City of Downey, CA

Automobile Dealership

Auto Dealership Total Area

Automobile dealership total sign area may not exceed one square foot per lineal foot of street frontage or 2.25 square feet per lineal foot of building frontage, whichever is greater; fence signs must be at least 100 feet from the public right-of-way.

Awning

Awning Limits

Awning sign area is limited to 60% of the length or height of each awning portion, copy area to 75%, clearance to 8 feet above grade, and projection to 5 feet into a public right-of-way.

Awning Illumination

Awning signs with backlit graphics or other internal illumination are not permitted; compatible downward lighting that does not illuminate the awning may be allowed.

Awning Signs

Awning Sign Sf Calc

60% of the length or height of each awning portion

Awning Projection Clearance

Maximum projection of 5 ft into the public right-of-way; minimum vertical clearance of 8 ft above grade

Billboards

Billboard Location

Billboards are allowed only in M-1 and M-2 zones with Conditional Use Permit approval and are subject to spacing/location limits including 500 feet from existing same-street off-premises signs, 200 feet from street intersections, 300 feet from residential/public/quasi-public frontage, 25 feet from adjoining buildings, and 20 feet street-property-line setback.

Billboard Size Height Structure

Billboards may not exceed 300 square feet or 35 feet high, must be ground-installed with not more than two steel supports, may not be roof-mounted, and must be removed if they lack advertising copy for 45 days.

Building Signs

Building Sign Formula

1.5 sq ft per lineal foot of frontage

Building Sign Max Number

1 per street frontage

Building Sign Illumination

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Changeable Copy

Freestanding Changeable Copy

Freestanding sign changeable copy may not change more than once per hour, may not rotate/move/flash/reflect/scroll/blink, and may occupy no more than 25% of sign area.

Church

Church Signs

Churches may have one wall sign up to 20 square feet and one monument sign up to 15 square feet, 6 feet high, and set back 7 feet from the street property line; changeable copy may not change more than once per hour and is limited to 25% of sign area.

Design

Sign Design Compatibility

Sign design must use compatible materials, letter style, colors, illumination, and sign shape, and signs must be integral to and compatible with the building design and scale.

Support Structure Compatibility

Supporting sign structures must be architecturally compatible with the signs and premises, and visible bracing/guy wires/angle iron should be minimized or covered to the City Planner's satisfaction.

Directional Signs

Directional Max Size

6 sq ft, or up to 10 sq ft if set back at least 100 ft from the public right-of-way

Directional Max Height

4 ft

Drive In

Drive In Business Signs

Drive-in businesses other than service stations may have one conforming freestanding sign and one wall sign not exceeding one square foot per lineal front frontage of the building, with both signs counted toward total allowable sign area.

Enforcement

Nonconforming Limits

Nonconforming signs may not be changed to another nonconforming sign, structurally altered to extend useful life, expanded, reestablished after 180 days or more of discontinuance, or repaired beyond 50% of replacement value unless brought into conformance.

Illegal Sign Removal

Illegal signs must be removed or made to conform to Chapter 6 within 30 days.

Abatement Authority

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Exempt

Exempt Signs General

Exempt signs do not require a sign permit and are exempt from Chapter 6 sign regulations and design standards except for prohibited-sign and prohibited-location rules.

Construction Signs

Construction signs are exempt up to 6 square feet in residential zones or 64 square feet in nonresidential zones, one per street frontage, 8 feet maximum height, and must be removed before final occupancy.

Directional On Site

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Holiday Display Timing

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2 more exempt rules in the full report →

Freestanding

Freestanding Area Height Formula

Freestanding signs are limited to 42 square feet when abutting a street lot line; when set back, area is 2.5 times setback plus 42 square feet up to 157 square feet, and height is 20 feet when abutting or one-half setback plus 20 feet up to 43 feet.

Freestanding Count Spacing Setbacks

Freestanding signs are limited to one per continuous street frontage at least 150 feet long, not more than two signs total, with 100 feet separation, 50 feet from interior side property lines, and 75 feet from residential zones.

Freestanding Landscaping

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Corner Lot Alternative

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2 more freestanding rules in the full report →

Freeway

Freeway Sign Plan Required

Permanent commercial or industrial signs within 500 feet of either side of a freeway right-of-way require a plan filed with and approved by the City Planner showing sign location/orientation and the business or industrial use served.

General

Owner Consent Required

Property-owner consent is required before any sign may be displayed on real or personal property in the City.

Noncommercial Substitution

A noncommercial message may be substituted for all or part of the commercial message on any sign allowed by Chapter 6, subject to owner consent.

Ground Signs

Ground Sign Type

Freestanding signs and monument signs

Ground Sign Setback

Freestanding: 50 ft from any interior side property line and 75 ft from a residential zone; Monument: 7 ft from the street property line

Ground Sign Formula

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Ground Sign Max Height

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2 more ground signs rules in the full report →

Hanging

Hanging Limits

Hanging signs are limited to 5 square feet, 75% copy area, facade height and never above 20 feet, 8 feet clearance, one per business, and projection into right-of-way of half the parkway width.

Illumination

External Lighting Shielding

Exterior sign lighting must use opaque deflection or shielding devices to prevent glare or shining onto abutting properties or the public right-of-way.

Internal Illumination Limit

Interior illuminated signs may not exceed 430 milliamperes at 12 inches on center; colored panels with low light transmission may be illuminated up to 800 milliamperes when certified by the installing sign manufacturer.

Large Commercial Center

Large Center Signs

Large commercial centers of at least 20 acres require a Commission-approved Planned Sign Program and, in C-2 or C-3 zones, may have one freestanding sign for each public right-of-way within or abutting the center; total area may not exceed the frontage formula and never more than 200 square feet.

Maintenance

Derelict On Premises Removal

Where business goods or services are no longer offered, remaining or derelict on-premises signs must be removed within 60 days after City notification; the City Planner may extend the period up to 90 days for good cause.

Sign Clean Repair Replace

On-premises signs must be kept clean and attractive and must be cleaned, repaired, or replaced within 30 days after City notification.

Marquee

Marquee Limits

Marquee/canopy signs may use one square foot per lineal foot of building frontage; copy area is limited to 75% of sign area, vertical copy dimension to 4 feet, height to the facade and no higher than 20 feet, clearance to 8 feet, one per parcel, and projection into right-of-way to half the parkway width.

Measurement

Wall Awning Marquee Window Area

Wall, awning, marquee, and window sign area is computed by measuring the square or rectangle encompassing the extreme limits of the writing, graphic representation, emblem, display, integrated background, and supporting framework.

Monument Area

Monument sign area is the entire area within the frame or cabinet, excluding a clearly distinguishable monument base without advertising.

Freestanding Area

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Banner Flag Area

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2 more measurement rules in the full report →

Mobile Home Park

Mobile Home Park Signs

Mobile/manufactured home parks may have either one freestanding sign up to 6 feet high and 12 square feet, or one monument sign up to 12 square feet of copy area and 5 feet above finished grade.

Monument

Monument Limits

Monument signs are limited to one-third square foot per lineal foot of building frontage with a 15 square foot minimum, 75% copy area, 8 feet maximum height, one per street frontage, at least 7 feet from the street property line, and internal or indirect illumination only.

Secondary Monument Signs

A multi-tenant building with at least 150 feet of street frontage may display secondary monument signs; secondary signs must be separated from any monument or freestanding sign by at least 75 feet and may devote no more than 25% of copy area to the building name.

Permit Process

Permit Time Frame

10 calendar days

Permits

Permit Identification Required

Every sign requiring a permit must display the maker name, installation date, and permit number in a clearly legible conspicuous place.

Sign Permit Required

Unless exempt, a sign may not be installed, constructed, erected, structurally altered, relocated, or reconstructed without City Planner sign-permit approval.

Application Submittal Items

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Planner Review Deadline

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Noncompliant Permit Void

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3 more permits rules in the full report →

Placement

Residential Abutment Side Rear Limit

A commercial or industrial building abutting residentially zoned property along a side or rear property line may not erect a sign along that side or rear line except for a directional sign or non-illuminated sign.

Planned Sign Program

Planned Program Required

A Planned Sign Program is required for any site with three or more nonresidential tenants and must be approved by the Commission before any sign permit is issued.

Planned Program Area Cap

A Planned Sign Program may deviate from Chapter 6 standards, but total sign area may not exceed the area otherwise permitted by Chapter 6.

Planned Program Findings

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Prohibited

Temporary Materials Except Allowed

Canvas signs other than awning signs, paper/cardboard signs, banners, pennants, flags, streamers, balloons, and other wind signs are prohibited unless temporarily permitted under § 9618.02.

Portable Sandwich Boards

A-frame, portable, and sandwich board signs are prohibited unless otherwise specified by Chapter 6.

Traffic Control Obstruction

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Painted Wall Signs

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Public Property Signs

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Off Premises Except Billboards

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Roof Signs

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Changeable Copy Except Allowed

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Public Right Of Way Location

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7 more prohibited rules in the full report →

Projecting

Projecting Limits

Projecting signs are limited to 15 square feet, 75% copy area, at or below the attached facade and never above 20 feet, 8 feet clearance, minimum 50 feet building frontage, one per business, and minimum 10 feet from a side building line.

School

Private K12 Wall Monument

Private K-12 schools in residential zones may have one non-illuminated wall sign per street frontage up to 32 square feet and one primary-frontage monument sign up to 70 square feet and 8 feet high.

Private K12 Digital Controls

Private K-12 school monument sign changeable copy may change no more often than every 10 seconds from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., must be off from 8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., may not flash/scroll/animate/video, must have dim control and light sensor, may not exceed 0.3 foot-candles above ambient at 250 feet, and is limited to school events.

Private K12 Setbacks Freestanding

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Scope

Chapter Purpose

Downey Chapter 6 regulates sign location, size, design, character, number, type, materials, illumination, and maintenance.

Applicability

Signs may be erected or maintained only in zones where Chapter 6 allows them; Chapter 6 controls when it conflicts with other Article IX provisions.

Service Station

Service Station Freestanding

Service stations may have one freestanding sign at the street intersection up to 60 square feet and 24 feet high, or one sign per street frontage up to 30 square feet and 20 feet high at least 60 feet from the street intersection.

Service Station Monument Logo Price

Service stations may have one monument sign up to 50 square feet and 7 feet high, plus up to 52 square feet total for logo, gasoline price, trading stamp, and credit-card information.

Temporary

Temporary Permit Duration

The City Planner may issue a temporary sign permit for up to 30 days when needed to establish or maintain identity until a permanent sign is erected, provided the temporary sign complies with sign-area and other standards.

Special Event Temporary Area

Temporary signs, banners, flags, pennants, decorations, and other advertising devices for special events require Special Event Permit approval and may have sign area up to 150% of the permitted sign area in the applicable zone if they do not create safety hazards or obstruct other signs.

Balloon Display Limits

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Ground Roof Balloon Limits

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Flags Pennants Streamers

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Banners

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Window Signs

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Event Signs

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Temporary Signs

Temp Sign Rules

Special-event temporary signs may be allowed up to 150% of the otherwise permitted sign area; the temporary-sign permit period can be up to 30 days; quantity is not specified in the extracted facts; permit approval is required.

Temp Signs Allowed

Yes. Temporary signs are allowed, and nonexempt temporary signs require a permit; special-event temporary signs require Special Event Permit approval.

Theater

Theater Signs

Theaters may erect marquee, projecting, wall, or changeable-copy signs if total sign area does not exceed 300 square feet.

Wall

Wall Sign Limits

Wall signs are limited to 1.5 square feet per lineal foot of tenant frontage, 75% copy area, one per street frontage, 18 inches projection, and may not extend beyond exterior facade lines.

Illuminated Wall Residential Setback

Illuminated wall signs must be at least 100 feet from any adjacent residential zone.

Wall Directory Panel

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Window Signs

Window Sign Allowable Area

Temporary window signs: 30% of the front-facing window area, and no more than 30% of any one window

Zones

Onsite Signs Permit Required

All nonexempt on-site signs in each zone require a sign permit unless Chapter 6 otherwise indicates.

R1 R2 Exempt Only

R-1 and R-2 zones allow exempt signs only.

R3 Sign Area

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Hm Sign Area

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Os Monument Limit

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Cp Sign Area

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Commercial Sign Area

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Manufacturing Sign Area

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6 more zones rules in the full report →