Earlier editions: 2026-09
Lincoln Municipal Code Ch. 16.01 General and Administrative Provisions
Lincoln Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Lincoln
Cite as: Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 16.01 · Text as of 2026-10-04
16.01.010 - Purpose and intent.¶
The city council finds as follows:
(1) The purpose of this title is to encourage signs which are integrated with, and harmonious to, the buildings and sites which they occupy, to eliminate excessive and confusing sign displays, to preserve and improve the appearance of the city as a place in which to live and to work and as an attraction to nonresidents who come to visit or trade, and to restrict signs which increase the probability of accidents by distracting attention or obstructing vision.
(2) The regulations established by this title are intended to appropriately limit the placement, type, size, and number of signs allowed within the city, and to require the proper maintenance of signs. By adopting this title, the city intends to regulate signs on the basis of location, relationship to land uses, illumination, motion, size, height, orientation, separation, safety of physical structures, and the public need for functional information.
(3) Intent as to public forum. The city declares its intent that not all city property shall function as a public forum, unless some specific portion of city property is named herein as a public forum of one particular type; in such case, the declaration as to public forum type shall apply strictly to, and only to the specified area and for the specified time period.
(4) The purposes of these limitations and requirements are to:
a. Safeguard and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare, and advance the goals, policies, and strategies of the city's general plan;
b. Reduce or avoid traffic and/or safety hazards to motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, caused by visual distractions and obstructions, or to impede their access;
c. Protect and enhance the character and setting of the city against visual blight by preventing a proliferation of signs that will detract from, and obscure, the scenic qualities of the city and its individual buildings and neighborhoods;
d. Promote the aesthetic and environmental values of the community by providing for signs that do not impair the attractiveness of the city as a place to live, work, and shop;
e. Promote the public health, safety, and welfare by setting reasonable, nonarbitrary, and nondiscriminatory standards and procedures to facilitate the improvement and protection of the environment by prohibiting the misuse and/or proliferation of signs.
f. This title sets forth standards and minimum requirements to safeguard life, safety, property, and public welfare by regulating the size, height, construction, location, electrification, operation, and maintenance of all signs and sign structures exposed to public view within the city. The pleasing visual appearance and traffic safety of the city cannot be preserved and achieved by measures less restrictive than the procedures and standards of this title.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.020 - Enforcement authority.¶
(a) The community development director or designee (hereinafter known as "director") for purposes of this title is authorized and directed to enforce all provisions of this title.
(b) Any violations of this title shall be subject to enforcement remedies, penalties, and abatement provided by the City's Municipal Code, including, without limitation, Chapters 1.16 through 1.18, inclusive, and Chapter 8.08, and state and federal law. Each sign and each day a violation exists is considered a separate violation when applying criminal, civil or administrative penalties. Except where necessary for the immediate protection of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare, no enforcement action shall be taken under this title unless the person alleged to be violating the provision of this title is given not less than five days' written notice to cease the violation. Such notice shall be given in person or by mail to the record owner of the property upon which the violation exists.
(c) In adopting this title, the city acts in its proprietary capacity as to city property, as defined herein, within the city. This title is adopted in accordance with the freedom afforded to cities pursuant to the city's general and police powers; California Constitution Article XI, Section 7; California Government Code Sections 65000 et seq., 65850(b), 38774, and 38775; Business and Professions Code Sections 5200 et seq., 5230, and 5490 et seq.; Penal Code Section 556; and other applicable state laws. The provisions of this title constitute the "city sign ordinance."
(d) Any person dissatisfied by an act or determination of an official of the city relating to the enforcement or interpretation of this title may appeal such act or determination to the city planning commission, and thereafter the city council, as provided for under Chapter 18.94. The fee for such appeals shall be established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.030 - General principals governing sign regulations.¶
(a) Regulatory Interpretations. The city shall apply this title in a content-neutral manner. The noncommunicative aspects of all signs shall comply with the regulations and standards set forth in this title. "Noncommunicative aspects" includes regulations that do not relate to the content of the sign, including, for example, the time, place, manner, location, size, height, illumination, spacing, and orientation of signs.
(b) Planned Development Districts/Sign Criteria. In addition to the sign regulations set forth in this title, each planned development and other areas of the city with approved sign criteria, may have additional or separate regulations for signs in its plan area. Where those planned development districts do not regulate signage, these provisions shall apply.
(c) Substitution of Noncommercial Message. In each instance and under the same conditions to which this title permits any sign, a sign containing an ideological, religious, or other noncommercial message shall be permitted wherever a commercial message is permitted.
(d) Content Neutral. It is the city's policy to regulate signs in a constitutional manner that is content neutral as to noncommercial messages which are within the protections of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the corollary provisions of the California Constitution.
(e) Property Owner's Consent. No sign may be displayed without the consent of the legal owner(s) of the property on which the sign is mounted or displayed.
(f) Legal Nature of Signage Rights and Duties. As to all signs attached to real or personal property, the signage rights, duties and obligations arising from this title attach to and travel with the land or other property on which a sign is mounted or displayed.
(g) Severance. If any section, sentence, clause, phrase, word, portion, or provision of this title is held invalid or unconstitutional, or unenforceable, by any court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect, impair, or invalidate any other section, sentence, clause, phrase, word, portion, or provision of this title which can be given effect without the invalid portion. In adopting this title, the city council affirmatively declares that it would have approved and adopted the title even without any portion which may be held invalid or unconstitutional, or unenforceable.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.040 - Applicability; permit required.¶
(a) General. This title shall apply to all property and land within the City of Lincoln.
(b) Permit Requirement. A sign permit is required prior to the installation or display of any sign, except those exempt signs described herein, and the signs that expressly do not require a permit. It is unlawful for any person, firm, organization, or corporation that owns, operates, controls, rents, or leases property or land in the city to construct, maintain, display or alter, or to cause or allow to be constructed, maintained, displayed, or altered, a sign within the city except in conformance with this title.
(c) Signs Must be Permitted or Exempted. Unless specifically authorized by this title or other applicable law, no signs may be displayed on city property, except in or on a traditional public forum or a forum so designated by the city, and in accordance with this title. Any unauthorized sign posted on city property may be summarily removed by the city as a trespass and a public nuisance.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.050 - Immediate removal of signs on city property.¶
Removal. Any lettering, advertisement, card, poster, sign, or notice of any kind placed on city property or on any curb, sidewalk, post, pole, lamp post, hydrant, bridge, tree, or other surface located on city property in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or any sign that constitutes an immediate peril to persons or property, may be removed without prior notice by any officer or employee of the city designated to do so by the community development director. The cost of removal and of any damage to city property resulting from the placement or removal of a sign under this subsection shall be charged to the person who placed the sign or caused the sign to be placed.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.060 - Exempt signs.¶
The following signs described in Table 1 do not require a sign permit provided the sign meets the stated conditions. Signs that do not require a sign permit are not counted towards sign area:
TABLE 1 - Signs Exempt From Sign Permit Requirement
| Exempt Sign | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Address Signs | House numbers and nameplates not exceeding three square feet in area; business numbers not exceeding ten square feet in area. |
| Construction Site Signs | One sign per property not exceeding 16 square feet identifying contractors, owners, designers, lenders etc., for projects under construction on that property. |
| Government and Community Signs | Traffic control signs; Legal/ |
| Interior Signs | Any sign not visible from another lot of record or from a public right-of-way. |
| No Trespassing/ |
Must be posted in compliance with federal, state, and local laws. |
| Parking Lot Signs | A total maximum area of three square feet per sign. The sign locations shall be within 20 feet of a driveway or other ingress/ |
| Real Estate Signs | Real estate signs as authorized by Civil Code section 713 et seq. |
| Signs Required by Federal or State Law | Signs required for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) etc., or legal notices posted pursuant to law or court order. |
| Temporary Noncommercial Signs - Residential | 1. Duration - 45 calendar days per event. 2. Up to 6 times per calendar year. 3. Size. 12 square feet, not to exceed 4 feet in height. 4. Quantity. Two per private property. |
| Temporary Noncommercial Signs - Nonresidential | 1. Duration - 45 calendar days per event. 2. Up to 6 times per calendar year. |
| 3. Size. For a property with street frontage of less than 60 feet: a total of 16 square feet; for a property with street frontage of 60 to 100 feet: a total of 32 square feet; for every 100 feet of street frontage thereafter, the property may have an additional 32 square feet of signage. No taller than 6 feet in height for any sign. | |
| 4. Location. On the building face, or outside of the allowed setback. | |
| Vehicle Signs | 1. Signs on licensed commercial vehicles, provided such vehicles are not used or intended for use as portable signs for general advertising for hire. |
| 2. Vehicles which display an advertisement or business identification of its owner, as long as such vehicle is engaged in the usual or regular work of the owner, and not used merely, mainly or primarily to display advertisements; or | |
| 3. Advertisements on buses or, taxicabs. | |
| Advertising Statuary | 1. Not exceeding four feet in height or 24 inches in width. |
| 2. If located in the public right of way, an encroachment permit is required. | |
| Pennant/ |
Temporary, made of durable fabric or canvas, can be displayed for up to 10 consecutive days. |
| Bulletin Boards | Not exceeding eight square feet in size |
| Grave Stones and Grave Markers | Must comply with Federal and State requirements. |
| Time and Temperature | Not exceeding eight square feet in size. The square footage counts towards the overall allowed signage. |
| Manufacturer's Marks | Including but not limited to signs on vending machines, gas pumps etc., not exceeding four square feet in size. |
| Memorial Signs, Symbols, Insignias, or Tablets | Names of buildings, dates, commemorative plaques, identification emblems etc. that do not encroach into the public right-of-way. |
| Wayfinding Signs | Destination and directional signage to guide visitors to primary and secondary attractions in the City. |
| Service Club Signs | Community signage, such as community bulletin boards, service club signs, and information sign kiosks |
| Window Signs | 1. Window signs shall not cover more than 35 percent of the area of the window. Total signage placed on any window may not include unused signage amounts allowable for other windows. |
| 2. Window sign area shall not be considered in computing the maximum allowed building signage. |
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.070 - Prohibited signs.¶
(a) Unless otherwise expressly authorized by this title, no person shall mark, post, paste, print, paint, nail, tack, or otherwise fasten or leave a card, banner, handbill, sign, sticker, poster, or advertisement or notice of any kind or cause the same to be done, on city property.
(b) Unless otherwise noted in this title, the following signs in Table 2 are prohibited in all zones, and are subject to abatement by the City of Lincoln:
TABLE 2 - Prohibited Signs
| Feather Sign, Feather Banner, or Feather Banner Sign. All forms of Feather Sign, Feather Banner, or Feather Banner Sign are prohibited in all zones. |
|---|
| Freestanding signs installed or placed in the public right-of-way (excludes Government and Community Signs, and A-frame signs). |
| Animated Signs (includes mannequin signs). |
| Flashing Signs. |
| Use of a banner sign as a permanent sign. |
| Permanent Off-site Signs. |
| Signs placed or maintained so as to interfere with free ingress to or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or parking lot. |
| Signs which simulate or imitate in size, color, lettering, or design any traffic sign or signal, or which make use of words, symbols, or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse pedestrian or vehicular traffic. |
| Vehicles used only for general signage or parked in a place or manner where the primary purpose is not the use of the vehicle but the primary placement is to display a commercial message. |
| Mobile messaging signs or mobile billboards parked upon any street, parking lot, or other public place where the public has the right of travel. |
| Balloon signs. |
| Air dancer sign. |
| Roof signs. |
| Abandoned signs. |
| Obscene signs. |
| Any sign not expressly allowed by this title is expressly prohibited. |
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.080 - Standards.¶
All signs that are not exempt shall comply with the requirements of this title, in addition to any other applicable requirements.
(1) Placement of Signs.
a. Commercial signs shall be located on the property on which the product, service, or other commercial activity which is being advertised is located.
b. All signs that are located in, or project over, or into the public right-of-way must conform to this title, and are subject to an encroachment permit.
c. Building signs shall be placed so as not to project above the roofline, except signs may be placed on a parapet wall, and up to the ridge of a mansard roof.
d. At street intersections, no sign exceeding thirty inches in height shall be erected within the site distance triangle as denoted in the city's design criteria and procedures manual and the public facilities improvement standards.
e. Freestanding signs shall be set back a minimum of three feet from any property line.
(2) Construction Standards.
a. All signs shall be constructed in accordance with applicable requirements of Lincoln Municipal Code Section 15.04, Uniform Construction Codes, and the California Building Code.
b. Permanent signs shall be constructed of durable materials.
(3) Maintenance. All signs shall be maintained in a substantially like-new condition. Normal wear and tear of aged signs shall be repaired when they detract from the visible quality of the sign. When signs are removed the facade behind the sign shall be repaired and painted to match the building.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.090 - Permit requirements and procedures.¶
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this title, no sign (permanent or temporary) shall be installed, erected or displayed until the director has determined that its design and placement comply with all requirements of this title and has issued a sign permit to the applicant of the sign.
(b) A sign permit is not required to repair, clean, repaint or refurbish any existing sign, unless such activity involves the replacement, reconstruction or relocation of the sign.
(c) No permit is required for changing only the copy of an existing permitted sign, provided:
(1) There are no changes to the sign structure or cabinet, and
(2) The area of the sign is not being enlarged.
(d) An application for a sign permit shall be made on a form prescribed by the director and accompanied by a fee in an amount established by city council resolution.
(e) Issuance of a sign permit shall not relieve the applicant from complying with all other applicable laws relating to displaying or erecting a sign, including, but not limited to, obtaining any required sign or electrical permit under Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 15.04, Uniform Construction Codes, and California Building Code.
(f) Disqualification. A sign permit application will not be approved under any of the following circumstances:
(1) A sign permit will not be approved if the applicant has installed a sign in violation of the provisions of this title. At the time of submission of the application, the applicant shall legalize or remove the sign in violation.
(2) A sign permit will not be approved if there is any other existing zoning code violation(s) located on the site of the proposed sign(s) (other than an illegal or nonconforming sign that is not owned or controlled by the applicant and is located at a different business location on the site from that for which the approval is sought) which has not been remedied at the time of the application, unless the noncompliance is proposed to be cured as part of the proposed new sign.
(3) A sign permit will not be approved if the applicant has not obtained any other applicable required permit(s).
(4) A sign permit will not be approved if the applicant has an outstanding unpaid balance for prior city services.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.100 - Violation—Penalty.¶
(a) Violation of this title shall be a misdemeanor, but may be charged as either a misdemeanor or an infraction in the discretion of the prosecuting attorney. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the city may also remedy violations of this title through administrative code enforcement provisions.
(b) Abatement as nuisance. Any sign or billboard, erected, altered or maintained contrary to the provisions of this title, is unlawful and a public nuisance. The city attorney shall, upon order of the city council, immediately commence action or proceedings for the abatement and removal and enjoinment thereof in the manner provided by law. The remedies provided for herein shall be cumulative and not exclusive.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
16.01.110 - Legal nonconforming signs.¶
(a) Legal nonconforming signs shall be permitted to remain until such time as any of the events listed in subsection (b) of this section occurs. At such time, the sign must be removed or brought into conformance with this title.
(b) A legal nonconforming sign shall lose its status as a nonconforming sign if any of the following occurs:
(1) The sign is relocated or replaced;
(2) The structure, height or size of the sign is altered in any way except towards compliance with this title. Face changes and normal maintenance are allowed and not considered alienation; or
(3) The sign structure is damaged or destroyed by more than fifty percent of its value at the time of damage or destruction.
(Ord. No. 897B, § 2(Exh. A), 3-24-2015)
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