Chapter 17.02 — ADOPTION OF SIGN REGULATIONS

This title of the Roseville Municipal Code shall be known and may be cited as “the Sign Ordinance of the City of Roseville” and is referred to within Title 17 as “this title.” The ordinance codified in this title is adopted pursuant to California Government Code Sections 65000 et seq., 65850(b), 38774, 38775, Business and Professions Code Sections 5200 et seq. and 5490 et seq., Civil Code Section 713, and other applicable state laws. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

This title regulates signs, as defined herein, when they are on private property or otherwise project from private property over or into city property. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

The city council adopts the ordinance codified in this title based upon the following findings:

• A. Signs are an essential element of any community. As such, their location, number, size, design, and relationship to each other and to other structures have a significant influence upon a community’s appearance and welfare, and a resultant effect upon a viewer’s perception of the community. Signs serve a useful purpose in communicating messages, whether commercial, non-commercial, or merely informative, or otherwise.

• B. Where signs are not properly regulated and maintained, they contribute to visual clutter, confusion, aesthetic blight, and create an unpleasant impression. They may cause traffic hazards and impede rather than enhance commerce and communication. In such situations, signs may fail to achieve their original objective of communication. Failure to appropriately regulate signs adversely affects the public health, safety and welfare.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

The purpose of this title is to create a comprehensive and balanced system of sign regulation which will facilitate communication and simultaneously serve various public interests, including but not limited to safety and community esthetics. It is the intent of this title to authorize the use of signs which:

• A. Encourage a desirable urban character consistent with the general plan.

• B. Preserve and improve the appearance of the city as a place to live, work and visit.

• C. Eliminate confusing, distracting, or dangerous sign displays which interfere with vehicular traffic and the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

• D. Promote commerce.

• E. Provide for fair and equal treatment of sign users.

• F. Promote ease of sign ordinance administration. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

If any section, sentence, clause, phrase, word, portion or provision of the ordinance codified in 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 said ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid portion. In adopting said ordinance, the city council affirmatively declares that it would have approved and adopted said ordinance even without any portion which may be held invalid or unenforceable.

(Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Subject to the land owner’s consent, a noncommercial message of any type may be substituted, in whole or in part, for any commercial message or any other noncommercial message provided that the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content. Such substitution of message may be made without any additional approval or permitting. This provision prevails over any more specific provision to the contrary within this title. The purpose of this provision is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over noncommercial speech, or favoring of any particular noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message. This provision does not create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a parcel, nor does it affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be properly permitted. This provision applies to all chapters within this title except Chapter 17.17. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Enforcement. The director is authorized and directed to enforce and administer the provisions of this title.

• B. Regulatory Interpretations. All regulatory and administrative interpretations of this title are to be exercised in light of the city’s message neutrality and message substitution policies. Where a particular type of sign is proposed in a permit application, and the type is neither expressly allowed nor prohibited by this title, or whenever a sign does not qualify as a “structure” as defined in the zoning code or the building code, then the director shall approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the application based on the most similar sign type that is expressly regulated by this title, in light of the policies stated in this title.

• C. Onsite/Offsite Distinction. Within this title, the distinction between onsite (or on-premises or point-of-sale) and offsite (or off-premises or non-point-of-sale) applies only to commercial speech messages.

• D. Billboard Policy. New billboards, as defined herein, are prohibited. The city completely prohibits the construction, erection or use of any billboards, other than those which legally exist in the city, or which have been approved by the city council, or for which a valid permit has been issued and has not expired, as of the date on which this provision is first adopted. No permit shall be issued for any billboard which violates this policy, and the city will take immediate enforcement or abatement action against any billboard constructed or maintained in violation of this policy. In adopting this provision, the city council affirmatively declares that it would have adopted this billboard policy even if it were the only provision in this title. The city council intends for this billboard policy to be severable and separately enforceable even if other provision(s) of this title may be declared, by a court of competent jurisdiction, to be unconstitutional, invalid or unenforceable. This provision does not prohibit agreements to relocate presently existing, legal billboards, so long as such agreements are not contrary to state or federal law.

• E. Noncommunicative Aspects. All rules and regulations concerning the noncommunicative aspects of signs, such as location, size, height, illumination, spacing, orientation, etc., stand enforceable independently of any permit or approval process.

• F. Discretionary Approvals. Whenever any sign permit, exception, or other sign-related decision is made by any exercise of official discretion, such discretion shall be exercised only as to the noncommunicative aspects of the sign, such as size, height, orientation, location, setback, illumination, spacing, scale, and mass of the structure, etc.

• G. Mixed Use Zones or Overlay Districts. In any zone where both residential and non residential uses are allowed, the sign-related rights and responsibilities applicable to any particular parcel or land use shall be determined as follows: residential uses shall be treated as if they were located in a zone where a use of that type would be allowed as a matter of right, and nonresidential uses shall be treated as if they were located in a zone where that particular use would be allowed, either as a matter of right or subject to a conditional use permit or similar discretionary process.

• H. Legal Nature of Sign Rights. As to all signs attached to real 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. This provision does not modify or affect the law of fixtures, sign-related provisions in private leases regarding signs (so long as they are not in conflict with this title or other law), or the ownership of sign structures. This provision does not apply to hand held signs or other images which are aspects of personal appearance.

• I. Owner’s Consent. No sign may be placed on private property without the consent of the property owner or persons holding the present right of possession and control.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

The inclusion of diagrams is for illustrative purposes only. Where a diagram conflicts with text, the text shall control.

(Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

CHAPTER 17.04 DEFINITIONS

Individual uses (as defined in Section 17.04.370) are permitted signs as set forth in this article. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Except as otherwise provided for by this title, the following provisions shall apply to all freestanding signs for individual uses and signs approved pursuant to specific plan sign guidelines:

• A. Number. Each individual use may erect and maintain one freestanding sign per parcel or lot, regardless of whether a use is conducted on more than one contiguous parcel or whether more than one use is conducted on a parcel or lot.

• B. Location.

  1. No freestanding sign over three feet high shall be erected or maintained within the clear vision triangle;

  2. Freestanding signs shall not be erected or maintained any closer than three feet to any building; and

  3. Freestanding signs shall maintain a setback, measured from that part of the sign that is closest to the nearest property line of the parcel or lot on which it is placed, equal to at least one-half the height of the sign.

• C. Height. The maximum height for freestanding signs shall be 15 feet.

• D. Area. Except as otherwise provided, the area of a freestanding sign shall be one square foot for each lineal foot of street frontage with a maximum area of 160 square feet. If a use fronts on more than one street either, but not both, frontage may be used to determine sign area. Provided, however, that the freestanding sign must be placed along and oriented to the frontage which is used to determine permissible area.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Except as otherwise provided, the following provisions shall apply to all wall signs for individual uses except, signs approved pursuant to specific plan sign guidelines.

• A. Number. Each individual use or tenant space may erect and maintain one or more wall signs.

• B. Location.

  1. Wall signs may be:

     • a. Attached flat against or pinned away (peg mounted or similar) from a building wall, but shall not extend or protrude more than one foot from the wall, except for projecting signs as provided in Section 17.06.180;

     • b. Attached to the facade of a building or on a sloping roof, but shall not extend above the upper edge of the facade or the sloping roof; and

     • c. Painted on or attached to a canopy or awning.

  2. Signs shall be compatible with the architecture of the building and should not cover or interrupt major architectural features, including such features as doors, windows, tile embellishments and reveal lines.

  3. Signs placed between window spandrels, on fascias on sloping roofs, or on awnings shall not exceed two-thirds of the height of the area to which the sign is attached.

  4. Wall signs shall be centered vertically on the spandrel, fascia or awning.

  5. Exposed raceways are permitted only when the raceway is an integral design component of the sign.

• C. Area.

  1. The combined area of all wall signs for a building shall not exceed 20 percent of the building façade up to a maximum of 200 square feet per use.

  2. For buildings 100,000 square feet and larger directly abutting a freeway, the combined area of all wall signs for a building shall not exceed 20 percent of the building façade up to a maximum of 300 square feet per use.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number.

  1. One directional sign is permitted for each one-way driveway;

  2. One directional sign is permitted for each drive through aisle;

  3. One directional sign is permitted for each service or delivery entrance; and

  4. Additional directional signs are permitted to satisfy a health and safety need.

• B. Location.

  1. The sign shall be set back from any property line a distance equal to at least one-half the height of the sign; and

  2. The sign shall not be located so as to impair the vision of the driver of a vehicle traveling into, out of, or through the site.

• C. Area. The area of each sign shall not exceed four square feet.

• D. Height. The height of the sign including the pole or base shall not exceed four feet from grade to the top of the sign.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number. Each building with more than two tenants is permitted one directory sign located outside the building. Sign may be freestanding or wall mounted.

• B. Location for Freestanding.

  1. The sign shall be set back from any property line a distance equal to at least one-half the height of the sign;

  2. The sign shall be located within 10 feet of the building; and

  3. The sign shall not be located so as to impair the vision of the driver of a vehicle traveling into, out of, or through the site.

• C. Area for Freestanding or Wall Mounted. The area of the sign shall not exceed 16 square feet.

• D. Height for Freestanding. The height of the sign, including the pole and base, shall not exceed six feet from grade to the top of the sign.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number. Each use is permitted one under canopy sign.

• B. Location.

  1. An under canopy sign shall have a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet from the sidewalk to the bottom of the under canopy sign; and

  2. The sign and the copy shall be perpendicular to the wall of the building to which it is attached.

• C. Area. The area of an under canopy sign shall not exceed six square feet.

• D. Encroachment Permit. A permanent encroachment permit which includes requirements for insurance certificates and/or bonds pursuant to Roseville Municipal Code Chapter 13.28 shall be required for under canopy signs projecting over the public right-of-way. In considering an application for an encroachment permit, the city shall not analyze the message content of the sign, so long as it is not to be used for off-site commercial advertising or advertising for hire.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number. Each establishment with a drive through facility is permitted a maximum of two menu/order board signs.

• B. Location.

  1. The sign shall be located adjacent to the drive through aisle; and

  2. The sign shall not be located as to impair the vision of the driver of a vehicle traveling either into, out of, or through the drive through aisle.

• C. Area. The area of each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet.

• D. Height. The height of the sign including the pole or base shall not exceed six feet from grade to the top of the sign.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number. In addition to other signs permitted by this title, establishments located in the Riverside Gateway specific plan area, in a building immediately adjacent to the public sidewalk, will be permitted one projecting sign.

• B. Location.

  1. A projecting sign may extend over the sidewalk a maximum of six feet, subject to an encroachment permit whenever the sidewalk is open to the public or part of the public right-of-way;

  2. A projecting sign may not extend onto or over the street;

  3. A projecting sign shall have a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet from the sidewalk to the bottom of the sign;

  4. A projecting sign may not extend above the roof line; and

  5. The sign shall be located on the Riverside Avenue side even if the building entrance is located on a side street.

• C. Area. The area of a projecting sign shall be included in calculating the permitted area for wall signs.

• D. Encroachment Permit. A permanent encroachment permit which includes insurance certificates and/or bonds pursuant to Roseville Municipal Code Chapter 13.28 shall be required for all signs projecting over the public right-of-way.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008; Ord. 4728 § 3, 2009)

• A. The following shall apply to programmable electronic signs:

  1. Programmable electronic signs shall only be permitted for auto malls, theaters, and hotels as defined in Sections 17.04.050, 17.04.355 and 17.04.730.

  2. Programmable electronic signs shall comply with the provisions for freestanding signs and wall signs as provided by Section 17.06.120, 17.06.130, and 17.06.215.

  3. Location.

     • a. Theaters.

       • i. Displays shall be located within 10 feet of a box office, ticket window, or building entrance; and

       • ii. Signs shall be pedestrian oriented and shall not be located for the purpose of being readable from the street.

     • b. Hotels.

       • i. Programmable electronic signs may be incorporated into the freestanding sign. No wall-mounted programmable electronic signs shall be permitted; and

       • ii. Sign displays shall remain static and may not change more than once in one 12-hour period.

  4. Number.

     • a. Theaters. A maximum of one programmable electronic sign is permitted per building elevation.

     • b. Hotels. Only one programmable electronic sign is permitted per individual use. In building complexes, programmable electronic signs are permitted on any freestanding sign solely dedicated to a hotel use. The permitted programmable electronic sign(s) may be double-faced, consistent with the design of the freestanding sign. Only one face shall be used to calculate maximum allowable area.

  5. Area. Programmable electronic signs shall be limited to one-third the area of the freestanding sign to which it is permitted to be attached, up to a maximum of 30 square feet each, and shall be included in the cumulative total of sign area permitted by Sections 17.06.120 and 17.06.130.

  6. The content of programmable electronic signs shall be limited to noncommercial and on-site commercial messages, in any combination, but shall not include off-site commercial messages.

• B.

• The following shall apply to programmable electronic signs in the Civic Core area.

1. Signs shall only be permitted at theaters with a seating capacity of 200 persons or more.

2. Number. In addition to other signs permitted by this Title, theaters located in the Civic Core area, as identified on the City Zoning Map, may have one programmable electronic sign.

3. Location. Programmable electronic signs shall comply with the provisions of Sections 17.06.130 and 17.06.180 and the following:

   • a. They shall be located on the front building façade facing Vernon Street; and

   • b. Sign displays shall remain static and may not change more than once in one 12-hour period.

4. Area. Programmable electronic signs shall be included in the cumulative total of sign area as permitted by Section 17.06.130.

5. The content of programmable electronic signs shall be limited to noncommercial or on-site commercial messages, in any combination, but may not be used for off-site commercial messages. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008.; Ord. 4691 § 1, 2008)

Article 2 Building Complex Signs

A building complex shall be considered as a single entity, without regard to whether it consists of more than one lot or parcel. Each building complex may erect and maintain signage provided that such sign criteria shall be approved through a planned sign permit program pursuant to Article 2, Chapter 17.08 of this title and provided a sign permit pursuant to Article 1, Chapter 17.08 of this title is first obtained. Building complex signs shall be permitted as set forth in this article. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number. To identify the building complex and/or its tenants in the building complex, each building complex is permitted:

  1. One on-site freestanding sign if the project frontage does not exceed 1,000 lineal feet;

  2. One on-site freestanding sign per street with a primary entrance to the complex if the project frontage exceeds 1,000 lineal feet; and

  3. One additional on-site freestanding sign is permitted for every 1,000 lineal feet of frontage or portion thereof in excess of 2,000 lineal feet.

• B. Location and Design.

  1. No freestanding sign over three feet high shall be erected or maintained within the clear vision triangle;

  2. Freestanding signs shall not be erected or maintained any closer than three feet to any building;

  3. Freestanding signs shall maintain a setback, measured from the part of the sign that is closest to the nearest property line of the parcel on which it is placed, equal to at least one-half the height of the sign;

  4. If more than one on-site freestanding sign is proposed, each sign shall have the same design; and

  5. The colors and materials of the sign(s) base and or casing/housing shall be compatible with the colors and materials of the building complex.

• C. Height.

  1. The maximum height for freestanding signs shall be 15 feet.

• D. Area.

  1. The maximum area of each sign excluding the base and/or embellishments shall be 100 square feet; the maximum area of each sign including the base and/or embellishments shall be 150 square feet.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

• A. Number.

  1. Major tenants are permitted an unlimited number of wall signs;

  2. Freestanding pad buildings with one tenant are permitted three wall signs, provided each sign is located on a different side of the building and faces a public entrance, a public street or a parking lot;

  3. Freestanding pad buildings with two or more tenants are permitted two wall signs per in-line tenant and three wall signs per corner tenant, provided the signs for each tenant are located on a different side of the building and face a public entrance, a public street or a parking lot. Provided however, no sign shall be permitted on any façade facing a property line shared with residential land uses; and

  4. Uses that are neither major tenants nor freestanding pad buildings are permitted one wall sign; provided however, a use on a corner of the building is permitted two wall signs, provided each sign is located on a different side of the building and faces a public entrance, a public street, or a parking lot.

• B. Location and Design.

  1. Wall signs may be:

     • a. Attached flat against or pinned away (peg mounted or similar) from a building wall, but shall not extend or protrude more than one foot from the wall, except for projecting signs as provided in Section 17.06.180,

     • b. Attached to the façade of a building, but shall not extend above the upper edge of the façade, and

     • c. Painted on or attached to a canopy or awning;

  2. Sign casing/housing shall be compatible with the architecture of the building and should not cover or interrupt major architectural features, including such features as doors, windows, tile embellishments and reveal lines;

  3. Signs placed between window spandrels, on fasciae, on sloping roofs, or on awnings shall not exceed two-thirds of the height of the area to which the sign is attached and must be centrally positioned;

  4. Wall signs shall be centered vertically on the spandrel, fascia, or awning;

  5. The size of the letters and the spacing shall be balanced for the tenants within the building complex providing minimum and maximum letter heights;

  6. Signs throughout the building complex shall be consistent in appearance; and

  7. Exposed raceways shall not be permitted. However, raceways will be permitted only when the raceway is an integral component of the graphic design of the sign.

• C. Area.

  1. With the exception of office buildings, the combined area for wall signs shall not exceed 20% of the front tenant space façade up to a maximum of 200 square feet per tenant. Office buildings containing one or more tenants are permitted unlimited wall signs, provided that the cumulative total of wall sign area does not exceed 20% of the building façade up to a maximum of 200 square feet per building, or as otherwise provided for corporate centers as identified in Section 17.06.255.

  2. For buildings 100,000 square feet and larger directly abutting a freeway, the combined area of all wall signs for a building shall not exceed 20% of the building façade up to a maximum of 300 square feet per building.

  3. The length of wall signs shall not exceed 70% of the length of the tenant space façade or building façade if a tenant occupies more than one tenant space in a building complex.

• (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008; Ord. 6731, 10/4/2023)

On-site directional signs shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.06.140. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

In addition to the provisions of Section 17.06.150, each project which has three or more buildings may erect and maintain one additional directory sign per street entrance. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Under canopy signs shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.06.160. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Menu/order board signs shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.06.170. (Ord. 4648 § 2, 2008)

Programmable electronic signs shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.06.190. (Ord. 4691 § 3, 2008)