• Signs cannot be attached to any public utility pole, including telephone poles, stop signs or street signs.
• Signs cannot be attached to vehicles, any type of utility box, fences, poles, houses, sheds or trees.
• Signs cannot have anything attached to them such as balloons, pennants, lighting or moving parts.
• Signs can be no larger than 6 square feet in size (for example a 2’x3’ sign) and no taller than 4 feet in height.
• Signs cannot be placed in or on a street, sidewalk, or median.
• With the exception of noncommercial signs (described below), only one temporary sign is allowed per individual property.  

  Signs in the Public Right-of-Way

• There is no limit to the number of signs located in the public right-of-way.
• Signs must be placed at least 50 feet away from all intersections and 5 feet away from the curb or edge of the road. (see diagram)
• Signs may be displayed only from 5 a.m. on Fridays until 7 a.m. on the following Monday.
• Signs found in violation of the City Code may be removed without notice and disposed of immediately.

Noncommercial Signs

• Noncommercial signs are signs with the purpose of conveying opinions or commentary in the marketplace of ideas and values, including but not limited to topics such as politics, sports, religion, policy, etc.
• Noncommercial signs may be displayed in the public right-of-way provided they meet the criteria in the section above.
• Temporary noncommercial signs may be located on private property with the permission of the property owner.
• Signs may be a maximum of six feet high.
• Signs cannot exceed 60 square feet in cumulative sign area.
• Signs must be at least five feet from the property line and at least 25 feet from intersection rights-of-way.  Refer to the diagram below, where "ROW line" indicates the rights-of-way line.
• In addition to the larger noncommercial signs described above, individual private properties may have a total of 40 square feet of signs that are four square feet or less.
• The total area of noncommercial signs on an individual private property cannot exceed 100 square feet.

Questions?

Contact Code Compliance at 303-538-7517 or email code@cityofthornton.net.