# Sign Regulations in Cannon Beach, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cannon Beach, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/cannon-beach
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/43512411#43512411)

## At a glance

Cannon Beach, Oregon regulates 13 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Limited Commercial (C1), General Commercial (C2), Residential Motel (RM) zoning district are capped at 16 ft tall and 24 sq ft per sign (Sec. §17.62.040.A.2; §17.62.060; §17.62.030). Most commercial signs in Cannon Beach 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 | 5 | 16 ft (measured from grade) | — | — |
| Limited Commercial (C1), General Commercial (C2), Residential Motel (RM) | 8 | 16 ft | 24 sq ft per sign | — |
| Manufactured Dwelling and Recreational Vehicle Park (MP), Park Management (PK), Institutional (IN), Open Space/Recreational (OSR) | 8 | 16 ft | 24 sq ft | — |
| Residential Very Low Density (RVL), Lower Density (RL), Moderate Density Residential (R1), Medium Density Residential (R2), High Density Residential (R3), Residential Alternative/Manufactured Dwelling (RAM) | 6 | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — |

_1 additional zoning district is covered in PermitPal (free account)._

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

### Limited Commercial (C1), General Commercial (C2), Residential Motel (RM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 16 ft | 24 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per site frontage | On site frontage; subject to general placement/clearance regs. | — | §17.62.040.A.2; §17.62.060; §17.62.030 |
| Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | On building frontage | — | §17.62.040.A.3; §17.62.060; §17.62.030 |
| Projecting Sign | 16 ft (general max for projecting signs) | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | On building frontage | — | §17.62.040.A.4; §17.62.030.B, E.6, I |
| Awning Sign | 16 ft (awing, like projecting/freestanding) | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | On awning, attached to building | — | §17.62.040.A.4; §17.62.030.B, I |
| Window Sign | — | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | Window | — | §17.62.040.A.4; §17.62.030.I |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.A.4 |
| Incidental Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.A.4 |
| Lawn Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.A.4 |

### Manufactured Dwelling and Recreational Vehicle Park (MP), Park Management (PK), Institutional (IN), Open Space/Recreational (OSR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 16 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 1 per site | — | — | §17.62.040.B.2; §17.62.060; §17.62.030 |
| Wall Sign | — | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage | — | — | 1 per building frontage | Building frontage | — | §17.62.040.B.3, §17.62.030, §17.62.060 |
| Projecting Sign | 16 ft (general) | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | On building frontage | — | §17.62.040.B.4, §17.62.030, §17.62.060 |
| Awning Sign | 16 ft (general) | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | On awning | — | §17.62.040.B.4, §17.62.030, §17.62.060 |
| Window Sign | — | 24 sq ft or 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage (whichever less) | — | — | 1 per building frontage | Window | — | §17.62.040.B.4, §17.62.030, §17.62.060 |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.B.4 |
| Incidental Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.B.4 |
| Lawn Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | §17.62.040.B.4 |

### Residential Very Low Density (RVL), Lower Density (RL), Moderate Density Residential (R1), Medium Density Residential (R2), High Density Residential (R3), Residential Alternative/Manufactured Dwelling (RAM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Incidental Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | §17.62.040.C.2.a |
| Temporary Sign | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — | — | Max 2 (temp+lawn) | — | — | §17.62.040.C.2.b |
| Lawn Sign | — | 4 sq ft per sign | — | — | Max 2 (temp+lawn) | — | — | §17.62.040.C.2.b |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building | — | §17.62.040.C.2.c |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building | — | §17.62.040.C.2.c |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Window | — | §17.62.040.C.2.c |

## Prohibited signs in Cannon Beach

- No sign may be erected unless it conforms with the regulations of this chapter.
- No freestanding, projecting, or awning sign, including supporting structures, shall be more than 16 feet in height.
- No sign may be located within a vision clearance area as defined in the ordinance.
- When a sign extends over a private vehicle area, the bottom of the sign structure shall be at least 14 feet above the ground.
- When a sign extends over areas accessible to pedestrians, the bottom of the sign structure shall be at least eight feet above the grade, with specific exception for signs near doorways placed no lower than the lowest point of the structural element.
- Signs shall project no more than two feet into a public right-of-way.
- The maximum sign letter height shall be 12 inches.
- Signs or sign supporting structures shall not be located so as to detract from a motorist's view of traffic or traffic signs.
- All signs shall be designed and located to prevent casting glare or direct light from artificial illumination onto streets and surrounding property.
- Signs that contain flashing elements are prohibited.
- Signs that contain moving, rotating, or otherwise animated parts are prohibited.
- Signs that contain luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent paints or paper (including day-glo, hot, or neon) are prohibited.
- Signs that contain neon-type lighting, including such signs within a building visible from the street, are prohibited.
- Signs that are internally lighted are prohibited.
- Signs placed so that the sign extends above a flat roof or the ridge of a pitched roof are prohibited.
- In certain zones (C1, C2, RM, MP, OSR, IN, PK), devices such as pennants, streamers, spinners, windsocks, kites, or similar air-moved devices are prohibited—these devices are also prohibited when not part of a sign.
- A public address system, sound system, or similar device installed outside a building and audible from a public street or adjacent property is prohibited.
- Sandwich board signs are prohibited.
- Reader board signs are prohibited.
- Bench signs are prohibited.
- Wall graphics are prohibited.
- Permanent signs are not allowed on undeveloped sites.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cannon Beach

- Signs, other than neon signs, within a building not intended to be visible from the exterior of the building.
- Signs legally erected in a street right-of-way.
- Building numbers required by Chapter 15.08.
- Three flags of national or state governments.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For the erection of any new permanent sign with a sign face area of four square feet or more, or alteration of the structure of an existing permanent sign in specified zones, a sign permit is required.
- A scale drawing with specified details must be submitted to obtain a sign permit.
- Freestanding signs are subject to review by the design review board as a nonhearing item.
- Any variance to sign requirements requires planning commission approval and referral to the design review board if the variance is based on exceptional design, style, or circumstance.

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

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