# Sign Regulations in Shady Cove, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shady Cove, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/shady-cove
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Shady Cove, Oregon regulates 16 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial District zoning district are capped at 35 ft (permanent); 42 in (temporary) tall and 48 sq ft/side (standard); 64 sq ft/side (shopping center sign); 5 sq ft (temporary), with a Must be erected totally within boundaries of site; comply with vision clearance setback of 10 ft from road edge; vision clearance area (no sign within 15 ft of intersection obstructing view between 3-8 ft height). setback (Sec. § 154.359(A), (C)(1)). Most commercial signs in Shady Cove require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | 42 in (freestanding, temporary) | 5 sq ft (freestanding, temporary) | — |
| Commercial District | 6 | 35 ft (permanent); 42 in (temporary) | 100 sq ft per building wall/side (max) | — |
| Residential District | 6 | 42 in | 50 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | 42 in (freestanding, temporary) | 5 sq ft (freestanding, temporary) | — | Standard setback and clearance requirements apply as described in § 154.358. | — | Must be on private property, not within public right-of-way or on public sidewalk. Must meet all standard setbacks and clearances. | — | § 154.358(C), § 154.354(I), § 154.360(A)(4) |
| Incidental Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 154.352 (Definitions), § 154.359(B)(6), § 154.354(E) |
| Directional Sign (Permanent and Incidental) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 154.352 (Definitions), § 154.359(B)(6), § 154.354(E) |
| Wall Graphics | — | — | — | — | — | Directly applied to wall or fence, containing only art or images that do not advertise. | — | § 154.352 (Definitions), § 154.359(C)(4), § 154.354(H) |

### Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 35 ft (permanent); 42 in (temporary) | 48 sq ft/side (standard); 64 sq ft/side (shopping center sign); 5 sq ft (temporary) | — | Must be erected totally within boundaries of site; comply with vision clearance setback of 10 ft from road edge; vision clearance area (no sign within 15 ft of intersection obstructing view between 3-8 ft height). | 1 per site (except for multiple-copy shopping center sign allowance) | Freestanding sign must be at least 50 ft from nearest freestanding sign of an adjacent business. | — | § 154.359(A), (C)(1) |
| Wall Sign (With Freestanding Sign Present) | Not above building's highest point | 100 sq ft per building wall/side (max) | — | — | Unlimited (total area controls apply) | On building walls, cannot extend above building. | — | § 154.359(B)(1), (B)(3),(B)(4), (C)(1) |
| Wall Sign (No Freestanding Sign Present) | Not above building's highest point | 100 sq ft per building wall/side (max) | — | — | Unlimited (total area controls apply) | On building walls, cannot extend above building. | — | § 154.359(B)(2), (B)(3),(B)(4), (C)(1) |
| Shopping Center / Business Complex Sign (Multiple-copy Freestanding) | 35 ft | 64 sq ft per side | — | Same as other freestanding signs | 1 per shopping center/business complex | As freestanding sign at shopping center/business complex | — | § 154.359(A)(4), (C)(1) |
| Sandwich Board Sign (A-frame/on wheels) | — | 8 sq ft/side | 36 in (max separation between sign faces) | — | 1 per business entrance | Within public right-of-way/sidewalk directly in front of business. Must allow at least 4 ft of sidewalk clearance. | — | § 154.359(C)(5) |
| Reader-board/Electronic Message Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 154.359(C)(3) |

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Neighborhood, Subdivision, Mobile Home Park, Apartment, Condominium Complex, Other Homogenous Area) | 6 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street entrance | At each street entrance to the relevant residential area | — | § 154.360(A)(1), (C)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Sites with One or Two Dwelling Units) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1 per site | — | — | § 154.360(A)(2), (C)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Residential Sites with Three or More Dwelling Units) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | § 154.360(A)(3), (C)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Temporary) | 42 in | 5 sq ft | — | — | — | Not within public right-of-way or on public sidewalk | — | § 154.360(A)(4), § 154.354(I) |
| Wall Sign or Roof Sign (In Lieu of Permitted Freestanding Sign) | Not above roofline | Same as allowed freestanding sign type per site type/number of units | — | — | Same as freestanding sign limit | On wall or roof of building, not above roofline | — | § 154.360(B), (C)(1) |
| Reader-board/Electronic Message Sign (Public/Quasi-public Entities) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 154.360(C)(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Shady Cove

- No sign may be erected unless it conforms to the provisions of this subchapter.
- Any sign that is determined by the City Administrator to be a hazard to public safety due to its design, materials, physical conditions or placement is prohibited.
- Strobe lights and signs containing strobe lights or any other flashing, blinking or moving lights which are visible beyond any property line are prohibited.
- Signs placed on trailers and parked with the primary purpose of providing a sign that is not otherwise allowed are prohibited.
- Any private sign placed within a public right-of-way or overhanging a public right-of-way is prohibited.
- Signs painted on or otherwise attached to trees, natural rocks or other landscape or natural features are prohibited.
- Signs, which by reason of size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic, street, or emergency sign or signal, or cause any other hazardous or disruptive situation, are prohibited.
- Signs affixed to publicly owned poles or signs in the public right-of-way are prohibited.
- No fluorescent colors shall be used in the design or construction of a sign.
- Any sign placed on private property without the owner's permission is prohibited.
- Tube dancers are prohibited.
- Handmade signs are not permitted. All signs must be professionally manufactured.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to violate the standards or requirements of this subchapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shady Cove

- Traffic signs, signals and other traffic-control devices erected by the city or other public authority are exempt from permit requirements.
- Public notices pertaining to public health or safety issues, erected by the city or approved by the city, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Permanent plaques, cornerstones, name plates and other building identification markings attached to or carved into the building materials and which are an integral part of the structure are exempt from permit requirements.
- Address numbers are exempt from permit requirements.
- Signs located within a building, with the exception of strobe lights and moving or animated signs that are visible from any private or public roadway, or from adjacent properties, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Legal nonconforming signs, except when altered, replaced, or upon change of occupancy type, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Flags on permanent flag poles designed for the routine raising and lowering of flags are exempt from permit requirements.
- Wall graphics, as defined, are exempt from sign requirements and from permit requirements.
- Temporary signs, subject to section 154.358(C), are exempt from permit requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Anyone proposing new signs shall be required to make application and pay a permit fee unless otherwise exempt under § 154.353.
- Sign permits shall be obtained prior to the erection of any sign, unless exempt.
- Variation from sign code requirements in excess of 20% must be processed according to §§ 154.415 through 154.420, which includes a planning commission review or possible variance process.
- For residential entrance signs, approval by the Planning Commission at the time of site plan review is required.
- Requests for certain sign types (e.g., electronic message signs in residential districts) require Planning Commission approval upon specific findings.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Shady Cove, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Shady+Cove+OR&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-shady-cove

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/shady-cove