# Sign Regulations in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** South Milwaukee, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/south-milwaukee
- **Data last verified:** 2025-01-29
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/31962677)

## At a glance

South Milwaukee, Wisconsin regulates 12 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Central Business District (C-3) zoning district are capped at 15 feet tall and 50 square feet, with a No closer than five feet from a property line setback (Sec. § 15.31 K(3)(a)). Most commercial signs in South Milwaukee require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Central Business District (C-3) | 2 | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Residential District - (RA, RB, RC) | 2 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial and Industrial District - (C-1, C-2, M-1, M-2) | 7 | 15 feet | 75 square feet | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 6 feet for residential, 10 feet for commercial/industrial | 9 square feet for residential, 32 square feet for commercial/industrial | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Central Business District (C-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet | 50 square feet | — | No closer than five feet from a property line | Total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as specified. | No closer than five feet from a property line | — | § 15.31 K(3)(a) |
| On Building Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | Total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as specified. | No sign shall be located higher than the sill of any second floor window | — | § 15.31 K(3)(b) |

### Residential District - (RA, RB, RC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 3 square feet | — | — | — | Attached to the primary dwelling | — | § 15.31 I(1) |
| Monument Sign | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — | Minimum of five feet from any lot line | One monument sign per street frontage | Minimum of five feet from any lot line | — | § 15.31 I(2) |

### Commercial and Industrial District - (C-1, C-2, M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(a) |
| Pylon Sign | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(a) |
| Monument | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(a) |
| Post and Panel | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | No closer than 10 feet from a property line | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(a) |
| Wall or Fascia Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | — | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(b) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 25 square feet | — | — | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | — | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(b) |
| Awning Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | The total number of signs for each parcel shall not exceed two, except as follows: A parcel with over 150 feet of lineal frontage may have a third sign provided the total permitted sign area is not exceeded. | — | Yes | § 15.31 J(3)(b) |

## Prohibited signs in South Milwaukee

- Roof signs.
- Billboards.
- Pole signs.
- Signs resembling traffic signs or signals or that otherwise interfere with traffic.
- Signs with obscene messages.
- Signs erected or attached by nailing, fastening or affixing the sign in any manner to trees, shrubs, posts, utility poles, natural features, official street signs, or traffic control signs.
- Signs which, in the judgment of the Building Inspector, pose a traffic danger by virtue of flashing, blinking or animation.
- Revolving, rotating or otherwise moving signs.
- Signs that are attached to a vehicle and which are located in the public way, obstruct the driver's vision or pose a traffic danger.

## Signs exempt from permit in South Milwaukee

- Address numbers and residential name plates provided they are no more than one square foot in area.
- Signs displayed in the window of a commercial or industrial use advertising products sold on premise provided they are located on the inside of the window and cover a maximum of 50% of the window area.
- Official signs including street signs, parking signs, legal notices or any other sign erected by City, county or state government on lands owned by the City of South Milwaukee or upon City right-of-way.
- Directional signs displaying directional information on non-residential property provided they are no more than three square feet in area.
- Church or institutional bulletin boards provided they are no more than 12 square feet in area and freestanding signs are located 10 feet from any lot line.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All single owner controlled multiple occupancy development complexes on parcels exceeding one acre in size, such as shopping centers or industrial parks shall submit a master sign plan prior to the issuance of a new sign permit.
- All future sign permit applications shall conform to the master sign plan.

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

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