# Sign Regulations in Menomonie, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Menomonie, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/menomonie
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/menomoniewi/latest/menomonie_wi/0-0-0-5769)

## At a glance

Menomonie, Wisconsin regulates 30 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Ground Sign (Primary)s in the Commercial Sign District, General commercial, Local commercial, Local shopping center, Neighborhood office, Technology park specialized industrial, BID district zoning district are capped at 30 ft tall and 100 sq ft per sign face, with a 2 ft from property line; height not to exceed setback where adjacent to residential setback (Sec. 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 3, Table 2). Most commercial signs in Menomonie require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Sign District, Agricultural, Limited multiple-family residential, Multiple-family residential, Single-family residential | 7 | 8 ft | 20% of window area | — |
| Commercial Sign District, General commercial, Local commercial, Local shopping center, Neighborhood office, Technology park specialized industrial, BID district | 14 | 30 ft | 100 sq ft per sign face | — |
| Industrial Sign District, General industrial, Restricted industrial I and II | 14 | 30 ft | 100 sq ft per face | — |
| Institutional Sign District | 10 | 8 ft | 35 sq ft per face | — |
| Open development-conservancy zoning district | 1 | 8 ft | 6 sq ft | — |
| Historic District | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | — | 32 sq ft (16 sq ft in residential) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Commercial Sign District, General commercial, Local commercial, Local shopping center, Neighborhood office, Technology park specialized industrial, BID district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Primary) | 30 ft | 100 sq ft per sign face | — | 2 ft from property line; height not to exceed setback where adjacent to residential | 2 per zone lot; 1 per 30 ft street frontage | Private property; 2 ft setback (see notes for residential adjacency) | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 3, Table 2 |
| Ground Sign (Secondary) | 15 ft | 50 sq ft per sign face | — | 2 ft | — | Private property | — | 9-6-9 Table 3 |
| Changing Sign | — | 60 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per building | On ground or building | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4; 9-6-8(G) |
| Awning Sign | — | 20% of awning area | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | At window/door openings; maximum 6 ft projection over sidewalk | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Canopy Sign (incl. Marquee) | — | 25% of vertical canopy surface | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | Over entrance/service area | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Info/Directional Sign | 8 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | As required | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1; Table 4 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | At window/door opening; may project over public sidewalk/right of way if permitted | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Building Marker | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |

### Industrial Sign District, General industrial, Restricted industrial I and II

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Primary) | 30 ft | 100 sq ft per face | — | 10 ft | 2 per zone lot; 1 per 30 ft street frontage | Private property; 10 ft setback | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 3, Table 2 |
| Ground Sign (Secondary) | 15 ft | 30 sq ft per face | — | 10 ft | — | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 3 |
| Changing Sign | — | 60 sq ft per sign face | — | — | 1 per building | On ground or building | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4; 9-6-8(G) |
| Awning Sign | — | 20% of awning area | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | At window/door opening | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Canopy Sign | — | 25% of vertical canopy surface | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Info/Directional Sign | 8 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | As required | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | At window/door opening; may project over public sidewalk/right of way if permitted | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4, Note (d) |
| Building Marker | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |

### Institutional Sign District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign | 8 ft | 35 sq ft per face | — | 5 ft | 2 per zone lot | Private property, 5 ft setback | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 3 |
| Monument Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1 |
| Wall Sign | — | 10 sq ft per sign | — | — | — | On building wall | — | 9-6-9 Table 3 |
| Canopy Sign | — | 25% of vertical canopy surface | — | — | 1 per building/side fronting street | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |
| Directory Sign (Building) | — | — | — | — | — | On building | — | 9-6-9 Table 1 |
| Info/Directional Sign | 8 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | As required | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |
| Building Marker | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |
| Identification Sign | — | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per building | — | — | 9-6-9 Table 1, Table 4 |

## Prohibited signs in Menomonie

- All signs not expressly permitted under this chapter or exempt from regulation hereunder are prohibited.
- Poster panels within the BID district.
- Roof signs.
- Signs within the vision triangle of a traffic intersection.
- Painted wall signs (i.e., signs painted directly onto the permanent wall material of the building).
- Nuisance signs.
- Off premises portable signs (except as allowed in section 9-6-9, table 1).
- Signs that are in the public right of way except as expressly permitted in section 9-6-4.
- Signs other than info/directional, within the city's "open development-conservancy" zoning district(s).
- Signs with a height to width ratio that exceeds one to eight (1:8) or eight to one (8:1).
- Banners shall not be permitted for permanent signs or temporary signs, except for specific purposes approved under 9-6-3B1.
- No sign shall have visible moving, revolving or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement of any kind except for the movable hands on street clocks or temperature gauges or for navigational purposes.
- Strings of lights or pennants not permanently mounted to a rigid background, except exempted holiday decorations.
- Colored lights and illuminated signs employing colors used in traffic signal lights and fluorescent colors in the yellow, green or red spectrum are prohibited within view of any signalized intersection.
- Any imitation of official traffic signs or signals and the use of such words as "stop", "look", "danger", "go slow", "caution", or "warning" are prohibited.
- No sign shall make noise by mechanical, electrical or wind pressure means.
- No sign shall have lights or illuminations that flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, vary in intensity or color or use intermittent electrical pulsations, except changing signs meeting requirements of trans 201.15, Wisconsin administrative code.
- Signs on buildings shall not project above the highest point on the building and shall not extend more than two feet (2') from the face of the building.
- Abandoned signs must be removed or refurbished within thirty (30) days.
- All signs must comply with applicable provisions of the Wisconsin building code and national electrical code (article 600).
- Except for temporary signs, all signs shall be constructed of permanent materials and permanently attached to the ground, building, or structure, maintained in good condition and able to withstand thirty (30) psf wind pressure.
- To erect or maintain any sign inconsistent with any plan or permit governing such sign or the zone lot on which the sign is located.
- To erect or maintain any sign requiring a permit without such a permit.
- To fail to remove any sign that is installed, created, erected, or maintained in violation of this chapter.
- To continue any sign violation after notice.

## Signs exempt from permit in Menomonie

- Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.
- Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window or door, that is not normally legible from the right of way.
- Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
- Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message.
- Traffic control signs on private property, such as "stop", "yield", etc., faces of which meet department of transportation standards and contain no commercial message.
- Signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right of way, if signs only advertise a nonprofit organization, including the city.
- National, state or municipal flags, or signs erected by or on behalf of the city, or the official flag of any educational institution.
- Signs on or adjacent to any ballfield in Wakanda Park and the softball field at 720 19th Avenue as approved by the recreation advisory board pursuant to relevant rules.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign, except those specifically exempted, shall be erected without a permit issued by the city building inspector's office; permit application must be accompanied by scale drawings (including but not limited to site plan, structural details), photographs, and other information as required by the inspector.
- If such sign is suspended over or projects into the public right of way, the sign permit is conditioned on the owner obtaining and maintaining liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence per sign.
- Permanent signs are allowed only in accordance with Table 1, section 9-6-9. 'A' means allowed without prior permit approval, 'P' means permit required.
- Appeals related to signs may be made to the zoning board of appeals.
- Any sign that does not conform to the requirements of the ordinance but was legally existing prior to the effective date may remain as nonconforming, but may not increase its nonconformity; if more than 50% is replaced/changed, it must conform to current requirements.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/menomonie