# Sign Regulations in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/pleasant-prairie
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/9346072#9346072)

## At a glance

Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin regulates 7 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Agricultural Products Identification Signs in the Agricultural District zoning district are capped at 6 feet for freestanding signs tall and 20 square feet per face or per wall sign, with a 2 feet from any public street or highway right-of-way line setback (Sec. § 420-75A(1)-(6)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District | 1 | 6 feet for freestanding signs | 20 square feet per face or per wall sign | — |
| Business District | 2 | — | 9 square feet | — |
| Manufacturing District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Institutional District | 2 | — | 9 square feet | — |
| PR-2 District | 2 | — | 9 square feet | — |
| PR-3 District | 2 | — | 9 square feet | — |
| Multifamily Residential District (R-9, R-10, R-11, PR-1) | 1 | 8 feet | 36 square feet per face | — |
| Nonresidential Development Identification District | 1 | 8 feet; 40 feet if located within 500 feet of IH-94 | 160 square feet per face; 500 square feet per face if located within 500 feet of IH-94 | — |
| Single-family/Two-family Residential Development District (C-2, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-4.5, R-5, R-6, R-7, R-8, R-12, PR-1) | 1 | 6 feet | 24 square feet per face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Agricultural District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural Products Identification Sign | 6 feet for freestanding signs | 20 square feet per face or per wall sign | — | 2 feet from any public street or highway right-of-way line | One sign per property, two wall signs may be substituted for freestanding sign | On property with roadside produce stand or 'pick your own' operation | — | § 420-75A(1)-(6) |

### Multifamily Residential District (R-9, R-10, R-11, PR-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Multifamily Residential Development Identification Sign | 8 feet | 36 square feet per face | — | 2 feet from any public street right-of-way line if located adjacent to a nonarterial Village street or 5 feet from any public street or highway right-of-way line if located adjacent to an arterial street or highway | One sign per development, additional sign may be approved at each entrance from an arterial street or highway | Permitted within a boulevard island at the entrance to a development | — | § 420-76Q(1)-(11) |

### Nonresidential Development Identification District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonresidential Development Identification Sign | 8 feet; 40 feet if located within 500 feet of IH-94 | 160 square feet per face; 500 square feet per face if located within 500 feet of IH-94 | — | 10 feet from any property line | One sign per unified development that includes at least 100 acres, additional signs may be approved at other locations or entrances | Permitted within a boulevard island at the entrance to a development | — | § 420-76R(1)-(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Pleasant Prairie

- Any sign with flashing or pulsating lights, except pursuant to specific sections.
- Any sign that moves or has moving or animated parts, except pursuant to specific sections.
- Any inflatable sign, including but not limited to tethered balloon signs or other gas-filled figures.
- Any off-site sign, principal use sign or principal structure sign, except an official public sign or as may be approved in connection with planned development zoning.
- Any temporary, spring-action metal advertising sign used, for example, to advertise cigarette or gasoline prices.
- Any festoon, except as approved as a special event device or an official public sign.
- Any commercial advertising sign painted on or attached to a bench, bus shelter, garbage can, or garbage enclosure, except incidental signs.
- Any sign that creates a hazard or dangerous distraction to motorists.
- Any sign that creates a public nuisance or a private nuisance to neighboring properties.
- Any sign that resembles, imitates or approximates the size, shape, form and/or color of railroad or traffic safety signs, signals or devices.
- Any sign that is lighted in such a way as to cause unpleasant glare upon any public street or highway or upon neighboring properties.
- Any sign that is attached, fastened or anchored to a fire escape, fire ladder, standpipe or fire hydrant.
- Any sign that prevents or hinders ingress or egress to or from public or private driveways, parking lots, fire escapes or doorways.
- Any sign that prevents or hinders pedestrian traffic on a sidewalk.
- Any sign that prevents or materially hinders the raising or placing of ladders against a building by the Fire & Rescue Department.
- Any sign that is installed on or attached to any public utility facilities, except pursuant to specific sections.
- Any sign that is installed or constructed in or attached to trees or other landscaping within a public right-of-way, except pursuant to specific sections.
- Any vehicle that is painted as or displays a commercial advertising sign, which is parked on a lawn or other area where the parking of a vehicle is not permitted, or which is parked on or visible from a public street or highway, unless the vehicle is used in the day-to-day operations of the business or other entity or activity so advertised for a purpose other than such advertising.
- A 'for sale' or a price sign displayed on or in a vehicle parked within a public right-of-way.
- Any sign located in specific conservancy districts or areas regulated under the Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, unless specifically allowed.
- Any sign located within a vision triangle, except pursuant to specific sections.
- Any sign other than an emergency official public sign installed or constructed within the right-of-way of a Village street without the written approval of the Village.
- Any sign containing statements, words or pictures that are obscene.
- Any spotlights used as visual attention-getters.

## Signs exempt from permit in Pleasant Prairie

- Indoor signs, flags, festoons and lights, unless their primary function is to be visible from outdoors.
- Lights, unless used in conjunction with a sign or used specifically for commercial advertising purposes.
- Holiday decorations reasonably proximate in time to the holiday.
- Hand-held signs, flags, festoons and lights.
- Incidental signs (one square foot or less in area), unless there are more than two such signs within 15 feet of a building entrance.
- Seed identification signs in an agricultural district, provided that they are less than two square feet in size.
- Art work, except in the form of a freestanding sign, or when used in conjunction with an explicit message or text.
- Decoration, not including logos.
- Architectural features containing elements that might be considered a sign, provided that the sign is not the principal reason for the architectural feature and is clearly incidental and subordinate to the function of the architectural feature.
- Automobile signs that advertise a business or other entity or activity in which the automobile is used as an automobile on a day-to-day basis, other than merely for advertising.
- Rooftop signs not visible from the ground or from other buildings.
- Newspaper vending boxes.
- Brand or model names or designations on equipment or goods.
- Telephone booths.
- Emergency signs erected by appropriate governmental or utility authorities.
- Cemetery monuments.
- Signs, flags and lights on floating boats.
- Mailboxes.
- Scoreboards used in connection with outdoor athletic facilities.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Prior to filing a sign permit application or a sign special exception application, an applicant shall first confer with the Zoning Administrator regarding the contemplated sign(s) or sign modifications and the applicable requirements of this article.
- Multiple sign permit applications, or multiple sign special exception permit applications, relating to the same property may be filed as a package to make efficient use of common supporting materials or to more efficiently demonstrate that the signs are coordinated for purposes of functionality and aesthetic appeal and that the design and materials of such signs are complementary to the use(s) on the property, to the design and materials of the buildings and structures on the property and to the other signs on the property.

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

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