Hercules — Signage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Hercules Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 13-34 and related chapters) actually requires for signs: who decides, size/placement formulas by district type, temporary sign limits, prohibited sign types, master sign program rules, and enforcement/removal. It links you to related topics you will inevitably use during an application (for example parking, design review, and development standards) and points to the exact controlling code sections so you can verify language with the City. (§ 13-34.100, § 13-34.102)

Note: This page stays focused on zoning/land-use sign rules. Building-permit and structural code requirements are addressed in the California Building Standards Code and are outside this summary.

How the ordinance is organized (quick map)

• Sign rules live in Chapter 13-34 (Sign Regulations). Key procedural sections include § 13-34.100 through § 13-34.800 (permit requirements, review authorities, formulas, temporary signs, prohibited signs, examples).
• Nonresidential and mixed-use formulas and limits are in § 13-34.302.
• Master sign programs, director and Planning Commission roles are in § 13-34.400 and § 13-34.103.
• Temporary/miscellaneous signs are grouped under § 13-34.600 and related subsections.
• Scenic/overlay-area sign plan requirements are in the Scenic Road and Highway Overlay rules (Sec. 13-25.400).

Across the rest of the Zoning Ordinance you will see district tables that point to Chapter 13-34 for signage; for example NTC, HTC, CP, and P/QP all reference signage as Chapter 13-34 in their property development tables. See, for example, NTC (New Town Center) and HTC (Historic Town Center) district material.

(Links you will want while reading: Hercules Zoning, Hercules Development Standards, Hercules Overlay Districts, Hercules Design Review, Hercules Parking, Hercules ADUs.)

District-by-district breakdown (how the sign rules are applied)

Note: The sign Chapter primarily distinguishes sign rules by the type of zoning district (commercial/industrial/mixed-use vs. residential/public). Below I group and call out the specific districts where the ordinance or land-use chapters name them and provide the controlling cross-references.

All commercial districts (examples: General Commercial (CG), Community Commercial, Recreational Commercial, Commercial Public Mixed-Use (CP))

• Purpose & where it applies: Retail, services, restaurants and other nonresidential uses within the City's commercial zones; the ordinance treats these as “nonresidential” for sign-area calculations. See § 13-34.302.
• Typical permitted sign types: wall-mounted, awning/canopy, ground-mounted monument, limited pylon signs under restrictive conditions (see pylon provisions). § 13-34.302.
• Key dimensional/area standards (decision‑relevant):
  • Wall-mounted signs: 1 sq ft of sign face per 1 lineal foot of storefront (tenant frontage) (nonresidential formula). § 13-34.302.
  • Ground-mounted (monument) signs: 1 sq ft per 4 lineal feet of street frontage, max 6 ft tall (and monument face limits elsewhere). § 13-34.302; monument face size limits specified in § 13-34.301/§ 13-34.302.
  • Freestanding pylon signs: Generally prohibited to be newly constructed except under strict conditions — property must be zoned CG, within 100 ft of I‑80 ROW, part of a master sign program, subject to CEQA, and intended to serve a market area beyond Hercules. Additional structural/design controls apply. § 13-34.302.

Mixed‑use districts (examples: commercial-residential, industrial-residential)

• Purpose & where it applies: Mixed commercial/residential developments (including Central Hercules Plan areas) get more restrictive signage. § 13-34.302.
• Typical permitted sign types: non‑illuminated blade, awning, canopy, or wall-mounted signs only in mixed-use contexts. § 13-34.302.
• Key standard: 1 sq ft of sign face per 5 lineal feet of storefront (more restrictive than purely nonresidential districts). § 13-34.302.

Industrial districts (examples: planned commercial/industrial mixed-use, planned office/research & development)

• Purpose: Identify industrial and office/research uses; treated as nonresidential for sign calculations. § 13-34.302.
• Standards: Use the same nonresidential formulas (wall signs, monument signs) and the general prohibitions on roof-mounted or moving signs. § 13-34.302; § 13-34.301.

Historic Town Center (HTC) and New Town Center (NTC)

• Purpose & where it applies: Town‑center/design-sensitive zones (Railroad Ave area and core town center). Both reference Chapter 13-34 for signage and emphasize compatibility with historic/urban form. Sign plans and design compatibility matter more here; HTC and NTC tables point to Chapter 13-34 for signage. § 13-12., § 13-18. and property development tables.
• Practical note: Because these districts emphasize pedestrian orientation and historic character, expect the City to apply the message neutrality and design compatibility rules (see § 13-34.101(4)–(5) and the design‑review referral rules in § 13-34.400/13-34.103) when evaluating size, illumination, materials and placement.

Public / Quasi‑Public districts (P/QP)

• Purpose & where it applies: Government, libraries, transit facilities, etc. Property development tables reference Chapter 13-34 for signage. § 13-10.500 (Table 13-10.2) points to signage as Chapter 13-34.
• Typical rules: Site‑specific and often handled via administrative review; bulletin boards and directional signage have dedicated allowances (see § 13-34.500 (bulletin boards) and § 13-34.600 (directional signs)).

Residential districts

• General rule: Residential parcels are subject to ordinary restrictions (household signs exempt) and temporary residential signage limits. Many residential districts point to Chapter 13-34 for signage. See the “Signs Not Requiring a Permit” and temporary sign rules for residential allowances. § 13-34.500, § 13-34.600.

Most decision‑relevant standards (quick table)

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain-English synthesis)

• If you are in a commercial or industrial zoning district, your starting calculation for wall signs is 1 sq ft per lineal foot of storefront; if you are in a mixed-use building, the rule tightens to 1 sq ft per 5 ft. Use these formulas first — they determine permitted area unless your project is governed by an approved master sign program. (§ 13-34.302)
• Monument signs are limited both by frontage (1 sq ft per 4 ft) and height (generally 6 ft): plan landscaping and sightlines accordingly and expect the City to enforce spacing (e.g., 1 monument sign per 600 ft of frontage for some configurations). (§ 13-34.302; § 13-34.301)
• Freestanding pylon signs are essentially off the table in most cases; to make one you must be in CG, within 100 ft of I‑80, join a master sign program, and pass CEQA and Planning Commission review. Expect the Commission to require architectural compatibility and multiple supports (no single‑pole pylons). (§ 13-34.302)
• Temporary signs are tightly managed: many temporary commercial signs are limited to 30 days, and different temporary types (construction, off‑site directional, event) have separate size/placement rules — read each subsection. § 13-34.600 and § 13-34.500 govern these specifics.
• Design and message: the city applies message neutrality and allows message substitution (you may swap noncommercial messages onto a legal sign structure without extra permit), but you cannot increase sign area by swapping messages. Expect the City to review aesthetics under design policies, especially in HTC and NTC areas and scenic overlays. (§ 13-34.101, § 13-34.102, § 13-25.400)
• Administrative vs. Commission review: The Community Development Director decides most sign permits within 30 days; the Planning Commission is required for pylon/freeway signs, master sign programs, variances, or signs inconsistent with adopted design policy. (§ 13-34.102–103; § 13-34.400)

Tip: coordinate sign design early with any required design review (Hercules Design Review) and check site frontage dimensions used in the frontage‑based calculations — those lineal feet drive permitted area. Also check whether your property sits inside a scenic overlay or the Central Hercules Plan area; overlay rules can require a sign plan. (§ 13-25.400; § 13-34.400)

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before installation)

• Calculate permitted sign area using the district formula (e.g., 1 sq ft per lineal ft storefront for nonresidential; 1 sq ft per 5 ft for mixed‑use). § 13-34.302.
• Prepare scaled sign drawings showing dimensions, materials, colors, lighting source and mounting details; include photographs of surrounding signs. (Director requires these with applications.) § 13-34.400(1).
• Confirm whether sign requires Director approval or Planning Commission public hearing (pylon signs, master program, variances). § 13-34.102–103.
• If part of a multi-tenant project, check whether a master sign program is required — process and binding provisions are in § 13-34.400.
• Verify temporary sign limits and notify the Community Development Director prior to display where required. § 13-34.600; § 13-34.500.
• Confirm compliance with any overlay district sign plan requirement (e.g., Scenic Road and Highway Overlay). § 13-25.400.
• Plan for removal obligations and sinking fund if applicable to large signs; verify abandonment/removal timelines (30–90 day rules). § 13-34.204–205.

Risks & Ambiguities

If you are uncertain about any of the above, Verify with the jurisdiction (Community Development/Planning) — parcel‑specific factors, frontage measurements, and prior approvals materially affect the outcome.

Information Gaps

• The file extract does not include a complete list of every district abbreviation and every district table entry for commercial zoning (some district tables reference signage as “(PDP)” — planned development plan — without repeating numeric sign allowances). Verify district abbreviations and whether local use tables impose alternate sign rules. Not found in retrieved materials.
• The code excerpts do not include every detail about illumination standards (lux limits, shielding angles) or specific structural design/engineering requirements — those may be addressed by the Building Official or in the full sign chapter text not fully extracted here. Verify with Community Development and the California Building Standards Code. Not found in retrieved materials.
• CEQA triggers for site-specific larger signage projects: the ordinance says pylon signs are subject to environmental review but does not list specific CEQA thresholds here. Confirm CEQA/IS determination requirements with the Planning Department. Not found in retrieved materials.

Plain-English Summary

If you run a business or develop property in Hercules, start with Chapter 13-34: for most commercial storefronts you get 1 sq ft of sign per 1 linear foot of storefront (mixed-use is tighter: 1 sq ft per 5 ft), monument signs are small and low (generally ≤6 ft high), and freestanding pylon signs are effectively banned except in narrow highway‑oriented cases — get a Director permit and expect design review; larger or unusual projects may need Planning Commission approval. (§ 13-34.302; § 13-34.400; § 13-34.103)

Source References

• Hercules Zoning Ordinance — Chapter 13-34 (Sign Regulations): § 13-34.100 – § 13-34.800 (General provisions, permits required, Director/Commission roles, nonresidential formulas, temporary sign rules, prohibited signs, examples).
• Nonresidential sign formulas and limits: § 13-34.302 (wall signs: 1 sq ft/lineal ft; ground monument: 1 sq ft/4 ft frontage; mixed‑use formula: 1 sq ft/5 ft; pylon sign exceptions).
• Signs subject to review / master sign program details: § 13-34.400 (permit content requirements, master sign program rules, review timelines).
• Director and Planning Commission approval authority and timelines: § 13-34.102, § 13-34.103.
• Temporary and miscellaneous sign specifics (off-site directional, inflatable, temporary construction, event signs): § 13-34.600 and § 13-34.500 (signs not requiring a permit).
• Prohibited signs (animated, roof‑mounted exceeding parapet, banners unless authorized, signs that mimic traffic signals, abandoned signs): § 13-34.700, § 13-34.301.
• Abandonment/termination/removal and sinking fund requirements: § 13-34.204, § 13-34.205.
• Scenic Road & Highway Overlay — sign plan requirement and objectives: § 13-25.400.
• District tables referencing signage (examples): NTC and HTC references to signage (Chapter 13-18; Chapter 13-12; property development tables that point to Chapter 13-34).

Retrieved passages

• Hercules Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (Section 13-34.302.) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (Section for) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Hercules Zoning Code High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Hercules Zoning Ordinance — Chapter 13-34 (Sign Regulations): **§ 13-34.100 – § 13-34.800** (General provisions, permits required, Director/Commission roles, nonresidential formulas, temporary sign rules, prohibited signs, examples). (Chapter 13-34)
• Nonresidential sign formulas and limits: **§ 13-34.302** (wall signs: 1 sq ft/lineal ft; ground monument: 1 sq ft/4 ft frontage; mixed‑use formula: 1 sq ft/5 ft; pylon sign exceptions). (§ 13-34.302)
• Signs subject to review / master sign program details: **§ 13-34.400** (permit content requirements, master sign program rules, review timelines). (§ 13-34.400)
• Director and Planning Commission approval authority and timelines: **§ 13-34.102**, **§ 13-34.103**. (§ 13-34.102)
• Temporary and miscellaneous sign specifics (off-site directional, inflatable, temporary construction, event signs): **§ 13-34.600** and **§ 13-34.500** (signs not requiring a permit). (§ 13-34.600)
• Prohibited signs (animated, roof‑mounted exceeding parapet, banners unless authorized, signs that mimic traffic signals, abandoned signs): **§ 13-34.700**, **§ 13-34.301**. (§ 13-34.700)
• Abandonment/termination/removal and sinking fund requirements: **§ 13-34.204**, **§ 13-34.205**. (§ 13-34.204)
• Scenic Road & Highway Overlay — sign plan requirement and objectives: **§ 13-25.400**. (§ 13-25.400)
• District tables referencing signage (examples): **NTC** and **HTC** references to signage (Chapter 13-18; Chapter 13-12; property development tables that point to Chapter 13-34). (Chapter 13-18)
• Hercules_ZoningCode.md

• Official Hercules code library