# Sign Regulations in Troutdale, Oregon

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Troutdale, Oregon (OR)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/oregon/troutdale
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/OR/Troutdale/codes/Development_Code?nodeId=CH10SI)

## At a glance

Troutdale, Oregon regulates 16 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial Zoning Districts, Industrial Zoning Districts zoning district are capped at 24 ft tall and 150 sq ft (per sign face) (Sec. 10.040.A). Most commercial signs in Troutdale require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning Districts, Town Center Overlay District (residential use sites in commercial zoning districts) | 3 | 6 ft | 96 sq ft (per banner) | — |
| Commercial Zoning Districts, Industrial Zoning Districts | 9 | 60 ft above freeway elevation (measured from mean sea level) | 672 sq ft (per sign face) | — |
| Central Business District (CBD) | 5 | 6 ft (A-frame: 4 ft) | 96 sq ft (per banner) | — |
| Urban Mixed Use (MU-3) Zone | 5 | 6 ft (A-frame: 4 ft) | 96 sq ft (per banner) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft (per face) | — |

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

### Commercial Zoning Districts, Industrial Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 24 ft | 150 sq ft (per sign face) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage; must be within property boundaries; not on utility or access easements | — | 10.040.A |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No explicit limit | Attached to building wall; may be divided among multiple uses/signs but not above 10% per wall; must not extend above roofline | — | 10.040.B |
| Temporary Sign - Portable/Wall/Freestanding | — | 32 sq ft (per sign face) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage; must be within property boundaries | — | 10.040.D.1 |
| Temporary Sign - Banner | — | 96 sq ft (per banner) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage; must be within property boundaries | — | 10.040.D.1 |
| Freeway Sign | 60 ft above freeway elevation (measured from mean sea level) | 672 sq ft (per sign face) | — | — | — | Within 800 ft south and 1000 ft north of center median of I-84 | — | 10.040.E |
| Projecting Sign | — | 4 sq ft (per sign face) | — | Minimum 7.5 ft clearance | One per site | One per site; projects at right angles | — | 10.040.F |
| Portable Sign | 6 ft (A-frame: 4 ft) | 6 sq ft per sign face; A-frame signs max 4 ft height; other portable signs max 6 ft height | — | — | One per business | Within site boundaries for business occupant | — | 10.040.G |
| Electronic Display Sign | — | — | — | — | One per premises | One per premises | — | 10.050 |

### Central Business District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 36 sq ft (per sign face); total for all signs on a wall ≤ 10% of gross wall area | — | — | No explicit limit | Attached/painted on wall | — | 10.045.A.1.a and 10.045.A.2 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | Minimum 7.5 ft above ground | One per site | One per site | — | 10.045.B |
| Portable Sign | 6 ft (A-frame: 4 ft) | 6 sq ft (per sign face); A-frame max 4 ft height, other types max 6 ft | — | — | One per business | Within property or, with jurisdiction approval, in right-of-way in front of occupant's site, provided pedestrian/vehicle movement not obstructed | — | 10.045.C |
| Temporary Sign - Portable/Wall/Freestanding | — | 16 sq ft (per sign face) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage, within site boundaries | — | 10.045.D.1 |
| Temporary Sign - Banner | — | 96 sq ft (per banner) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage, within site boundaries | — | 10.045.D.1 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign (Exempt) | 5 ft | 15 sq ft (per sign face) | — | — | — | Within site boundaries, near areas where direction is needed | — | 10.025.B |
| Historical Marker (Exempt) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | On building facade | — | 10.025.C |
| Window Sign (Exempt) | — | — | — | — | — | Inside display area of a business window | — | 10.025.F |
| Lawn Sign (Exempt) | <3 ft from ground | <3 sq ft | — | — | Up to 3 per lot | Pole or wall mounted, not in right-of-way | — | 10.025.K |
| Real Estate Sign (Exempt) - Residential Zones | — | 6 sq ft (per face) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage | — | 10.025.L.1 |
| Real Estate Sign (Exempt) - Commercial & Industrial Zones | — | 32 sq ft (per face) | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage | — | 10.025.L.1 |

## Prohibited signs in Troutdale

- Any sign constructed, erected, replaced, altered, repaired, or maintained in a manner not in compliance with this Chapter.
- Bench signs.
- Permanent banner signs.
- Roof signs.
- Signs in public rights-of-way other than public signs installed or authorized by a governmental agency or public utility.
- Signs placed or painted on a motor vehicle or trailer that is parked with the primary purpose of providing a sign not otherwise allowed by this Chapter.
- Any inflated sign or inflated device, including multiple inflated signs or devices bundled together, that floats in the air and individually or collectively exceeds 5 cubic feet in area.
- Any sign that moves, rotates, revolves, flaps, flutters, or simulates animation, except for flags in accordance with this Chapter.
- Any sign that is not exempt, not a lawful nonconforming sign, or that was not erected, constructed, or placed in accordance with a permit.
- Signs shall not be restricted by content.
- All signs shall be maintained in a safe condition; damaged signs posing a danger to the public shall be repaired or removed.
- All signs shall be located entirely within the boundaries of a site unless specifically authorized by this Chapter.
- All signs must comply with Section 5.040, Clear Vision Areas, as well as the regulations of this Chapter.
- All signs shall comply with any applicable building or electrical code provisions, except as otherwise provided.
- Lighted signs shall be placed, shielded, or deflected so as not to shine into residential dwelling units or structures, or impair the vision of the driver of any vehicle.
- No sign shall be of such intensity or brilliance that it interferes with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, device or signal.
- Strobe lights or similar devices as well as traveling light patterns ("chaser effect") are prohibited.
- No exposed reflective type bulb, PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) spot or incandescent lamp, which incandescent lamp exceeds 250 lumens, shall be exposed to direct view from a public street or highway, but may be used for indirect light illumination of the display surface of a sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in Troutdale

- Public signs constructed or placed in a public right-of-way by, or with the approval of, a governmental agency having legal control or ownership of the right-of-way; signs owned or constructed by the City; signs required by law including, but not limited to, hearing notices; and signs placed in or near a right-of-way by a public utility in response to a hazard or danger to the public.
- Directional signs, provided that freestanding directional signs shall not exceed 5 feet in height and 15 square feet in area on one sign face.
- A single sign or historical marker not to exceed 4 square feet cut into the surface or the facade of a building, or permanently attached and not projecting more than 2 inches.
- Signs located in the interior of any building, or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building or group of buildings, that are designed and located to be viewed exclusively by patrons of such use or uses.
- Painted areas on a wall that are designed and intended as decorative or ornamental features, or to highlight a building's architectural or structural features.
- Window signs as a part of the inside display area of a business, provided the window sign does not involve use of flashing or blinking lights.
- Signs not exceeding 1 square foot in size and affixed to or displayed from a residential dwelling unit.
- Holiday lights and decorations.
- Any inflated sign or inflated device, including multiple inflated signs or devices bundled together, that floats in the air and individually or collectively is 5 square feet or less in sign face area.
- Flags less than 24 square feet in size measured border to border.
- Lawn signs, provided only three are allowed per lot for not more than ninety consecutive days.
- Real estate signs, provided: maximum sign area on one face shall not exceed 6 square feet in residential zones or 32 square feet in commercial and industrial zones; not more than one sign is allowed per street frontage; and real estate signs shall be removed within fourteen days after the sale or lease of the property has been executed.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- To obtain a sign permit (required except for exempt signs listed in Section 10.025), the applicant must file an application, filing fee, and plans which demonstrate full compliance with all provisions of this Chapter and other applicable City regulations. There is no general requirement for a master sign plan or sign plan beyond provision of site and sign plans at permit submission.

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

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