# Sign Regulations in Baldwin, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Baldwin, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/baldwin
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/15682538#15682538)

## At a glance

Baldwin, Wisconsin regulates 25 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Temporary Sign - Subdivision Developments in the Residential District, Planned Unit Developments (Residential) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 50 square feet, with a 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site setback (Sec. § 635-55A). Most commercial signs in Baldwin require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential District, Planned Unit Developments (Residential) | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| C-1 Local Commercial District, C-1-H Highway Commercial District, C-2 General Commercial District, M-1 District, I-1 Industrial District | 6 | 32 feet | 300 square feet for one side, 600 square feet for all sides | — |
| I-94 Corridor | 2 | 90 feet | 520 square feet | — |
| Medical Campus | 3 | 32 feet | 300 square feet for one side, 600 square feet for all sides | — |
| Shopping Center | 3 | 32 feet | 300 square feet for one side, 600 square feet for all sides | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Board | — | 32 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage for public, charitable or religious institutions | — | § 635-54A |
| Occupant Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | One per street front | One per street front | — | § 635-54E |
| Traffic and Service Sign on Private Premises | 10 feet | 12 square feet per face | — | — | — | Privately owned and on private premises | — | § 635-54H |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 7 square feet for residential property, 32 square feet for nonresidential property | — | — | One per street frontage | One per street frontage on the offered property | — | § 635-54J |
| Political Sign | — | 16 square feet | — | — | One per premises per candidate or referenda question | One per premises per candidate or referenda question | — | § 635-54O |
| Rummage/Garage Sale Sign | — | 8 square feet | — | — | — | Within street right-of-way lines between the private property line and the pavement edge | — | § 635-54P |
| Open/Close Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | — | — | Announcing that a business is open or closed | — | § 635-54Q |
| Corrugated/Cardboard/Plastic Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | Three per property | Limited to three per property in commercial and industrial zones | — | § 635-54S |

### Residential District, Planned Unit Developments (Residential)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign - Subdivision Developments | 8 feet | 50 square feet | — | 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site | Two per subdivision | Observe front yard requirement of principal use, located at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site | — | § 635-55A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | Two per entrance | Located at each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 635-55B |
| Illuminated Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | Five feet from any lot line | One per lot, two on corner lots | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | — | § 635-55C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from public right-of-way or lot line | One per lot street frontage | Ten-foot setback from public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 635-55D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from public right-of-way or lot line | One per lot | Ten-foot setback from public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 635-55E |

### C-1 Local Commercial District, C-1-H Highway Commercial District, C-2 General Commercial District, M-1 District, I-1 Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directory Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | Two per use in approaching direction along any one highway | Right-of-way line of the highway | — | § 635-56D(1) |
| Wall Sign | 20 feet | — | — | — | — | Exterior walls of buildings | — | § 635-56D(2) |
| Projecting Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet on each of two faces | — | — | — | Fastened to, suspended from, or supported by a building or structure | — | § 635-56D(3) |
| Ground Sign | 20 feet | 40 square feet on each side in C-1, 120 square feet on each side in M-1 or C-1-H, 160 square feet on each side in I-1 | — | — | One per street frontage | Street frontage | — | § 635-56D(4) |
| Pylon Sign | 30 feet | 100 square feet for one side, 200 feet for all sides | — | — | One per street frontage | Within property upon which it is located | — | § 635-56D(5) |
| Shopping Center/Industrial Park/Medical Campus Directory Sign | 32 feet | 300 square feet for one side, 600 square feet for all sides | — | — | One per street frontage | Freestanding identification/directory sign for each street upon which the development fronts | — | § 635-56D(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Baldwin

- Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form or color of railroad or traffic signs or devices.
- Signs, canopies and awnings shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices or the safe flow of traffic.
- No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign, awning or canopy shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
- No sign shall be erected which has any flashing, rotating or brilliant intermittent parts or lights, bare reflecting-type bulbs, or utilizes a spot or beacon light to illuminate a sign, except those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather or similar information.
- No signs, billboards or other advertising media which create a hazard or dangerous distraction to vehicular traffic or a nuisance to adjoining residential property shall be permitted in any district.
- Signs, including sandwich boards, shall not be permitted on public rights-of-way, except for municipal traffic control, parking and directional signs, sandwich boards in the C-2 Zoning District and as otherwise specified in this article.
- No new billboards shall be permitted in the Village of Baldwin after the effective date of this article.
- Signs which bear or contain statements, words, pictures, or symbols of obscene, pornographic or immoral subjects are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited in the Village of Baldwin.
- Swinging signs are prohibited.
- Third-party signs and billboards are prohibited, except as provided in § 635-56D(6).
- No persons shall park any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or on private properties so as to be seen from a public right-of-way which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises.
- Signs which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled ways of a public right-of-way and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interfere with any driver's operations of a motor vehicle, are prohibited.
- Signs which are not effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any residential property, and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause a public nuisance, are prohibited.
- No sign shall be so floodlighted or illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device, or signal.
- Spotlights and beacons are restricted under Subsection B above.

## Signs exempt from permit in Baldwin

- Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions located on site.
- Government signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, danger signs, railroad crossing signs, and signs of public utilities indicating danger, and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his/her public duty.
- Interior signs located within the interior of any building or structure which are not visible from the public right-of-way.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface, or inlaid so as to be part of the building.
- Occupant signs limited in content to name of occupant, address of premises, and signs of danger.
- Official governmental notices and notices posted by governmental officers in the performance of their duties; governmental signs to control traffic or for other regulatory purposes or to identify streets or to warn of danger.
- Temporary or permanent signs erected by public utility companies or construction companies to warn of dangerous or hazardous conditions.
- Traffic and parking signs and devices privately owned and on private premises, and containing messages such as 'exit only,' 'restricted for _________,' and the like, the sole purpose of which is to direct and control traffic on the premises.
- Signs required by law, statute or ordinance, constructed and maintained according to the law, statute or ordinance under which the sign was erected.
- Real estate signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which it is located.
- Signs in the display window of a business which relate to services or products offered therein.
- Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historic agencies, or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies.
- Temporary or portable signs under 20 square feet for the purpose of an on-site open house, model home demonstration, special event such as a birthday or anniversary.
- Temporary off-premises signs pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, religious, or nonprofit organizations.
- Political message, public election or referenda signs during an election campaign period.
- Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight square feet in area.
- Illuminated and nonilluminated signs not exceeding 10 square feet in area announcing that a business is open or closed.
- Business names on propane tanks, fuel tanks, garbage receptacles or other temporary items moved on a regular basis.
- Corrugated/cardboard/plastic signs on a wire frame that push into the ground are limited to three per property in commercial and industrial zones.
- A maximum of four flags or pennant-shaped flags may be displayed for each principal building.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- If the sign is larger than 40 square feet, the sign shall be reviewed by the Plan Commission and a recommendation will be made to the Village Board, except those signs designated in § 635-54.
- The Plan Commission shall review any application for the use of search lights or for placement of over-the-street banners.
- The Plan Commission shall review all applications within 30 days of submittal.
- If the Plan Commission cannot act to approve, deny or to agree with the applicant to extend the time within the thirty-day review period, the Zoning Administrator shall be authorized to act on the application using the established Sign Design Review Guidelines.

## 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 6 zoning districts in Baldwin — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Baldwin+WI&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-baldwin

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