# Sign Regulations in Clatskanie, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Clatskanie, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/clatskanie
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Clatskanie, Oregon regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Neighborhood Identification Signs in the Residential Zones zoning district are capped at 5 ft above grade tall and 24 sq ft per sign face (Sec. 9-12-6:A).

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zones | 2 | 8 ft | 24 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Commercial Zones, Industrial Zones | 8 | 24 ft | 150 sq ft per side | — |
| Shopping Centers | 2 | 30 ft | 300 sq ft per face | — |
| Downtown Overlay (north of Nehalem Street), C-1-D Overlay, C-1-H Overlay | 1 | 8 ft | 36 sq ft per face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

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

### Residential Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Neighborhood Identification Sign | 5 ft above grade | 24 sq ft per sign face | — | — | One per entry point | At each entry point to a subdivision | — | 9-12-6:A |
| Freestanding Sign (Multiple-family residential and mobile home parks) | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | One | Mounted in a planter or landscaped area | — | 9-12-6:B |

### Commercial Zones, Industrial Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 24 ft | Up to 48 sq ft each side (not bordering Hwy 30); Up to 150 sq ft each side (bordering Hwy 30) | — | — | One per structure | As allowed per building/lot frontage | — | 9-12-7:A, 9-12-5:G |
| Freestanding Sign (Bordering Highway 30) | 24 ft | 150 sq ft per side | — | — | One per structure | Bordering Highway 30 | — | 9-12-7:A3 |
| Freestanding Sign (Not Bordering Highway 30) | 24 ft | 48 sq ft per side | — | — | One per structure | Not bordering Highway 30 | — | 9-12-7:A4 |
| Projecting Sign (Bordering Highway 30) | 24 ft | 150 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Bordering Highway 30 | — | 9-12-7:A3 |
| Projecting Sign (Not Bordering Highway 30) | 24 ft | 48 sq ft per side | — | — | — | Not bordering Highway 30 | — | 9-12-7:A4 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On the wall of the building | — | 9-12-7:A2 |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building awning | — | 9-12-7:D |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | In window, visible from exterior | — | 9-12-7:A |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sandwich Board / A-frame / Reader Board / Track Board Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per business | — | — | 9-12-5:E3,5 |
| Temporary Banner / Pennant / Flag (Civic events) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9-12-5:C17 |
| Temporary Political Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 9-12-5:C10 |
| Temporary Political Sign (Commercial/Industrial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 9-12-5:C10 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage per parcel | On residential properties | — | 9-12-5:C11 |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Commercial/Industrial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per street frontage per parcel | On commercial or industrial properties | — | 9-12-5:C12 |
| Temporary Construction/Subdivision Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 9-12-5:C13 |

## Prohibited signs in Clatskanie

- Signs attached to utility, streetlight, or traffic control standard poles or otherwise located in the public right of way without a permit.
- Signs in a dilapidated or hazardous condition.
- Signs on doors, windows, or fire escapes that restrict free ingress or egress.
- Signs that resemble an official traffic sign or signal which could cause confusion with any official sign, or which obstruct the visibility of any traffic sign or signal.
- Swinging signs.
- Billboards and any off premises sign.
- Signs that contain flashing elements.
- Signs that contain moving, rotating or otherwise animated parts, but do not include digital displays.
- Signs that contain luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent paint or paper. This includes paints referred to as Day-Glo, hot or neon.
- Signs placed so that the sign extends above a flat roof or the ridge of a pitched roof.
- A public address system, sound system, or similar device, either permanently or temporarily installed exterior to a building, whether or not it is used to advertise a business or product, where the sound is audible from a public street or adjacent property.
- No sign or poster shall be attached in any manner to any hedge or sight obscuring fence or object within a residential district.
- Billboards and other signs designed to a 'highway scale' are not permitted (specifically in Downtown as per 9-9D-5-8).

## Signs exempt from permit in Clatskanie

- Directional, warning or information signs or structures required or authorized by law, or by federal, state, county or city authority.
- Memorial tablets, cornerstones, historical site plaques or similar plaques not exceeding six (6) square feet.
- Residential identification signs not exceeding two (2) square feet.
- A sign identifying the name of the occupant or owner provided the sign is not larger than one square foot, is nonilluminated and is either attached to the structure or located within the front setback.
- Structures intended for a separate use such as phone booths, Goodwill containers, etc.
- Official and legal notices issued by any court, public body, person or officer in performance of a public duty or in giving any legal notice.
- Official flags of the United States of America, counties, municipalities, official flags of foreign nations, and flags of internationally and nationally recognized organizations.
- On premises signs not readable from the public right of way, i.e., menu boards, etc.
- Small nonilluminated information signs such as "open/closed", credit card, rating or professional association, and signs of similar nature.
- Temporary political signs, provided such signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet in area in a residential zone or thirty two (32) square feet in commercial/industrial zones or be posted more than forty five (45) days before the election to which they relate and are removed within fifteen (15) days following the election.
- Temporary nonilluminated residential real estate signs (no more than 1 sign per street frontage for each parcel) not exceeding four (4) square feet, provided said signs are removed within fifteen (15) days after sale, lease, or rental of the property.
- Temporary nonilluminated commercial real estate signs (no more than 1 sign per street frontage for each parcel) not exceeding thirty two (32) square feet in commercial or industrial districts, provided said signs are removed within fifteen (15) days after sale, lease, or rental of the property.
- Temporary nonilluminated construction and subdivision signs not exceeding thirty two (32) square feet in area, which are removed when construction is completed.
- Temporary paper signs that serve as public notice when removed promptly after such meeting is held.
- Temporary paper signs that serve as public notice issued by any court, public body, person or officer in performance of a public duty or in giving any legal notice.
- Temporary paper or painted signs placed on the interior windows of a nonresidential building, when such signs do not obscure more than fifty percent (50%) of the window area.
- Temporary banners, pennants and flags advertising civic events, subject to removal within three (3) days after said event concludes.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit for a new sign or an alteration of an existing sign shall be required from the city only when it is either placed in or over the public right of way or when an inspection will be required for building code compliance.
- A sign permit application that requires planning commission approval shall be scheduled for a public hearing within thirty (30) days after receipt of a complete application requesting a variance.
- The planning commission may request additional drawings and/or information as part of a variance application, including a plan drawn showing the dimensions and arrangement of the proposed sign placement.
- Signs requiring a building permit are reviewed by the planning commission (9-9D-5-8).

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

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