San Anselmo Municipal Code Art. 6 Signs on Residential Uses

Legal residential uses may erect, maintain and display signs as described in this article. Unless otherwise stated, the signs described in this article are not subject to a permit, but still must conform to the rules stated in this article.

(Ord. 1053, eff. January 12, 2007)

On legal, detached, single-family residential uses, each dwelling unit may display, at all times and in all zones, a total of eight (8) square feet of sign face, subject to:

(a) Number of sign faces: not limited; maximum size of any one (1) sign face: eight (8) square feet; maximum height of any freestanding sign: eleven (11′) feet; illumination: not allowed; mounting methods: wall, window, door, fence, or freestanding;

(b) Acceptable message types: noncommercial, signs described in Civil Code 713 (temporary real estate signs), home occupation, garage sale, and nameplate as follows:

(1) Nameplates (which may include address) may not be higher than eighteen (18″) inches,

(2) Home occupation signs are subject to: maximum size of display face: two (2) square feet; maximum number of display faces: one (1); mounting method: attached flat to the residence or garage, or window; illumination: not allowed,

(3) Garage sale signs are subject to: time of display - day of event only, sunrise until sale closes, but not later than sunset; maximum size per sign (measured one (1) side only): two (2) square feet; maximum display area of all signs: eight (8) square feet; total number of signs (on-site plus off-site): five (5),

(4) Temporary real estate signs as described in Civil Code 713 are subject to: maximum number: one (1) per parcel; maximum display face area (measured one (1) side only): three (3) square feet; illumination - not allowed; display time: when the subject property is on the market, and up to ten (10) calendar days thereafter;

(c) When located on property other than that advertised:

(1) Signs giving directions to the subject property may be displayed while the property is on the market, subject to: three (3) square feet; maximum height: five (5′) feet above existing grade; illumination: prohibited; physical types: attached or freestanding. This provision does not authorize the placement of real estate directional signs on Town property or in the public right-of-way. Unless authorized in Chapter 10, real estate directional signs may not be placed on public property;

(d) Pre-election period. During the time period which begins forty-five (45) days before and ends five (5) days after a special, general, or primary election, the total display area for noncommercial messages on temporary structures may be increased to eighteen (18) square feet. Such signs may be displayed only with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, may not project above the roofline of any building on the same parcel, and may be posted on walls or fences or windows, but not on trees or other plants;

(e) Flags are not included within the limits of subsections (a) through (c) of this section. Flags are subject to: number of freestanding poles per parcel: one (1); maximum height of freestanding flag pole: not exceeding the roofline of the residential structure; number of flags per freestanding pole: not limited; total display area of all flags (measured one (1) side each): 100 square feet; image types: no commercial images on flags on residential uses.

(Ord. 1053, eff. January 12, 2007)

On legal, attached, multiple-family residential uses, at all times and in all zones, each individual dwelling unit may display signs, subject to:

(a) Number of sign faces: not limited; maximum size of any one (1) sign face: eight (8) square feet; illumination: not allowed; mounting methods: wall, window, door, fence, or freestanding; freestanding signs are not allowed;

(b) Acceptable message types: noncommercial, signs described in Civil Code 713 (temporary real estate signs), home occupation, and garage sale:

(1) Home occupation signs are subject to: maximum size of display face: two (2) square feet; maximum number of display faces: one (1); mounting method: attached flat to the structure or placed inside a window; illumination: not allowed,

(2) Nameplates (which may include address) may not be higher than eighteen (18″) inches,

(3) Garage sale signs are subject to: time of display - day of event only, sunrise until sale closes, but not later than sunset; maximum size per sign (measured one (1) side only): two (2) square feet; maximum display area of all signs: eight (8) square feet; total number of signs (on-site plus off-site): five (5),

(4) Temporary real estate signs as described in Civil Code 713 are subject to: maximum number: one (1) per parcel; maximum display face area (measured one (1) side only): three (3) square feet; illumination - not allowed; display time: when the subject property is on the market, and up to ten (10) calendar days thereafter;

(c) When located on property other than that advertised:

(1) Signs giving directions to the subject property may be displayed while the property is on the market, subject to: three (3) square feet; maximum height: five (5′) feet above existing grade; illumination: prohibited; physical types: attached or freestanding. This provision does not authorize the placement of real estate directional signs on Town property or in the public right-of-way. Unless authorized in Chapter 10, real estate directional signs may not be placed on public property;

(d) Pre-election period. During the time period which begins forty-five (45) days before and ends five (5) days after a special, general, or primary election, the total display area for noncommercial messages on temporary structures may be increased to eighteen (18) square feet. Such signs may be displayed only with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, may not project above the roofline of any building on the same parcel, and may be posted on walls or fences or windows, but not on trees or other plants;

(e) Nameplates and flags. Nameplates and flags are not included within the limits of subsections (a) through (c) of this section. Nameplates are subject to: maximum display face area, one (1) square foot; mounting type: wall, door, fence. Flags are subject to: number of flags per dwelling unit: not limited; total display area of all flags (measured one (1) side each): 100 square feet; image types: no commercial images on flags on residential uses.

(Ord. 1053, eff. January 12, 2007)

On legal, attached, multiple-family residential uses, at all times and in all zones, the management office of master unit may display signs, subject to:

(a) If the office or master unit is used as a principal residence, then the sign display rights for the resident are the same as for other individual dwelling units, as stated in Section 10-9.603 of this chapter.

(b) Master nameplate. In addition to the signs authorized by Section 10-9.603 of this chapter, the master unit or office may display one (1) additional sign, subject to: message types: nameplate, on-site commercial, Civil Code 713 (temporary real estate signs), noncommercial. Maximum area of display face: six (6) square feet; maximum number of display faces: two (2); maximum height: four (4′) feet; mounting types: freestanding or wall mounted; illumination: not allowed.

(Ord. 1053, eff. January 12, 2007)

Hotels, motels, bed and breakfast places, and other establishments offering transient occupancy, are treated as commercial uses, not residential uses.

(Ord. 1053, eff. January 12, 2007)