20.140 Freeway Oriented Signs.

A. Procedure for Permit to Erect Freeway Oriented Signs. A permit shall not be issued to erect, construct or relocate

any sign, billboard or other advertising structure, regardless of location, unless the Zoning Administrator shall

have Prst determined that such sign, billboard or other advertising structure is designed to have the advertising

thereon maintained primarily to be viewed from the main traveled roadway of a freeway or the ingress or egress

ramps of the freeway except in the case of freeway oriented wall signs approved as part of a master sign program

for a retail shopping center with Highway 101 building frontage. For purposes of this section, building frontage

includes the primary wall(s) or façade of a building facing the freeway with no other building in the visibility

window between the subject building and the highway. This provision excludes building facades on frontage roads

adjacent to the freeway.

B. Master Sign Program. Freeway oriented wall signs may be considered by the Planning Commission as part of a

master sign program for a retail shopping center, as dePned in Section 20.020.Q. with direct freeway frontage, in

accordance with subsections 20.140.C and 20.140.D. The master sign program shall address material, size, color,

lighting, attachment, and placement. The Planning Commission shall consider if the master sign program meets

the Site Plan and Architectural Review (SPAR) standards contained in Subsection 24.050(E), and make the

additional Pndings contained in subsection 20.140.D below. Existing retail centers applying for freeway oriented

signs shall resubmit the Master Sign Program.

C. Determination and Appeal. Except as part of a master sign program for a retail shopping center with freeway

frontage pursuant to this Section, every application for a permit to erect, construct, or relocate a sign, billboard or

other advertising structure within Pve hundred feet of a main traveled roadway of a freeway, shall be considered

by the Zoning Administrator, and the Administrator shall determine whether the proposed sign, billboard or other

advertising structure is designed to be viewed from a main traveled roadway of a freeway or the ingress or egress

ramps thereto. If the Zoning Administrator determines that the proposed sign, billboard or other advertising

structure is designed to have the advertising thereon so maintained, the application for a permit shall be denied. If

the Zoning Administrator determines that the sign, billboard or other advertising structure is not designed to have

the advertising thereon so maintained and that the same does not violate any other provision of this title, the

permit shall be granted. Procedures for the notice, hearing and appeal of the decision of the Zoning Administrator

hereunder shall be the same as are set out in Section 24.090.

The Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance is current through Ordinance 2907, passed September 8, 2025.

Ch. 20 Signs and Sign Structures | Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance Page 14 of 18

D. Freeway Oriented Sign Standards. In addition to Pnding that the master sign program meets the Site Plan and

Architectural Review standards in subsection 24.050(E)(1), the Planning Commission shall make the following

Pndings as part of Site Plan and Architectural Review prior to approval of any freeway oriented wall signs for retail

shopping centers with freeway frontage.

 1.  Freeway oriented signs shall be limited to permanent wall-mounted signs as dePned in subsection

 20.020.EE.

 2.   Freestanding freeway oriented signs shall be prohibited.

 3.   Building elevations on which freeway oriented signs are proposed shall be consistent with Site Plan and

 Architectural Review standards contained in subsection 24.050(E)(1). Building and/or site improvements may

be required by the Planning Commission to ensure conformance with the Site Plan and Architectural Review

standards and required Pndings. For purposes of this section, building frontage includes the primary wall(s)

 of a building facing Highway 101.

 4.  The wall-mounted font shall not exceed two feet (2’-0”) in height. Logos, Qourishes and other symbols

 also shall not exceed 2’-0” in height.

 5.  Freeway oriented signs shall only be considered for tenants in retail shopping centers with a façade that

abuts the freeway and under the following square footage thresholds and associated maximum letter height:

       a.   8,000 – 19,999 square foot tenant allowed a maximum letter height of 18 inches

      b.   20,000 square foot or larger tenant allowed a maximum letter height of 24 inches

Only one freeway oriented sign may be allowed per tenant meeting the above criteria.

 6.   Sign area shall be calculated based on 1 square foot of sign area per linear foot of building façade with

 direct freeway frontage up to 60 square feet.

 7.  Maximum sign length shall not exceed 30 feet.

 8.  The sign area of freeway oriented signs shall be included in the total maximum sign area for the retail

shopping center as prescribed in subsection 20.050.B.5. The addition of freeway oriented signs shall not

 increase the allowable sign area or number of signs for a speciPc tenant or overall shopping center beyond

 that permitted in the Master Sign Program. Size of freeway facing signs shall be consistent with the maximum

 sign area per tenant per existing criteria for shopping centers.

 9.  Freeway oriented wall signs shall consist of individual letters, individual letters may be mounted directly

on the building wall or on a narrow raceway mounted to the wall and painted the same color as the wall.

 10.  Cabinet signs are prohibited.

 11.  Lighting for freeway oriented signs shall minimize glare and distractions to motorists on the rights-of-

way and adjacent properties, especially residential areas. Freeway oriented signs shall not blink, Qash, Qutter,

or change light intensity or color.

The Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance is current through Ordinance 2907, passed September 8, 2025.

Ch. 20 Signs and Sign Structures | Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance Page 15 of 18

 12.  Signs may have individually illuminated letters, either internally illuminated or backlighted solid letters

 (reverse channel/halo) or use external, direct illumination. The light shall be LED technology or other

 sustainable technology providing white light.

 13.  Temporary signage as described in Section 20.050.A.7 and 20.110.B.14 shall not be permitted as freeway

oriented signs.

 14.  The same detail and design criteria shall be applied to all signs proposed on freeway oriented building

frontages of the subject retail shopping center.

E. Caltrans Compliance. All freeway oriented signs shall comply with the California Outdoor Advertising Act,

Business and Professions Code Section 5200 or as subsequently revised and shall be referred to Caltrans as

appropriate for comment prior to Planning Commission review of the master sign program.

F. Design Considerations. The following items are design considerations to increase the eSectiveness of freeway

oriented signs and to enhance the built environment. The design of the proposed freeway oriented signs shall

visually complement and be compatible with the scale and architectural style of the primary structures on the site.

 1.   Signs should be placed and sized consistent with the proportions of the building’s façade.

 2.   Colors should relate to and complement the materials or paint scheme of the buildings, including accent

and trim colors. The Planning Commission is encouraged to consider uniform colors for sign programs for

freeway facing signs.

 3.   Electrical raceways should be concealed from public view. If a raceway cannot be mounted internally

behind the Pnished exterior wall, the exposed metal surfaces of the raceway shall be as narrow as possible

and Pnished to match the background wall, or integrated into the overall design of the sign. (Ord. 2811 § 4,

 2022.)