# Sign Regulations in Milton-Freewater, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Milton-Freewater, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/milton-freewater
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Milton-Freewater, Oregon regulates 41 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Construction Project Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft (if freestanding) tall and 64 sq ft total, 32 sq ft per face (Sec. 10-7-4(A)). Most commercial signs in Milton-Freewater require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 15 | 8 ft (if freestanding) | 64 sq ft total, 32 sq ft per face | — |
| R-1 Zone | 4 | — | 64 sq ft total display area | — |
| R-2 Zone | 5 | — | 64 sq ft total display area | — |
| R-3 Zone | 5 | — | 64 sq ft per subdivision | — |
| MSR Zone | 4 | — | 64 sq ft per subdivision | — |
| C-1, C-2, DB and R-M (for Office and Commercial Type Uses in R-M Zone) Zones | 8 | — | Maximum 225 sq ft per display surface | — |
| I-M Zone | 7 | — | Maximum 225 sq ft per display surface | — |
| BP Zone | 3 | — | 225 sq ft per display surface | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Project Sign | 8 ft (if freestanding) | 64 sq ft total, 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per project | On premises where construction is occurring | — | 10-7-4(A) |
| Garage Sale Sign | 4 ft | 2 sq ft per face | — | — | — | Private property in residential zones (not in public right of way or vision clearance areas) | — | 10-7-4(B) |
| Gas Station Price Sign | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | Up to 3 per property | Permanently affixed to building or freestanding sign at gas stations | — | 10-7-4(C) |
| Nameplate | — | 2 sq ft total | — | — | 1 per occupant | Affixed to building wall | — | 10-7-4(D) |
| Opening Banner | — | 64 sq ft total, 32 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per business opening | — | — | 10-7-4(E) |
| Commercial Real Estate Sign (Residential Zone) | — | 3 sq ft per face, 6 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per parcel or each 150' of street frontage | — | — | 10-7-4(H)(1) |
| Commercial Real Estate Sign (C-1, C-2, I-M) | — | 16 sq ft per face, 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per parcel or each 150' of street frontage | — | — | 10-7-4(H)(2) |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of interior window area per window | — | — | — | Interior of window | — | 10-7-4(J) |

### R-2 Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs Allowed under 10-7-2 and 10-7-4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10-7-8(A) |
| Freestanding or Wall Sign (Home Occupation, Nonilluminated) | — | 2 sq ft total display surface | — | — | 1 per home occupation | For approved home occupation | — | 10-7-8(B) |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign (Subdivision Sale) | — | 64 sq ft total display area | — | — | 1 per subdivision | Per subdivision | — | 10-7-8(C) |
| Freestanding or Wall Sign (Multi-family or PUD) | — | 32 sq ft per display surface | — | — | 1 per development | Multi-family dwelling or Planned Unit Development | — | 10-7-8(D) |
| Freestanding or Wall Sign (Place of Worship) | — | 32 sq ft per display surface (freestanding); 20% of wall area (wall) | — | — | 1 freestanding and 1 wall per place of worship | Place of worship | — | 10-7-8(E) |

### C-1, C-2, DB and R-M (for Office and Commercial Type Uses in R-M Zone) Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Signs Allowed under 10-7-2 and 10-7-4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10-7-11(A) |
| Freestanding or Wall Sign (Home Occupation, Nonilluminated) | — | 2 sq ft total display surface | — | — | 1 per home occupation | For approved home occupation | — | 10-7-11(B) |
| Freestanding Sign (Business) | — | Maximum 225 sq ft per display surface | — | — | 1 per place of business | On-premises | — | 10-7-11(C)(1)-(2), 10-7-11(C)(5) |
| Projecting Sign | — | Maximum 225 sq ft per display surface | — | — | — | Business wall | — | 10-7-5(G); 10-7-11(C)(2) |
| Wall Sign (Main Entry) | — | — | — | — | 1 per frontage wall | On the main frontage wall of a business | — | 10-7-11(C)(3) |
| Wall Sign (Secondary Entry/Sidewall) | — | — | — | — | 1 per side wall | On any side wall or secondary entry facing a street | — | 10-7-11(C)(4) |
| Off-Premises Sign (Within Designated HWY 11 Segments) | — | 40 sq ft per display surface, max 2 surfaces | — | — | 1 per business/service | Only on lots with street frontage along designated HWY 11 segments | — | 10-7-11(E) |
| Flashing or Moving Sign | — | — | — | Minimum 75 ft from residential zone | — | — | — | 10-7-11(D); 10-7-6; 10-7-5(F) |

## Prohibited signs in Milton-Freewater

- Signs may not project over public property beyond ten feet nor closer than two feet from the vertical extension of the curb line, whichever is less. No sign shall project over state highway right of way.
- All signs shall have a vertical clearance of ten feet above public property (except awnings or marquees which may be allowed within eight feet after review).
- No sign shall stand or be based on public property.
- Signs in vision clearance areas as defined in section 10-5-3 are prohibited.
- Pennants, streamers, festoon lights and similar devices with parts intended to be moved by the wind are prohibited.
- Signs attached to any publicly owned tree or public utility pole, other than signs posted by public utilities, are prohibited.
- Signs using bare bulb illumination or lighted so that the immediate source of illumination is visible are prohibited (neon excepted).
- Any sign which purports to be or resembles an official traffic sign or signal, or bears emergency words (STOP, GO, SLOW, CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING, etc.) is prohibited.
- Any sign which by reason of its size, location, movement, content, coloring or illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device, or which hides from view any traffic sign or signal is prohibited.
- Signs designed or used for the purpose of emitting sound or dispersing smells are prohibited.
- Signs or sign structures constructed so that any portion interferes with the free use of any fire escape, exit, standpipe or the exterior of any window are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed on city property in conflict with city ordinances, nor upon city street sign poles, nor upon city electric power poles.
- All signs must be structurally in conformance with the building code.
- Regulatory equipment must be installed in all electric signs to preclude interference with radio and television.
- Signs, and supports/braces/anchors, must be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe, neat, clean and attractive condition, free from rust, corrosion, peeling paint or other surface deterioration.

## Signs exempt from permit in Milton-Freewater

- Traffic control signs and instruments of the state, county or municipality provided for public safety, information or assistance are exempt.
- Signs of public utility companies or railroads which aid public safety, or which show the location of underground facilities or of public telephone are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- When applying for a new use, a sign or signs if desired, shall be included in the application and reviewed as part of the overall proposal.
- Application for and consideration of modification of sign standards (such as size increases through the Appearance Incentive) shall be made and considered under the same process as section 10-3-9, using a Level III procedure before the planning commission.
- All applications for moving or flashing signs are conditional and must be processed by Level III procedures (including variance/conditional use process).
- Temporary signs of any number, size, or character may be approved by special application and review by the planning commission according to a conditional notice and hearing procedure.

## 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 8 zoning districts in Milton-Freewater — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Milton-Freewater+OR&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-milton-freewater

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