25.1304 Regulations for On-Site Signs

Fairfield Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Fairfield

The Director or Planning Commission may approve or conditionally approve an application for Sign Permit only if the proposal is consistent with the regulations and criteria in this Section and any other applicable sign regulations or adopted design guidelines for a specific area.

A. General regulations. Signs shall be considered an architectural and site plan feature of the proposed development, and as such, shall be coordinated in size, height, color, illumination, location, graphic design, and finish detailing with the building landscaping, area lighting, and vehicular and pedestrian circulation. In addition, all signs shall meet the following regulations:

Freestanding signs. All freestanding signs (including freeway oriented signs or monument signs) shall comply with the following regulations:

a. Where three or more freestanding signs exist along a street frontage of 600 feet, or a freeway frontage of 1,200 feet, new freestanding signs shall be placed or designed to:

Maintain a separation from existing freestanding signs of 75 feet, unless prohibited by site dimensions.
Vary sign height within the limits prescribed in this Section to ensure reasonable visibility to the motorist.
Vary sign distance from the street to ensure reasonable visibility to the motorist.

b. The copy on a freestanding sign shall be limited to the name and address of the project, and up to 25% of the sign area for changeable copy, or up to three panels for the identification of tenants within the subject building. More tenant panels may be approved as part of a Sign Program, but in no case may the tenant signs occupy more than 60 percent of the total sign area, and shall incorporate consistent colors and copy styles.

c. Freestanding signs shall match the building signs with respect to shape of sign structure and related components, and the construction materials for the base, cabinet, and supports.

d. Freestanding signs placed on property adjacent to a residential zoning district shall observe the same setback from the street as required in the adjacent yard area of the residential zone.

Freeway freestanding signs. The content of any freestanding freeway-oriented sign shall be limited to the name of the project, business and/or major product or use. With the exception of electronic message boards, changeable copy shall not be permitted.
Sign face change. A change of face on an existing sign structure shall conform to a previously approved Sign Permit or Sign Program. The copy of the change shall only advertise the business name and/or associated logo.
Wall signs. The following regulations shall apply to all wall signs:

a. The copy on any wall sign shall be limited to the name and address of the business on which the sign is placed, and product types and services offered if the area devoted to these items does not exceed 25 percent of the copy.

b. Brand names shall be permitted on the wall sign(s) of vehicle dealerships or manufacturing plants and distributors only. There shall be no limit as to the portion of the sign allowed to be occupied by the brand name.

c. Single tenant retail buildings with 50,000 square feet or more shall be allowed additional ancillary product type and service signs (e.g., “stereos,” “appliances,” etc.), if these signs do not increase the total wall sign area allowed for a building.

Signs adjacent to residential uses/districts. The Director shall have the authority to limit the sign height, size, location, and illumination of a sign proposed on property adjacent to or across the street from any residential use to minimize impact to the use.
Conduit and support structures. Electrical conduits and support structures for all building-mounted signs shall be concealed within the building wall or soffit. External “raceways” for channel letter signs may be approved, but only when it is demonstrated that internal mounting is not feasible, such as when the mounting would conflict with structural integrity of the mounting surface, or would conflict with utilities within the wall or roll-up doors and windows.
Changeable copy area. Except for electronic message boards and promotional sign cabinets as described in Section 25.1304,C., the changeable copy area of a sign, including time and temperature signs, shall not exceed 25 percent of the permitted sign area. Signs for non-commercial and non-industrial uses which do not display a commercial message, may have a changeable copy area on up to 60 percent of the sign face.
Impacts on adjacent property. Signs permitted for one property or tenancy shall not adversely affect the identification and reasonable use of the neighboring property or tenancy.
Relationship to structures. All permanent signs shall be compatible with the predominant visual elements of on-site buildings, including construction materials, colors, and design details. Commercial centers, offices, industrial complexes, and similar facilities shall be part of a comprehensive Sign Program for the center, and observe a consistent visual design theme.
Relationship to other signs. Where more than one sign is located on a building site or center, all signs shall be complimentary to each other in the following ways:

a. Coordinated and consistent placement of the sign.

b. Consistent design for two of the following three primary design features:

Letter style and font size;
Color;
Sign type (e.g. individual channel letters or solid structure).

Relationship to streets and public rights-of-way. Signs shall be designed and located to not obstruct pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorist view of the public right-of-way in a manner that creates a public safety hazard, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer. Specifically, all signs shall comply with the following requirements:

a. No sign shall be located in or project into the public right-of-way of any street, except projecting signs placed in the HDC, HD, HWT, HO, HTD and CT zoning districts approved by the City Engineer. The City Engineer may approve an encroachment in the right-of-way when it is determined the structure will not pose a hazard to pedestrians or traffic.

b. In the HDC, HD, HWT, HO, and HTD districts, freestanding signs shall be low profile and emphasize visibility to pedestrians rather than motorists. Wall signs shall emulate the architectural elements of the building such as second story windows and unique design features of the storefront.

c. No sign shall interfere with the sight distance of motorists/cyclists proceeding on or approaching adjacent streets, alleys, driveways or parking areas, or of pedestrians proceeding on or approaching adjacent sidewalks and walkways.

d. No sign suspended over or projecting into the area above a private driveway shall be situated at a height less than 15 feet above the driveway surface.

e. No sign suspended over or projecting above a pedestrian way shall be situated at a height less than eight feet, six inches above the ground surface.

Landscaping. All freestanding signs shall be located in a landscaping, or a planter equal to at least the area of the sign cabinet and base, up to a maximum of 100 square feet.
Sign construction and materials. Sign construction and materials shall be of sufficient quality to assure a long life and ease of maintenance. In general, signs painted on a commercial building wall are unacceptable as the principal sign on a commercial project.

B. Specific Regulations for Permanent Signs. Table 25.13-2 establishes the maximum number, location, area, and height of all signs of a permanent nature that are allowed in the City. Special regulations that apply to these signs are listed in the table or provided in the following paragraphs. The Table is organized by the land use and by type of sign, except that more restrictive regulations apply to non-residential uses in residential zoning districts.

establishes the maximum number, location, area, and height of all signs of a permanent nature that are allowed in the City. Special regulations that apply to these signs are listed in the table or provided in the following paragraphs. The Table is organized by the land use and by type of sign, except that more restrictive regulations apply to non-residential uses in residential zoning districts.

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations
A. Signs Permitted for Commercial and Ofce Uses (except those in residential districts, see Section “C” of Table below):
Commercial Retail and Ofce		Wall Sign		1 sign per tenant on each eligible building elevation		Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant		Single Tenant Bldgs: 1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage. Multi- tenant bldgs: 1.25 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant		Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed		Sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space width, but shall not be required to be less than 10’
						A sign on an awning may be installed in lieu of a wall sign		Multiple-frontage Limitation: When a tenant space has more than one bldg frontage, the allowable sign area for the additional frontages shall be one-half that allowed for the primary wall sign

	Monument Sign	1 sign per street frontage; projects with more than 600 linear feet of frontage on the same street may have 1 sign for each 300' along that frontage	Sign must be located on-site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed	40 s.f. in area for projects on local/collector streets or 60 s.f. in area for projects on arterial streets	8 feet in height	Shopping centers 6 acres or more are allowed an increase in size and height for 1 monument sign to 80 s.f. in area and 20' in height
			Where multiple freestanding signs are allowed within a project, the minimum separation between signs shall be 150’

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)	Special Regulations
Commercial Retail and Ofce (continued)		Freeway Wall Sign		1 sign per eligible building		Only permitted on those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12); where the sign is located on a side or rear elevation and placed within 500' of the freeway right- of-way		2 percent of total area of elevation on which sign is placed, up to 500 s.f.	Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed	Sign shall only identify a single tenant or project name, and shall not be allowed on the same elevation with a non-freeway orientated wall sign
		Freestanding Freeway		1 sign per eligible project		Sign only permitted on		1 s.f. of sign area per linear	45 feet or 15 feet above grade of	Sign must receive approval from

		Sign	Sign	Sign	or site	or site	or site	those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12) or on a road parallel to and abutting a freeway; sign only on-site where sign is located within 200' of the freeway right- of-way	those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12) or on a road parallel to and abutting a freeway; sign only on-site where sign is located within 200' of the freeway right- of-way	foot of freeway frontage, up to 300 s.f.	nearest freeway lane, whichever is greater	Planning Commission and shall be placed on monument or decorative pole structure
											Where 1 sign incorporates signage for multiple businesses that are eligible for separate freeway signs, the allowed height is 50' for signs identifying 2 businesses and 55' for signs identifying three or more businesses
		Under Canopy Sign			1 per pedestrian entry			Under canopy, awning, or covered walkway in front of building entry		8 s.f.	12 feet	Minimum ground clearance to bottom of sign is 8 feet; all under canopy signs in a project shall be consistent in design
Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type			Number (maximum)			Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)	Special Regulations
Commercial Retail and Ofce (continued)			Theater Marquee Sign (wall or monument)			1 sign per theater		Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or		1.5 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, up to 200 s.f.		The Director may require that the primary wall sign be reduced in size or combined with the marquee sign

						driveway providing public access to the building, or along an arterial street frontage	driveway providing public access to the building, or along an arterial street frontage				so that the sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space
Commercial- Fast Food Restaurant		Freestanding Freeway Sign		1 sign per eligible project or site		Sign only permitted on those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12) or on a road parallel to and abutting a freeway; sign only on-site where sign is located within 200' of the freeway right- of-way		1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of freeway frontage, up to 300 s.f.		45 feet or 15 feet above grade of nearest freeway lane, whichever is greater	Sign must receive approval from Planning Commission and shall be placed on monument or decorative pole structure
		Monument Sign		1 sign per street frontage; projects with more than 600 linear feet of frontage on the same street may have 1 sign for each 300 feet along that frontage		Sign must be on located on-site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed		40 s.f. in area for projects on local/collector streets or 60 s.f. in area for projects on arterial streets		8 feet in height
		Freestanding Drive Through/ Menu Signs		2 per site		Oriented to the drive-through lane		55 s.f. each sign		8 feet	Only permitted for those sites which have a drive- through

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations

Fast Food (continued)	Wall Sign	1 sign per tenant on each eligible building elevation	Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant	Single Tenant Bldgs: 1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage. Multi- tenant bldgs: 1.25 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant	Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed	Sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space width, but shall not be required to be less than 10'
Commercial- Automobile and Open Lot Vehicle Dealership	Freestanding Freeway Sign	1 sign per eligible project or site	Sign only permitted on those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12) or on a road parallel to and abutting a freeway; sign only on-site where sign is located within 200' of the freeway right- of-way	1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of freeway frontage, up to 300 s.f.	45 feet or 15 feet above grade of nearest freeway lane, whichever is greater	Sign must receive approval from Planning Commission and shall be placed on monument or decorative pole structure
	Monument Sign	1 sign per street frontage; projects with more than 600 linear feet of frontage on the same street may have 1 sign for each 300' along that frontage	Sign must be located on- site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed	40 s.f. in area for projects on local/collector streets or 60 s.f. in area for projects on arterial streets	8 feet in height	Open lot sales 3 acres or more in size are allowed an increase in size and height for 1 monument sign to 80 s.f. in area and 20' in height

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations
Open Lot/ Vehicle Dealers (continued)		Wall Sign		1 sign per tenant on each eligible building elevation; except that single tenant retail buildings 50,000 s.f. or more are allowed secondary wall signs		Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant		Single Tenant Bldgs: 1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage. Multi- tenant bldgs: 1.25 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant		Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed		Sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space width, but shall not be required to be less than 10’
Commercial - Gas Station/ Convenience Retail		Freestanding Freeway Sign		1 sign per eligible project or site		Sign only permitted on those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12) or on a road parallel to and abutting a freeway; sign only on-site where sign is located within 200' of the freeway right- of-way		1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of freeway frontage, up to 300 s.f.		45 feet or 15 feet above grade of nearest freeway lane, whichever is greater		Sign must receive approval from Planning Commission and shall be placed on monument or decorative pole structure
		Monument Sign		1 sign per street frontage		Sign must be on located on- site, outside of a public right- of-way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility		40 s.f. in area for projects on local/collector streets or 60 s.f. in area for projects on arterial streets		8 feet in height		State mandated price sign shall be included in the copy of the monument sign, and counted in the maximum area

could be obstructed

permitted in the Sign Program

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations
Gas Station (continued)		Wall Sign		1 sign for each tenant on each eligible building elevation		Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant		Single Tenant Bldgs: 1 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage. Multi- tenant bldgs: 1.25 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant		Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed	Sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space width, but shall not be required to be less than 10’
		Promotional Sign Cabinet		1 per site		Mounted on building wall		36 s.f.; 50 s.f. may be approved by Planning Commission		Must be placed on frst foor of building	Total width of all wall signs with promotional sign cabinet may not exceed 60% of the building frontage
B. Signs Permitted for Industrial, Service Commercial, Institutional and Public Uses “C"):										(except if in residential zones, see Section
Industrial, Service Commercial, Institutional and Public Uses		Wall Sign		1 sign per tenant on each eligible building elevation		Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed		.5 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant		Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed	Sign length not to exceed 60% of tenant space width, but shall not be required to be less than 10’

on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations
Industrial, Service Commercial, Inst. and Public Uses (continued)		Wall Sign (continued)				A sign on an awning may be installed in lieu of a wall sign		Multiple-frontage Limitation: When a tenant space has more than one bldg frontage, the allowable sign area for the additional frontages shall be one-half that allowed for the primary wall sign
		Monument Sign		1 sign per street frontage; projects with more than 600 linear feet of frontage on the same street may have 1 sign for each 300' along that frontage		Sign must be on located on-site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed		40 s.f. in area for projects on local/collector streets or 60 s.f. in area for projects on arterial streets		8 feet in height
						Where multiple freestanding signs are allowed within a project, the minimum separation between signs shall be 150’

	Freeway Wall Sign	1 sign per eligible building	Only permitted on those properties abutting a freeway (excludes Hwy. 12); where the sign is located on a side or rear elevation and placed within 500' of the freeway right- of-way	2 percent of total area of elevation on which sign is placed, up to 500 s.f.	Must be placed on frst foor of building, unless integrated with the building architecture, and a uniform approach to display and application of all signs is employed	Sign shall only identify a single tenant or project name, and shall not be allowed on the same elevation with a non- freeway orientated wall sign
	Business Park Identifcation Sign	2 per entry on collector/arterial road	At major entry(ies) to the subdivision; may be placed in public right- of-way or easement	60 s.f. per entry (total for all signs at the same entry)	8 feet	Copy limited to address and/or name of subdivision or business park

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type		Number (maximum)		Location		Area (maximum)		Height (maximum)		Special Regulations
C. Signs Permitted in Residential Zoning Districts:
Single Family Dwellings		Wall Sign		1 per residence		Mounted on front elevation of house		1 s.f.		Sign must be placed on frst foor elevation, below eaveline	Home occupation signs are not allowed
Subdivision Identifcation		Monument		2 per entry on collector/arterial road		At major entry(s) to the subdivision; may be placed in public right-of- way or easement		60 s.f. per entry (total for all signs at the same entry)		6 feet	Copy limited to address and/or name of subdivision or community; internal illumination not allowed

Multi-family Projects or Mobile Home Parks	Wall Sign	1 wall sign per building for address	Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a public street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant	16 s.f.	Sign must be placed on frst foor elevation, below eaveline
	Monument Sign	1 per street frontage on a collector/arterial road	Sign must be on located on-site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed	40 s.f.	6 feet	Copy limited to name of project and/or address
			Where multiple freestanding signs are allowed within a project, the minimum separation between signs shall be 150’			'

Table 25.13-2: Sign Regulations
Land Use	Sign Type	Number (maximum)	Location	Area (maximum)	Height (maximum)	Special Regulations

Multi-family (continued)	Directory Sign	1 per street frontage on an arterial road	Sign must be placed at primary project entry(s) in a manner that allows it to only be read from a stationary vehicle or by a pedestrian	20 s.f.	6 feet	Copy is limited to graphic illustration of site plan and/or tenant directory; font size shall be appropriate for pedestrian viewing
Non- residential use (e.g., ofce, school, church or community care facility)	Wall Sign	1 per street frontage on an arterial road	Sign may only be placed on a building elevation fronting on a street or driveway providing public access to the building; and must be placed on that portion of a building frontage occupied by the subject tenant	.5 s.f. of sign area per linear foot of eligible bldg frontage, but not less than 20 s.f. per tenant	Sign must be placed on frst foor elevation, below eaveline
	Monument Sign	1 per street frontage on an arterial road	Sign must be on located on-site, outside of a public right-of- way; a 10' setback is be required where trafc visibility could be obstructed	32 s.f.	6 feet	Copy limited to name of project and/or address
			Where multiple freestanding signs are allowed within a project, the minimum separation between signs shall be 150’

C. Specific Regulations for Temporary and Miscellaneous Signs. The following paragraphs establish regulations for the maximum number, location, maximum area, maximum height and/or special regulations for all signs of a temporary nature that are allowed in the City.

Banners.

a. All banner copy shall be promotional in nature and shall not include business identification as its primary copy.

b. The length of banner shall not be greater 60% of the length of the building elevation on which it is displayed.

c. All businesses applying for a banner(s) shall have existing approved permanent signs meeting City sign ordinance requirements.

d. Any business within any commercial zoning district may display one banner per facade up to a maximum of two banners.

e. There will be no regulation of the hours or days for the display of banners.

f. Banners must be affixed to the facade of the building.

g. No banners shall be located on the roof of the building.

h. Banners will not be allowed to be affixed to vehicles or other permanent or temporary structures within any required parking areas.

i. An annual permit with an associated fee of $100 shall be required for each banner.

Construction Signs. One “under construction” sign is allowed per construction site. The sign shall not exceed forty (40) square feet in area and ten (10) feet in height. The sign may identify the project developer, project participants, and/or future occupants.
On-Site Directional Signs. Where appurtenant to a permitted or conditionally permitted use, on-site directional signs may be placed subject to the following regulations:

a. Maximum area of a directional sign shall be four square feet.
b. Maximum height shall be five feet.
c. Directional signs shall have no commercial message or copy.

Flags. Flags, emblems, or insignias of national or political subdivisions, when displayed in accord with appropriate flag protocol, and flags displaying corporate logos or insignias are allowed subject to the following regulations:

a. Flags must be displayed on a permanent flagpole, which shall be placed to avoid damage to other structures.

b. Flagpoles in residential zoning districts shall not exceed 25 feet in height. Flag size shall not exceed four feet by six feet.

c. Flagpoles in non-residential zones shall be proportional in height to the on-site buildings, but shall not exceed 40 feet in height. Flag size shall not exceed six feet by ten feet.

d. Where applicable, the light source for exterior illuminated flag poles shall be out of public view. Ground-mounted light fixtures extending above grade shall be screened from public view with evergreen plant material.

Inflatable Signs.

a. No more than one inflatable sign shall be allowed to be displayed for a period not to exceed 15 days up to 6 times a year, except as provided in Section 5.b below.

b. Temporary seasonal businesses shall be allowed to display inflatable signs for the duration of their temporary use.

c. Inflatable signs shall be allowed to be placed within required landscape areas provided the landscaped areas are well maintained and meet current City standards for landscaping.

d. Inflatable signs shall not be placed within the public right-of-way, or within any required parking area unless authorized by a Special Sign District, and shall not be placed within any path of travel required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

e. Inflatable balloons shall be allowed to be placed only in locations on the property where the height of the balloon does not exceed its setback to the property line. This is to ensure that if the balloon goes down, it does not go down on adjacent properties.

f. An annual permit with an associated fee of $250 shall be required for each inflatable sign, except for temporary seasonal businesses who will not be required to pay a fee up and above the cost of a temporary permit as required by the City per Section 25.1304(C)14.

Political Signs. Political signs are allowed that comply with the following regulations:

a. No political sign shall be erected or placed on any property unless permission has been granted by the property owner, lessee, or person in lawful possession.

b. Any political sign placed in violation of this Section shall be removed and impounded by the Director if the violation is not corrected within 48 hours after the Director has issued a notice to correct the violation.

c. Any political sign shall be removed within 14 days after election day, except for those candidates who were successful in a primary election, or must compete in a runoff election, in which case the sign(s) shall be allowed to remain until 14 days after the final election.

Real Estate Signs. Real estate signs shall comply with the following regulations:

a. On residential properties, one “for sale” or “for rent/lease” sign, not exceeding nine square feet is allowed for each frontage the property has on a public street. The sign shall pertain to the building or property upon which it is placed. The sign shall be placed in the front or side street setback area. Such signs shall not be displayed on or above a soundwall or block-end fence.

b. For residential property located on a private street or drive, having no direct access to a public street, one “for sale” or “for rent/lease” sign, not exceeding nine square feet is allowed on the nearest property having frontage on a public street which provides access to the private street or drive, provided the sign user first obtains permission from the owner of the property where the sign is displayed.

c. On commercial and industrial properties, real estate signs shall comply with the following:

Properties abutting a freeway are permitted one sign for each 1,000 feet of street frontage, with a maximum area of 64 square feet and a maximum height of 15 feet per sign.
All other commercial and industrial properties are permitted one sign per street frontage, with a maximum area of 40 square feet and a maximum height of 10 feet per sign.

d. One banner, up to a maximum 24 square feet in area, may be used to advertise multi-family and non-residential property for sale or rent.

Portable Real Estate Signs. Portable “A-Frame” real estate signs advertising an open house or a pre-existing home for sale may be placed on-site without any limitation. In addition, to minimize traffic conflicts on local residential streets and provide expedient identification of an individual home for sale in the immediate vicinity, portable “A-Frame” signs advertising an open house for a pre-existing home for sale may be placed in the City right-of-way. The sign user shall be responsible for removing the signs at the end of each day, and providing, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, surety and indemnification of the City in the event of accident regarding the sign in the right-of-way. Portable “A-Frame” signs in the right-of-way shall not be placed so as to obstruct the public walkway, may not be placed in a median island, and must be located outside the Traffic Visibility Safety Area as depicted in the Figure in Section 25.204 D.2. of the zoning ordinance.
Subdivision sales signs, on-site. On-site subdivision sales signs shall comply with the following regulations:

a. A maximum of two advertising signs, with a maximum area of 32 square feet and a maximum height of 15 feet for each sign.

b. A maximum of four directional signs, with a maximum area of 16 square feet and a maximum height of eight feet for each sign.

c. One sign for each model in the project, with a maximum area of eight square feet and a maximum height of eight feet for each sign.

Subdivision sales signs, off-site. Off-site subdivision sales signs shall comply with the following regulations:

a. The maximum number of signs shall be four per project.

b. The maximum height shall be 15 feet.

c. Setbacks shall be provided as follows: 15 feet from property line, 300 feet from other authorized off-site subdivision sales signs, and 100 feet from occupied residential structures.

d. All sign bases and support structures shall be boxed or enclosed in a decorative base.

Warning signs. “No trespassing", “no dumping,” or other warning signs are allowed that do not exceed 4 square feet per sign.
Window signs. Window signs shall not occupy more than 35 percent of the area of the window to which they are mounted. Window signs that are illuminated, such as neon displays, shall not constitute more than 50 percent of the allowable window sign area. For the purpose of administering this Section, the percentage limitations shall be measured as the total area of one or more panes of contiguous glass. Where window panes are separated by a door or a solid wall, the allowable area shall be calculated separately.
Promotional Sign Cabinet. In order to address the unique point-of-sale identification needs of gasoline stations, one permanent, wall-mounted promotional sign cabinet which can be used to display changeable copy and promotional sales shall be permitted. Maximum area shall be 36 square feet. The Planning Commission may approve a promotional sign cabinet of up 50 square feet.
Temporary Signs for Special Events. Temporary signs and banners for promotional or seasonal events of civic, charitable, educational, religious, or service organizations are allowed when displayed on the location of the subject activity. They shall be placed no sooner than 14 days prior to the event and removed no later than seven days after the event. Such signs or banners shall not exceed 32 square feet.
Statues. One permanent, ground-installed statue promoting a company character or image, with a maximum height of 10 feet, may be placed on a commercial or industrial property.
Portable Signs

a. Portable Signs shall include signs such as A-frames or other similar non-permanent signs, but does not include signs displayed on or attached to vehicles, trailers, carts or similar.

b. Portable signs shall not be greater than four feet in height or width.

c. Portable signs shall be professionally manufactured. No hand painted or other non-professional appearing portable signs should be allowed.

d. Any business within any commercial zoning district may display a maximum of one portable sign per licensed business on their property.

e. Portable signs shall not be placed within the public right-of-way, or within any required parking area unless authorized by a Special Sign District, and shall not be placed within any path of travel required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

f. Time frame limitations as contained within any Special Sign District governing portable signs shall hereby be eliminated.

g. Portable signs shall be allowed within the required landscaping areas provided the landscaped areas are well maintained and meet current City standards for landscaping.

h. Portable signs shall be setback from any driveways a distance that reasonably provides adequate line of sight.

i. No off-site portable signs shall be permitted on public property or within any City right-of-way (except as provided herein) under any circumstances. All off-site portable signs shall be removed immediately and destroyed.

j. All new sign programs for multi-tenant commercial projects per Section 25.1303 (a) 3 shall include regulations for the number, location and placement of portable signs consistent with this section.

k. An annual permit with an associated fee of $100 shall be required for each portable sign.

Bus Shelter Signs

Signage shall be permitted on permanent Bus Shelters installed by the Fairfield Suisun Transit District. The amount of signage shall be limited to two signs. Each sign shall be no greater than four feet eight inches in width and seven feet five and a half inches in height. (Ord. No. 2018-06, § 9.)

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code

▸ Contents — Fairfield Zoning Code

Fairfield Zoning Code