# Sign Regulations in Waterford, Wisconsin

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Waterford, Wisconsin (WI)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/wisconsin/waterford
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8356627#8356627)

## At a glance

Waterford, Wisconsin regulates 15 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Temporary Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 32 square feet, with a Not closer than 10 feet to adjacent property or driveway setback (Sec. § 245-31H(1)). Most commercial signs in Waterford require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | 50 feet | 64 square feet | — |
| Waterford Heritage Overlay District | 1 | — | 6 square feet per side | — |
| Nonresidential districts | 3 | 8 feet | 24 square feet per side | — |
| B-1, B-2, B-3 | 4 | 14 feet | 72 square feet | — |
| Institutional and Municipal Campus Districts | 1 | — | 6 square feet per side | — |
| Residential districts | 2 | 6 feet | 32 square feet (4 acres or less); 48 square feet (over 4 acres but less than 40 acres); 102 square feet (40 acres or more) | — |
| Planned Community Development District | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | Not closer than 10 feet to adjacent property or driveway | One per street frontage | Not in street right-of-way or in front of any sidewalk | — | § 245-31H(1) |
| Bulletin Board | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | On building | — | § 245-31H(3) |
| Lot Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | At entrance and exit of driveway or street | — | § 245-31H(6) |
| Parking Sign | 4 feet | 24 inches high by 30 inches wide | — | — | — | Parking lot | — | § 245-31H(7) |
| Flag | 50 feet | 15 square feet | — | Minimum of 10 feet | One flag per 25 feet of frontage | Property frontage | — | § 245-31H(8) |
| Original Art Display | — | 64 square feet | — | — | — | Side or rear of building | — | § 245-31H(11) |

### Nonresidential districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Flat against exterior walls | — | § 245-31C(1) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 24 square feet per side | — | At least 10 feet from all side lot lines | — | Fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures | — | § 245-31C(2) |
| Ground Sign | 8 feet | 8 feet in height | — | At least 10 feet from side or rear lot line | One per parcel | At least 10 feet from street right-of-way | — | § 245-31C(3) |

### B-1, B-2, B-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign - Option 1 | 14 feet | 72 square feet | — | — | One per property | State highway lot frontage | — | § 245-31B(2) |
| Window Sign | — | Percentage of glass area | — | — | — | Inside of buildings | — | § 245-31B(3) |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On awnings | — | § 245-31B(4) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | — | 6 square feet per side | — | — | — | In front of property, not on sidewalk or bikeway | — | § 245-31E |

## Prohibited signs in Waterford

- Abandoned signs: any sign advertising or identifying a business or organization which is either defunct or no longer located on the premises.
- Flashing, alternating, rotating or swinging signs or devices, whether illuminated or not, visible from the right-of-way.
- Floodlighted or reflection-illuminated signs where the light source is positioned so that its light source is visible from a public right-of-way by the vehicular traffic, or where the light source is visible from adjoining property.
- Internally illuminated signs, neon and back-lighted signs other than OPEN signs, except as indicated elsewhere in this chapter.
- Flashing signs, signs with an intermittent or flashing light source, signs containing moving parts, and signs containing reflective elements that sparkle or twinkle in the sunlight.
- Electronic message centers, variable message signs that utilize computer-generated messages or some other electronic means of changing copy, including displays using incandescent lamps, LEDs, LCDs or a flipper matrix.
- A sign that is a hazard or dangerous distraction to vehicular traffic or a nuisance to adjoining residential property.
- A sign that resembles, imitates or approximates the shape, size, form or color of a traffic sign, signal or device.
- A sign that is located to interfere with the visibility or effectiveness of any official traffic sign or signal or with driver vision at the access point of any intersection.
- A sign that is erected, relocated or maintained to prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window or fire escape, or is attached to a standpipe, fire escape or utility pole.
- A sign that contains, includes, or is illuminated by flashing light or by any light directed toward a neighboring residence, road, or highway.
- A sign that contains, includes, or is composed of any conspicuous animated part, except holographic signs.
- A sign that is painted on a rock or rocks, except in institutional zoning districts.
- Inflatable devices or signs.
- A display that would be an original art display but does not have the permission of the owner of the property on which it is located or is graffiti.
- Off-premises signs larger than the maximum permitted square footage per face.
- Signs taller than eight feet in height, except as permitted elsewhere in this chapter.
- A 'V' sign shall be prohibited unless the backs of both signs display no letters or symbols and are landscaped to screen their backsides.
- Reflective lights.
- Mobile signs unless permitted as a temporary use.
- No sign shall be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered in a Shoreland-Wetland, Shoreland, or Floodplain District.
- Changeable copy signs, except as otherwise defined and permitted under this chapter.

## Signs exempt from permit in Waterford

- Original art display meeting specific requirements is not considered to be a sign.
- Signs erected, maintained or otherwise posted, owned or leased by this state, the federal government or this Village are exempt from regulation.
- Historic signs are exempt from the requirements of legal nonconforming signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs requiring state approval shall provide a copy of such approval with the sign permit application.
- The Zoning Administrator may refer sign permit applications to the Plan Commission for architectural review if, in the Administrator's judgment, the sign design is at odds with the neighborhood in which it will be placed.
- Retro signs may only be approved by the Plan Commission, and such signs shall only be considered for a property that has made exemplary investment in the look and feel of the entire property and branding such that customers of the property feel as if they've been transported back in time to a different era.

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

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