# Sign Regulations in Grantsburg, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Grantsburg, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/grantsburg
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/32760548#32760548)

## At a glance

Grantsburg, Wisconsin regulates 24 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Temporary Sign - Subdivision Developments in the Residential District 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. § 595-79A). Most commercial signs in Grantsburg 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 | 13 | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Residential District | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Agricultural District | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Planned Unit Developments (Residential) | 5 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| B-1 General Commercial District | 5 | 20 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| B-2 Highway Commercial District | 6 | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| B-3 Business District | 6 | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| I-1 Industrial District | 6 | 30 feet | 300 square feet | — |

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

### Residential District

| 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 | Not exceed two in number for each subdivision | Observe front yard requirement of principal use, located at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site | — | § 595-79A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | Not more than two signs located at each entrance | Located at each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 595-79B |
| Illuminated Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | One sign per lot, except on a corner lot two signs | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | — | § 595-79C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot street frontage | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79E |

### Agricultural District

| 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 | Not exceed two in number for each subdivision | Observe front yard requirement of principal use, located at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site | — | § 595-79A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | Not more than two signs located at each entrance | Located at each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 595-79B |
| Illuminated Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | One sign per lot, except on a corner lot two signs | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | — | § 595-79C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot street frontage | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79E |

### 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 | Not exceed two in number for each subdivision | Observe front yard requirement of principal use, located at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site | — | § 595-79A |
| Permanent Subdivision Identification Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | Not more than two signs located at each entrance | Located at each entrance to a subdivision | — | § 595-79B |
| Illuminated Church Bulletin | 15 feet | 32 square feet | — | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | One sign per lot, except on a corner lot two signs | Not closer than five feet to any lot line | — | § 595-79C |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Sign | 6 feet | 16 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot street frontage | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79D |
| Home Occupation/Professional Home Office Sign | 6 feet | 6 square feet | — | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | Not more than one sign per lot | Ten-foot setback from a public right-of-way or lot line | — | § 595-79E |

## Prohibited signs in Grantsburg

- 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 or bare reflecting-type bulbs or which 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.
- Signs shall not be permitted on public rights-of-way, except for municipal traffic control, parking and directional signs.
- No new billboards shall be permitted in the Village of Grantsburg after the original effective date of this article.
- Painted wall signs are prohibited in the Village of Grantsburg.
- Signs which bear or contain statements, words, pictures, or symbols of obscene, pornographic or immoral subjects are prohibited.
- Swinging signs are prohibited.
- Third-party signs and billboards are prohibited, except as provided in specific sections.
- 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 purposes 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.

## Signs exempt from permit in Grantsburg

- 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.
- 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.
- Temporary construction safety 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 for the purpose of directing and controlling traffic on the premises.
- Signs required by law, statute or ordinance.
- 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.
- On-premises symbols or insignia such as religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historic agencies, or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies.
- On-premises temporary and portable signs in residential districts for specific events.
- Civic event temporary signs pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, religious, or nonprofit organizations.
- Political signs during an election campaign period.
- Rummage or garage sale signs.
- Open/closed signs announcing that a business is open or closed.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations may be granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals following a recommendation from the Zoning Administrator.

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

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