# Sign Regulations in Kewaunee, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Kewaunee, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/kewaunee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/WI/Kewaunee/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH94ZO_ARTVIIISI)

## At a glance

Kewaunee, Wisconsin regulates 22 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Ground Signs in the Community Business District (B-2) zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and See total area restriction, with a At least 10 ft from side lot lines, at least 25 ft from rear lot lines, and completely outside the public right-of-way setback (Sec. Sec. 94-386(6)). Most commercial signs in Kewaunee require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | Vertical clearance of 16 ft required | Up to 25% of gross window area (per building facade) | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 2 | — | 2 sq ft per dwelling unit | — |
| Lowland Conservancy District (C-1) | 1 | — | See general exemptions | — |
| Park District (P-1) | 2 | — | See B-1 District restrictions | — |
| Agricultural District (A-1) | 4 | 15 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — |
| Local Business District (B-1) | 5 | 15 ft | 100 sq ft per sign; total all signs: 2 sq ft per lineal foot up to 300 sq ft | — |
| Community Business District (B-2) | 9 | 30 ft | Up to 32 sq ft | — |
| Highway Business District (B-3) | 9 | 35 ft | Up to 32 sq ft | — |
| Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial District (I-2) | 7 | 35 ft | Total of all on-premises signs up to 2 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, max 600 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Park District (I-3) | 3 | 35 ft | Total of all on-premises signs up to 2 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, max 600 sq ft | — |
| Waterfront District (WFD) | 9 | 30 ft | Up to 32 sq ft | — |
| Central Business District | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### Community Business District (B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign Not Requiring Permit | — | See general exemptions | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Awning Sign | — | Total of all on-premises signs up to 6 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, max 300 sq ft | — | — | — | On awning | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Wall Sign | — | Total of all on-premises signs up to 6 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, max 300 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Marquee Sign | — | See total area restriction | — | — | — | On marquee | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Canopy Sign | — | See total area restriction | — | — | — | On canopy | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Projecting Sign | 30 ft | See total area restriction | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Ground Sign | 30 ft | See total area restriction | — | At least 10 ft from side lot lines, at least 25 ft from rear lot lines, and completely outside the public right-of-way | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(6) |
| Portable Sign | — | Up to 32 sq ft | — | Not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | One per property | Not located in public right-of-way, not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | — | Sec. 94-386(6); Sec. 94-385(e) |

### Highway Business District (B-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign Not Requiring Permit | — | See general exemptions | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Awning Sign | — | Total area of all on-premises signs: 2 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, up to 400 sq ft | — | — | — | On awning | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Window Sign | — | Included in total restriction; see general window sign provisions | — | — | — | Window | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Marquee Sign | — | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | On marquee | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Canopy Sign | — | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | On canopy | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Projecting Sign | 35 ft | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Ground Sign | 35 ft | Included in total restriction | — | At least 40 ft from side and rear lot lines, completely outside public right-of-way | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(7) |
| Portable Sign | — | Up to 32 sq ft | — | Not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | One per property | Not located in public right-of-way, not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | — | Sec. 94-386(7); Sec. 94-385(e) |

### Waterfront District (WFD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign Not Requiring Permit | — | See general exemptions | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Awning Sign | — | Total of all on-premises signs up to 6 sq ft per lineal foot of lot frontage, max 300 sq ft | — | — | — | On awning | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Window Sign | — | Included in total restriction; see general window sign provisions | — | — | — | Window | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Marquee Sign | — | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | On marquee | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Canopy Sign | — | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | On canopy | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Projecting Sign | 30 ft | Included in total restriction | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Ground Sign | 30 ft | Included in total restriction | — | At least 10 ft from side lot lines, at least 25 ft from rear lot lines, and completely outside the public right-of-way | — | — | — | Sec. 94-386(10) |
| Portable Sign | — | Up to 32 sq ft | — | Not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | One per property | Not located in public right-of-way, not closer than 10 ft to adjacent property | — | Sec. 94-386(10); Sec. 94-385(e) |

## Prohibited signs in Kewaunee

- No person shall erect, construct, enlarge or structurally modify any sign or awning without first obtaining a permit from the building inspector, unless otherwise excepted.
- No sign or sign structure shall be located in the right-of-way.
- No sign or sign structure shall extend into the public right-of-way, except as otherwise provided.
- No sign shall be suspended by chains or other devices that will allow the sign to swing due to wind action.
- No advertising device of any type shall be in any way attached to any utility, sign or other municipal poles or structures located in the public right-of-way.
- Parking of advertising vehicles is prohibited: No person shall park any vehicle on a public right-of-way or public property, 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, for more than 30 days annually.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Flashing signs are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Swinging signs are prohibited.
- Signs which bear or contain statements, words or pictures of obscene, pornographic or immoral subjects are prohibited.
- Signs which are an imitation of or resemble in shape, size, copy or color an official traffic sign or signal are prohibited.
- Signs that are a threat to health, safety or public welfare are prohibited.
- All signs must be maintained in a safe, presentable and good structural condition at all times.
- All signs must comply with the city building code and the National Electrical Code, as amended.
- Signs shall be anchored to prevent any lateral movement that could cause wear on supporting members or connections.
- Supports and braces must be an integral part of the sign design and shall be hidden from public view to the extent technically feasible.
- All abandoned signs and sign messages shall be removed by the owner or lessee when the business it advertised is no longer conducted there.

## Signs exempt from permit in Kewaunee

- Permits are not required for a change of copy on any sign or for the repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance or repair of signs, sign structures or awnings.
- No permit is required for construction signs meeting the size and removal standards specified.
- No permit is required for directional and instructional nonelectric signs which provide instruction or direction, are located entirely on the property to which they pertain, do not exceed eight square feet each in area, and do not advertise a business.
- No permit is required for nonilluminated emblems or insignia of any nation or political subdivision, or profit or nonprofit organization, not exceeding 32 square feet.
- No permit is required for 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 erected by a public officer in performance of duty.
- No permit is required for house numbers and nameplates not exceeding two square feet per dwelling unit or building.
- No permit is required for interior signs within any building or structure not visible from the public right-of-way (subject to other codes).
- No permit is required for memorial signs and plaques, names of buildings and dates of erection, cut into masonry or constructed of bronze or other noncombustible material not more than four square feet in area.
- No permit is required for 'No trespassing' or 'No dumping' signs not exceeding 1.5 square feet per sign.
- No permit is required for public notices posted by public officers or employers in the performance of their duties.
- No permit is required for public signs specifically authorized for a public purpose by law, statute or ordinance.
- No permit is required for political and campaign signs meeting time, location, and size regulations.
- No permit is required for one real estate sales sign per lot, subject to size, illumination, and removal restrictions.
- No permit is required for temporary window signs inside ground floor windows in commercial, industrial, or business districts, subject to time and area limitations.
- No permit is required for religious symbols, commemorative plaques, or identification emblems of religious or historic agencies not exceeding 32 square feet.
- No permit is required for on-premises temporary signs (max 4 square feet) for civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations, subject to display duration limits.
- No permit is required for vehicular signs when the vehicle is operating in the normal course of business and is not primarily the display of signs.
- No permit is required for neighborhood identification signs (or displays) in any zone, not exceeding 32 square feet, displaying only the neighborhood or subdivision name.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Permit applications must include a site plan showing the buildings on the premises, the location, size and type of existing signs, canopies, and awnings on the premises where the proposed sign or awning is to be located.
- If required by the building inspector, permit applications may need to include calculations and other information to show compliance with this article and other applicable ordinances or regulations.
- Murals require review and approval by the plan commission as part of the special permit process and submission of a scaled color drawing and maintenance plan.
- On-premises signs in the waterfront district (WFD) cannot be issued a sign permit without the review and approval of the plan commission.
- The building inspector may grant permit extensions for abandoned signs only after review and approval by the plan commission, provided certain conditions are met.

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

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