# Sign Regulations in Waterville, Ohio

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Waterville, Ohio (OH)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/ohio/waterville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-11
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/waterville/latest/waterville_oh/0-0-0-20086)

## At a glance

Waterville, Ohio regulates 33 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the Commercial Zone (C-1, C-2) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 45 square feet, with a Minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement setback (Sec. 1315.10(c)). Most commercial signs in Waterville 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 | 20 | 25 feet (ground level) / 10 feet (building mounted) | 50% of the area of the window | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (R-1, R-2) | 2 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Nonresidential Zoning Districts | 3 | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial Zone (C-1, C-2) | 4 | 20 feet | 45 square feet | — |
| A-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, M-1, M-2, M-X, P-1, PBP | 7 | 20 feet | 60 square feet | — |
| Historic Overlay District | 1 | 3.5 feet | 6 square feet per side | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Boards | — | 25 square feet | — | — | — | On property of public, non-profit service organizations, charitable, or religious institutions | — | 1315.07(c) |
| Directional or Instructional Signs | — | 4 square feet | — | — | No more than one sign for each activity | — | — | 1315.07(d) |
| Parking Lot Directional Signs | 5 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | Limited to one sign for each entrance and exit | Parking area entrances and exits | — | 1315.07(e)(1) |
| Parking Lot Instructional Signs | 10 feet (wall-mounted) / 7 feet (freestanding) | 10 square feet | — | — | One per parking area | Parking areas | — | 1315.07(e)(2) |
| Residential Development Signs | — | 15 square feet | — | — | — | Major entrances into the development | — | 1315.07(j) |
| Window Signs | — | 50% of the area of the window | — | — | — | Inside the window of any business or office | — | 1315.07(q) |
| Places of Worship or School Directional Signs | — | — | — | — | Up to three directional signs | Within the municipality | — | 1315.07(r) |
| Non-Residential Development Identification Signs | 6 feet | 45 square feet | — | All portions of the sign located within the triangular area defined by the point of intersection of the right-of-way lines and the two points along such lines 25 feet from the intersection point shall not exceed 36 inches in height. | — | Intersections of public streets within the development | — | 1315.07(s) |

### Commercial Zone (C-1, C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet | — | — | — | One per principal building, additional signs for buildings abutting two or more streets or alleys | Wall abutting a street or alley | — | 1315.10(a) |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet | 10 square feet | — | — | One per principal building | Vertical surface of a building wall | — | 1315.10(b) |
| Ground Sign | 8 feet | 45 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | One per principal building | Not on or over public right-of-way, minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | — | 1315.10(c) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached awning projecting beyond a building | — | 1315.10(d) |

### A-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, M-1, M-2, M-X, P-1, PBP

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet | — | — | — | One per principal building, additional signs for buildings abutting two or more streets or alleys | Wall abutting a street or alley | — | 1315.10(a) |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet | 10 square feet | — | — | One per principal building | Vertical surface of a building wall | — | 1315.10(b) |
| Ground Sign | 8 feet | 45 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | One per principal building | Not on or over public right-of-way, minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | — | 1315.10(c) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached awning projecting beyond a building | — | 1315.10(d) |
| Shopping Center and Multi-business Signs | 8 feet | 60 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | One per shopping or multi-business center | Not on or over public right-of-way, minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | — | 1315.10(e) |
| Automobile Dealership Signs | 8 feet | 30 square feet | — | Minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | Not more than two secondary ground signs | Not on or over public right-of-way, minimum 15 feet from curb or edge of street pavement | — | 1315.10(f) |
| Message Center Signs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1315.10(g) |

## Prohibited signs in Waterville

- A-frame or Sandwich Board Signs, except as permitted by Section 1315.10.
- Banners, pennants, spinners, streamers, or balloons displayed for commercial purposes, except as a temporary sign permitted by Section 1315.09.
- Billboards and other off-premise signs.
- Signs that incorporate any flashing or moving illumination or any illumination that changes in color except message signs.
- Signs that have any visible moving parts, including signs that achieve movement by action of wind currents.
- Portable and Wheeled Signs not permanently anchored or secured to either a building or the ground.
- Any sign or sign structure which constitutes a hazard to public safety or health.
- Any sign which obstructs the vision of a driver or obstructs or detracts from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device on a public street.
- Any sign that obstructs free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window, or other entrance or exit way.
- Any sign that imitates, interferes with, obstructs the view of, or can be confused with any authorized traffic-control sign, signal, or other device.
- Any sign which makes use of words such as 'stop', 'look', 'one-way', 'danger', 'yield', or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights, or characters in such a manner so as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse vehicular traffic.
- Any sign that no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted or product sold on the premises on which the sign is located.
- Any sign on public property or in the public right-of-way, other than a sign erected by the Municipality or traffic-control devices erected by the State.
- Any sign painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, stone, cliff, or other natural object or living vegetation.
- Exterior string lights or strip lighting used in conjunction with a commercial enterprise or operation.
- Searchlights.
- Signs placed on or affixed to vehicles or trailers that are parked on a public right-of-way, public property, or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby premises.
- Pole/Pylon Signs.
- Roof Signs except signs on the street face of a mansard roof.
- The tacking, pasting, or otherwise affixing of signs of a miscellaneous character, visible from a public way, located on the walls of buildings, barns, sheds, trees, poles, posts, fences, or other structures unless otherwise permitted by this Chapter.
- Multi-prism Indexing Signs.
- Luminous or Video signs.
- All signs not herein defined in Section 1315.03.

## Signs exempt from permit in Waterville

- Name and Address Signs not exceeding two square feet in sign area.
- Trespassing Signs regulating the use of the property on which the signs are located.
- Bulletin Boards for public, non-profit service organizations, charitable, or religious institutions.
- Directional or Instructional Signs not exceeding four square feet in sign area.
- Parking Lot Directional and Instructional Signs.
- Governmental Signs for control of traffic and other regulatory and informational purposes.
- Memorial Signs non-commercial in nature.
- Plaques denoting the date of erection of the building to which it is attached.
- Flags, emblems, or insignia of any governmental, educational, religious charitable, fraternal, or corporate organizations.
- Residential Development Signs at major entrances into the development.
- Public Institutions Signs indicating the name and current displays or activities.
- Business Signs incidental to the administration of a business.
- Symbols or Insignia of religious orders or historical agencies.
- Holiday Decorations temporarily displayed on traditionally accepted civic, patriotic, or religious holidays.
- Vending Machine Signs indicating only the contents of such devices.
- Interior Signs fully located within the interior of any building.
- Window Signs located inside the window of any business or office.
- Places of Worship or School Directional Signs.
- Non-Residential Development Identification Signs at major entrances into a non-residential development.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any illumination of signs involving up lighting shall require a Board of Zoning Appeals review.
- A permit shall be required for all signs except as may otherwise be provided in this chapter.
- Application for a permit shall be on forms as required by the Municipal Administrator, and shall be accompanied by a scale drawing indicating the size and height of the proposed sign, general configuration of lettering or symbols, and such descriptive material as may be necessary to explain the intent of the application fully.

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

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