163.12.B |
| Ground Sign | 12 feet | 65 square feet (8 feet height) or 50 square feet (12 feet height) | — | Minimum of 5 feet from every right-of-way line. | One per lot, two if lot exceeds 10 acres or 600 feet frontage | In a landscaped area equal to or larger than the total sign area. | — | 1163.12.C |
| Driveway Sign | 30 inches | 4 square feet | — | Set back at least 5 feet from all lot lines. | One per driveway | At driveway entrances to a public street. | — | 1163.12.E |

### Business Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Drive-Through Facility Sign | 6 feet | 32 square feet (single sign), 72 square feet (aggregate) | — | — | — | Visible to occupants of vehicles in the stacking lanes. | — | 1163.12.D |

### Residential Office District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No maximum number of permitted building signs. | — | — | 1163.12.A.6 |
| Canopy Sign | 18 inches above the canopy | 15 square feet | — | — | — | Above any canopy that extends over a customer entrance. | — | 1163.12.A.7 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 6 square feet | — | — | One per building unit | Perpendicular to the wall of the building. | — | 1163.12.A.8 |
| Window Sign | — | 33% of the window area | — | — | — | Attached to the window surface. | — | 1163.12.B |
| Ground Sign | 12 feet | 65 square feet (8 feet height) or 50 square feet (12 feet height) | — | Minimum of 5 feet from every right-of-way line. | One per lot, two if lot exceeds 10 acres or 600 feet frontage | In a landscaped area equal to or larger than the total sign area. | — | 1163.12.C |
| Driveway Sign | 30 inches | 4 square feet | — | Set back at least 5 feet from all lot lines. | One per driveway | At driveway entrances to a public street. | — | 1163.12.E |

## Prohibited signs in North Olmsted

- Any sign that copies or imitates signs installed by the City or any other governmental agencies or falsely purports to have been authorized by the City or other governmental agency.
- Signs that interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be 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 due to inadequate or inappropriate design, construction, repair or maintenance, as determined by the Building Commissioner.
- Windblown devices and signs that flutter with the exception of flags as allowed by the City of North Olmsted.
- Signs that employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention, excluding changeable copy signs as allowed in this chapter.
- Signs with moving or flashing lights except as noted in the changeable copy sign section.
- Beacons, lasers and searchlights, except for emergency purposes.
- Signs or other structures that advertise a business which is no longer in existence or a product which is no longer sold at the business.
- Signs that are accessory to an abandoned use of property.
- Pennants and streamers.
- 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 provided for in Section 1163.10(h).
- 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.
- Pole signs except as allowed in Section 1163.12.D and 1163.12.E.
- 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.
- Signs mounted on or above the roofline of any building or structure except as permitted on canopy signs in Section 1163.12.
- Portable signs.
- Vehicle signs, except as permitted as temporary signs in Table 1163.13-1.
- Any sign not specifically allowed or addressed by this chapter shall be prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Olmsted

- Signs and/or notices issued by any court, officer or other person in performance of a public duty.
- Signs that are an integral part of the original construction of vending or similar machines, fuel pumps, automated teller machines or similar devices.
- 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.
- Sign face changes where the sign structure is designed with interchangeable panels and one of the panels is replaced without changing the structure.
- Certain temporary signs as established in Section 1163.13.
- A single wall sign placed on the façade of an individual dwelling unit that is not illuminated and does not exceed two square feet in area.
- Signs which are an integral part of the historic character of a structure that has been designated an official landmark or historic structure.
- 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.
- 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.
- Signs installed or required by a governmental agency.
- Any warning signs or traffic safety signs required by construction contractors and public utility providers.
- Hand-held signs not set on or affixed to the ground.
- Any address numbers required by the Section 1351.01 of the Codified Ordinances.
- 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

- Unless otherwise stated in this chapter, all signs shall require a sign permit.
- In the event of a variance request, or other delay caused by the applicant, the time for making a determination of sign compliance under this section shall be extended for a period of time equal to the time period during which the variance application is pending, or to the period of time of other delay caused by the applicant, whichever is applicable.

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

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