Monterey Municipal Code Ch. 31 SIGNS Revised

The Council of the City of Monterey has determined that sign regulation is necessary to control the size, type and location of signs to:

A.Protect and enhance the character and setting of the City of Monterey against visual blight by preventing a proliferation of signs that will detract from, and obscure, the scenic qualities of the City of Monterey and its individual buildings and neighborhoods;

B.Encourage the effective use of signs primarily as a means of identification and communication, and to provide equality and equity among sign owners and those who wish to use signs; and

C.Mitigate the potential cumulative detrimental impact resulting from numerous signs in close proximity to each other, which cannot be addressed in any way other than by limiting the number and size of all signs. (Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

The Council of the City of Monterey has determined that individual signs should further the purpose of this Chapter. This determination is expressed in the following general objectives:

A.Signs are a necessary tool, the primary purpose of which is to identify an entity from an adjacent street frontage. In all regards, any additional sign area, height, or design component that exceeds the minimum necessary to reasonably identify an entity shall be considered extraneous and subject to additional scrutiny and/or denial.

B.Signs are to be an integral visual part of the site and building design and the quality of their design should equal or surpass that of the building and site. In that regard, the materials, dimensions and placement of signs should foremost reflect the unique qualities of their corresponding building and, to a lesser degree, the numerical standards contained herein.

C.Signs, when viewed collectively in a district or blockface, should convey a cohesive and complementary streetscape that expresses the City’s unique historic and aesthetic character. To that end, materials, dimensions and placement should complement signs on adjoining properties. (Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A. General.This Chapter shall apply to all property and land within the City of Monterey.

B. Sign Permit.A Sign Permit is required prior to the installation or display of any sign, except those exempt signs described herein. It is unlawful for any person, firm, organization, or corporation that owns, operates, controls, rents, or leases property or land in the City of Monterey 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 Chapter.

C. Exempt Signs.The City has a compelling interest to exempt certain signs to further the purpose and objectives of this chapter and to allow for the use of signs with minimal aesthetic impact. The following signs, described in Table 31-1, may be installed without a sign permit; provided, that they meet the conditions set forth in Table 31-1, and comply with all City rules, regulations, and guidelines, including but not limited to the Citywide Sign Guidelines and other applicable land use documents. Exempt signs may require a building permit or encroachment permit.

TABLE 31-1: Exempt Signs

D. Prohibited Signs.The City has a compelling interest to prohibit certain signs on City property to prevent damage to public property, avoid the administrative burdens associated with the need to monitor the placement of signs on public property and their eventual removal, preserve the prominence of public signs and lines of sight in the interests of traffic safety, to prevent interference with the normal maintenance and upkeep (e.g., watering, mowing, planting) of City property, and to prevent visual blight. The City has a compelling interest to prohibit certain signs to uniformly further the purpose and objectives of this chapter and to enforce local, State and Federal law. The following signs are prohibited and subject to abatement by the City of Monterey:

TABLE 31-2: Prohibited Signs

E. Substitution of Messages.Subject to the consent of the property owner or person in control or possession of the property, a noncommercial message of any type may be substituted for all or part of the commercial or noncommercial message on any sign allowed pursuant to this chapter. Such substitution of message may be made without any additional approval or permitting. Design criteria that may apply to commercial signs, such as color, lettering style or compatibility with other signs on the same parcel, do not apply to noncommercial signs. No special or additional approval is required to substitute a noncommercial message for any other message on an allowable sign, provided the sign structure is already approved or exempt from the approval requirement. When a noncommercial message is substituted for any other message, the sign is still subject to the same locational and structural regulations, such as size, height, illumination, maintenance, building and electrical code requirements, as would apply if the sign were used to display a commercial message or some other noncommercial message. In the event of any perceived or actual conflict between the general provisions of this subsection and other specific provisions in this chapter, the provisions of this subsection shall prevail.

F. Street Banners.Nothing in this chapter limits in any way the City’s ability to use City property for the expression of its own messages. No banner shall extend over or into a street, alley, sidewalk, or other public place except those banners placed by the City for the purpose of promoting its own messages and civic events. The City declares its intent that banners placed by the City on Alvarado Street and Calle Principal bear the City’s own messages, and that the placement of such banners by the City shall not function as the designation of a traditional public forum. (Ord. 3716 § 3, 2026; Ord. 3715 § 10, 2025; Ord. 3607 § 3, 2019; Ord. 3603 §§ 3, 4, 2019; Ord. 3592 §§ 2, 3, 2019; Ord. 3547 §§ 3, 4, 2016; Ord. 3506 §§ 3 – 6, 2014; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A.The City of Monterey has a compelling interest to adopt guidelines that will offer an equal and consistent basis for evaluating signs, will inform the public of the City’s general expectations for the size, location, and design of signs, and will provide a clear means to achieve the purpose and objectives of this Chapter. As such, the City Council shall adopt, by resolution, Citywide Sign Guidelines that provide numerical and other design guidelines that prescribe a means for achieving the purposes and objectives of this Chapter.

B.The sign guidelines contained in a Specific Plan, Area or Neighborhood Plan, or similar adopted land use document are intended to more specifically describe the expectations for signs in that particular area. Such guidelines shall be considered to preempt and replace the Citywide Sign Guidelines should there be a conflict. Otherwise, the Citywide Sign Guidelines shall apply to all areas within the City.

C.As rigid numerical or other design standards may preclude exceptional design that might better achieve the purpose and objectives of this Chapter, exceptions to these Citywide Sign Guidelines may be offered by the Planning Commission. Such exceptions may not be offered to prohibited signs and any resulting determinations shall be supported by clear and descriptive findings that are consistent with and which achieve one (1) or more of the purposes and the objectives of this Chapter. (Ord. 3715 § 10, 2025; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A. General Review.The Planning Commission shall be primarily responsible for the review of sign applications to determine conformance with these standards and for the approval of Sign Permits. The Historic Preservation Commission shall be responsible for the review of sign applications on designated historic properties and shall apply these standards to such review.

B. Concurrent Review.For projects involving new construction or exterior alterations that affect signs, an application for a Sign Permit may be submitted concurrently with the application for Architectural Review.

C. Minor and Major Signs.The Planning Commission shall adopt, by resolution, and maintain a list of sign types that are determined Minor Signs or Major Signs. The review of these signs shall be conducted as follows:

1.Major Signs shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission or Historic Preservation Commission.

2.Minor Signs shall be reviewed administratively by City Planning staff. At the specific request of any interested party or staff, any Minor Sign application may be referred to the Planning Commission or Historic Preservation Commission for an administrative decision.

D. Noticing Requirements.When a sign application includes an internally illuminated sign or a freestanding sign that is inconsistent with the Citywide sign guidelines, written notices shall be sent by U.S. Mail at least ten (10) days prior to the public meeting to all owners of property located within one hundred (100) feet of the perimeter of the project site.

E. Appeal.All appeals shall proceed pursuant to the process described in Section 38-203 et seq.

F. Multitenant Sign Program.A Multitenant Sign Program is required for all multitenant buildings with multiple tenants. In cases where a multitenant building does not have an approved Sign Program, a new Sign Permit shall not be approved until a Sign Program is approved for the entire building and/or site. (Ord. 3715 §§ 10, 11, 2025; Ord. 3547 § 5, 2016; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

Submittal requirements for Sign Permit applications shall be developed, maintained, and adopted by the Community Development Department, shall be made available to the public at City Hall, and shall be subject to review and oversight by the Planning Commission or Historic Preservation Commission. (Ord. 3715 § 12, 2025; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A. Findings.In order for a sign permit application to be approved and a sign permit to be issued pursuant to this chapter, the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Planning staff, as applicable, must first make the following findings. Such findings shall be made in writing.

1.The proposal achieves the purposes and objectives of this chapter;

2.The proposal is consistent with all applicable sign guidelines or has been determined by the Planning Commission to better achieve the purpose and objectives of this chapter than the strict application of said sign guidelines; and

3.The proposal is consistent with any other adopted land use document including, but not limited to, the Monterey general plan, area or neighborhood plans, design guidelines, or specific plans.

B. Off-Site Sign on City Property Encroachment Permit.In addition to the findings required by subsection (A) of this section, in order for an off-site sign permit on City property to be approved, the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Planning staff, as applicable, must first make the following findings. Such findings shall be made in writing.

1.A sign encroachment permit shall be granted only when, because of special circumstances applicable to the property in terms of location or surroundings, the strict application of the sign regulations deprives such property of a privilege to post a sign for public view enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity that are under an identical zoning classification.

2.Any sign encroachment permit granted under this subsection shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the permit will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the same vicinity and zone in which the applicant’s property is situated.

3.A sign encroachment permit shall not be granted if the applicant’s inability to post a sign on private property so that the message is viewable by the public:

a.Could be avoided by an alternate development plan;

b.Is the result of an action taken by the current property owner or prior owner of the property; or

c.If the property can serve as a site for a sign with access to public view that is the same or better than the access enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity that are under an identical zoning classification.

4.The following conditions shall be imposed on all sign encroachment permits:

a.Design review pursuant to Section 31-5;

b.City Traffic Engineer review for traffic and safety hazards; and

c.The sign must otherwise be in compliance with this chapter and the sign guidelines.

5. Revocation.In the event that one or more of the conditions imposed on the sign encroachment permit is violated, the Community Development Director, after notice to the permittee with an opportunity to present a response, may thereafter revoke the permit.

6. Exception.A sign encroachment permit shall not be required for ballpark advertising banners or temporary private party signs on City property during construction projects as authorized in Table 31-1. (Ord. 3715 § 10, 2025; Ord. 3592 § 4, 2019; Ord. 3506 § 7, 2014; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A. Installation and Maintenance.The approved sign shall be installed and maintained indefinitely as shown on the approved plans unless a formal request for revision or a subsequent application is approved by the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission or City Planning staff, as applicable. Sign requirements imposed by any other department, division, board, or agency, within the City of Monterey or otherwise, must be consistent with the Sign Permit. If sign requirements imposed by any other department, division, board, or agency are inconsistent with the Sign Permit, the permittee must apply for the terms of the Sign Permit to be modified within five (5) days. All signs must be maintained in the same condition as when the sign was installed. Failure to maintain the Sign in its approved condition constitutes a violation of the Monterey City Code. Normal wear and tear of aged signs shall be repaired when they detract from the visible quality of the sign, as determined by the City Planning staff. When signs are repaired, they must be done so in a manner (paint colors shall match, etc.) that is consistent with terms of the Sign Permit. When signs are removed, the wall behind the sign shall be repaired and painted to match the rest of the building wall within thirty (30) days of the date of the removal.

B. Abandoned or Unsafe Signs.Any sign, including its supporting structure, which after a lapse of at least sixty (60) days, no longer identifies the current occupant, shall be deemed an abandoned sign and a public nuisance. It shall be removed, along with any supporting structure, by the owner of the property on which it is located within thirty (30) days of written notice by the City. Any sign that, in the opinion of the Building Official, is unsafe or insecure, shall be deemed an unsafe sign and a public nuisance, and shall be corrected or removed, together with any supporting structure, by the owner of the property on which the sign is located, as directed by the Building Official.

C. Duration and Extension.If a building permit has not been granted within two (2) years of the date of approval of the Sign Permit or if a sign not requiring a building permit has not been installed within two (2) years of the date of approval of the Sign Permit, the Sign Permit approval shall be null and void, unless extended by the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Planning staff. Requests for an extension shall be made in writing a minimum of ten (10) days prior to the expiration date.

D. Effective Date and Appeals.Decisions of the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, or City Planning staff shall become effective on the tenth day after the date of a decision, unless appealed by any interested party under Section 38-203 et seq. (Ord. 3715 § 10, 2025; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

A. Legal Nonconforming Signs.Signs which lawfully existed prior to the adoption of this chapter and are now or may hereafter be prohibited by this chapter, as the same may be changed from time to time, are deemed to be legal nonconforming signs.

B. Qualifying Circumstances.Legal nonconforming signs may be maintained indefinitely after the adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter. However, if at any time any of the following circumstances occur, the legal nonconforming signs shall be removed or made to be conforming:

1.There is a change in land use classification of the entity or property served by the sign.

2.The sign is intentionally or unintentionally removed or altered for any reason.

3. Enforcement.Any sign not in compliance with this chapter is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be remedied pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 22-38.3 (Remedies for Public Nuisance).

4.Failure of the City Planning staff to notify the property owner and/or the operator does not authorize the continued use of the sign or release the property owner and/or operator from compliance with this section. (Ord. 3506 § 8, 2014; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)

1. A-Frame Sign.A small portable freestanding sign.

2. Address Sign.Sign installed in compliance with Article 901.4.4 of the 1997 Uniform Fire Code.

3. Alteration.Any increase in sign area and/or height; change in illumination; or modification or replacement of sign face and/or sign structure.

4. Ancillary Information Signs.Small signs generally used in commercial business including, but not limited to, information regarding credit cards, property management, hours of operation, OPEN, etc.

5. Attention-Getting Device.Pennants, streamers, spinners, balloons, inflatable signs, search lights, beacons, flashing lights or messages and other similar attention-getting devices.

6. Awning Sign.A sign that is painted on, attached to, or applied directly to an awning.

7. Backlit Translucent Awning Sign.Any sign located on an awning that is translucent or semi-transparent and illuminated from a light source under or within the awning.

8. Banner Sign.A flexible sign of lightweight fabric or similar material typically supported at two (2) or more points and hung on a building or otherwise suspended down or across its face, or across a public right-of-way.

9. Building Face.A vertical planar wall surface including windows that is at least ten (10) feet in width and eight (8) feet in height and constitutes a distinct perimeter boundary of the building.

10. Building Frontage.The horizontal distance along a building face that is oriented in parallel to a public right-of-way or public walkway, not including the Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail. For purposes of this definition, a public walkway is a path leading to a business entrance.

11. City Planning Staff.As used in this chapter, the City Planning staff of the City of Monterey or a designee.

12. Commercial Directory Program.A coordinated system of signs installed in the public right-of-way and/or on private property that provide directional information regarding specific sites, institutions, and/or commercial businesses.

13. Construction Site Sign.A temporary sign located on a construction site that denotes or advertises the architect, builder, contractor, subcontractor, developer, funding source, etc., or describes the project.

14. Corner Sign.A sign that is installed on the corner of a building and is intended to be viewed from more than one (1) direction. Corner signs are generally oriented at an approximate forty-five (45) degree angle toward the intersection.

15. Directory Sign.A sign that is installed against an exterior building wall and provides a listing of the tenants inside of a multitenant building.

16. Electronic Sign.Any sign that conveys any message through the use of electronic display, light emitting diodes (LED), liquid crystal display (LCD), television or computer screen, or other electronic medium, including but not limited to OPEN, product listing, or similar signs in windows. This does not include neon signs.

17. Freestanding Sign.A sign that is installed apart from a building.

18. Government and Community Sign.Signs installed by the City of Monterey or other public agency or utility with the sole purpose of promoting public safety or well-being. This excludes signs denoting public facilities or garages.

19. Halo-Lit Sign.Any sign constructed in such a way that illumination is projected from directly behind the lettering, creating a continuous glow behind and around the letters. Also known as reverse channel letters.

20. Handheld Sign.A temporary sign displaying a noncommercial message (e.g., political, ideological, religious) that is held by a natural person.

21. Hanging Sign.A sign that is suspended in parallel to the building face, generally in front of a window, balcony opening, or other recess.

22. Height.The height of a sign is the vertical distance from the top of the sign to the grade directly below the sign. In cases of freestanding signs, height is the measurement to the lowest grade within six (6) linear feet of the base of the sign.

23. Highly Reflective and Fluorescent Sign.Signs made wholly or partially of highly reflective material and fluorescent or day-glow painted signs.

24. Illegal Sign.An illegal sign is any sign which does not meet the requirements of this code and is not a legal nonconforming sign.

25. Internally Illuminated Sign.Any sign constructed in such a way that illumination is wholly or partially achieved by projecting light through a transparent or semi-transparent solid surface.

26. Legal Nonconforming Sign.A sign that was lawfully installed with a sign permit but does not comply with the current sign standards.

27. Lot Frontage.The horizontal distance along a lot line adjacent to a public street.

28. Lux.The SI unit of illuminance and luminous emittance measuring luminous power per area. It is used in photometry as a measure of the intensity, as perceived by the human eye, of light that hits or passes through a surface. One (1) lux is equal to one (1) lumen distributed over an area of one (1) square foot.

29. Monument Sign.A freestanding sign with a solid pedestal.

30. Multitenant Sign Program.A comprehensive design document that describes the allowed size, materials, and location of signs for each storefront and/or tenant in a multitenant building.

31. No Trespassing Sign.Trespassing warnings that are posted in compliance with the requirements of Federal, State and local laws.

32. Off-Site Sign.A sign advertising a business, product, or service not located on the same premises. This definition includes billboards.

33. Outdoor Display.A sign consisting of displayed merchandise, mannequins, or other objects or products displayed outdoors for the purpose of attracting attention to the premises or business.

34. Parking Lot Sign.A sign installed in parking lots that restricts the use of parking spaces for certain businesses, that states no parking, provides directional information to on-site motorists, or similar noncommercial message relating to parking lot management.

35. Personally Attended.Means that a person is at all times physically present within five (5) feet of a Temporary Sign displaying a noncommercial (e.g., political, ideological, religious) message.

36. Pole Sign.A sign with a minimum height of eight (8) feet, as measured to the top of the sign, that is installed atop a pole or other similar structure that is solely intended to elevate the sign to increase visibility.

37. Premises.A single lot of record and all of the buildings contained thereon. Adjoining lots of record under common ownership do not constitute a single premises but are considered individual premises.

38. Projecting Sign.A small sign that projects perpendicularly from the face of a building and generally overhangs a walkway.

39. Public Entrance.An exterior doorway providing access to the public during ordinary business hours.

40. Real Estate Sign.A sign indicating that the property on which the sign is located is for sale, rent, or lease and providing relevant contact information.

41. Roof Sign.A sign or any portion thereof erected or painted on or over the roof covering any portion of a building, and either supported on the roof or on an independent structural frame or sign tower, or located on the side or roof of a penthouse, roof tank, roof shed, elevator housing or other roof structure.

42. Sign.Any visual device or representation designed or used for the purpose of communicating a message or identifying or attracting attention to a premises, product, service, person, organization, business or event, with or without the use of words.

43. Sign Area.The area of a sign calculated by determining the number of square feet of the smallest rectangle(s) within which a sign face can be enclosed. In determining the area of an individual sign that has more than one (1) face (e.g., a freestanding or A-frame sign), the single sign face with the greatest area shall be used. Perfectly circular signs are measured by determining the circular area (A=πr2) of the sign face.

44. Sign Face.The sign face is any visible portion of a sign, including all characters, symbols, and structural or nonstructural background (e.g., cabinet frame or painted border), but not including the base of a freestanding sign.

45. Sign Height.The height of a sign is the vertical distance from the top of the sign to the grade directly below the sign including the support structure and any projecting design elements. For freestanding signs, sign height shall be measured to the lowest grade within six (6) horizontal feet of the base of the sign to account for any significant change in grade, retaining walls, mounded earth, etc.

46. Sign Permit.A written approval supported by appropriate findings issued by the City of Monterey authorizing display of a sign or signs, or of a multitenant sign program.

47. Storefront.A storefront is a distinct architectural unit within a building that contains a distinct public entrance accessible from a public sidewalk or private walkway. In cases where multiple tenants share a single public entrance, the entire area containing the entrance shall be considered a single storefront and sign area shall be permitted accordingly.

48. Street Identification Sign.A sign installed by the City of Monterey to identify a street.

49. Temporary Banner Sign.A banner sign that is displayed on a temporary basis.

50. Temporary Sign.A sign constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard, poster board, or other light materials, with or without frames, and mounted in a nonpermanent manner, displaying a noncommercial message which remains in use not more than forty-seven (47) consecutive days. Temporary signs are not durable and therefore may not be used for more than forty-seven (47) days.

51. Traditional Public Forum.City-owned streets, City-owned parks, and sidewalks connected to the main pedestrian circulation system.

52. Traffic Control Sign.A sign installed in the public right-of-way with the sole purpose of controlling or directing traffic, or conveying traffic-related information to motorists.

53. Transit Sign.A sign identifying transit stops, facilities, times and bus routes.

54. Utility Sign.A sign temporarily placed by utility companies as part of the normal operation and maintenance of facilities such as public telephones and underground services.

55. Wall Sign.A sign that is painted, applied, projected, or attached directly to or within eight (8) inches of a vertical exterior wall of a building and is oriented in parallel to the building face.

56. Window Area.The product of the height and width of a window as measured to the interior finished structural members that support the installed windows. Window area shall not consider individual nonstructural window dividers or mullions.

57. Window Display.A window display is an arrangement of merchandise, including graphics and text, that is at least eighteen (18) inches in depth and is displayed in a building window. If a window display includes a sign greater than four (4) square feet located within eighteen (18) inches of the window surface, it is considered a sign.

58. Window Sign.A sign painted directly on a window, affixed to the inside of a window, or located inside facing a window and located within eighteen (18) inches of a window surface. (Ord. 3715 § 13, 2025; Ord. 3547 §§ 6, 7, 2016; Ord. 3506 § 9, 2014; Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)