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Sign Code Summary

Alma, CO

Local sign ordinance requirements — free, cited to the source section.

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Understanding sign regulations in Alma, CO

Every outdoor sign in Alma is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the Alma code it came from.

Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in Alma.

Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in Alma, Colorado. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.

Before you order or install a sign in Alma, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.

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Max ground sign height
Monument: Not specified; Pylon: 8 ft
Ground sign setback
at least 5 feet from any public right-of-way

Building Signs

Building Sign Formula
No more than 30 sq ft per face for double-faced signs or 60 sq ft for single-faced signs

Definitions

Billboard Definition
a flat surface, either freestanding, wall-mounted or a wall itself, on which signs are posted advertising a business, product or service not available on the premises.
Identification Sign Definition
a sign which establishes the identity of an occupant by listing his or her name or professional title, which establishes the identity of a building or building complex by name or symbol only or which indicates street address and name, and which does not identify commercial or industrial uses or a commodity or service offered on the premises.
Joint Identification Sign Definition
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Marquee Definition
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Off Premises Sign Definition
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On Premises Sign Definition
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Sign Face Or Display Surface Definition
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Sign Measurement Definition
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Sign Structure Definition
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Special Event Signs Definition
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Temporary Signs Definition
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Awning Definition
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Instructional Sign Definition
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Portable Definition
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Roof Definition
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Roof Line Definition
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Wall Art Definition
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Wall Definition
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Window Definition
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17 more definitions rules in the full report →

Directional Signs

Directional Max Height
3 feet measured from the roadway or sidewalk to the bottom edge
Directional Max Size
4 square feet

General Info

Jurisdiction Name
Alma, CO

General Standards

Conforming Sign Criteria
nonconforming signs: Existing individual sign exceeding maximum area or height by 10% or less, or maximum setback by 10% or less may be considered conforming
Nonconforming Sign Amortization
Signs erected prior to initial ordinance or annexation: Nonconforming signs must be brought into conformance or removed within 5 years of erection or effective date
Nonconforming Sign Conformance Period
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1 more general standards rule in the full report →

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Ground Signs

Ground Sign Type
Monument (small, ~6-8 ft) and Pylon/Pole (larger)
Ground Sign Formula
Monument: Not specified; Pylon: Not specified
Ground Sign Max Height
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Ground Sign Setback
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Detached Sign Max Area Increase
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Detached Sign Max Height
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4 more ground signs rules in the full report →

Illumination

Illumination Requirement
light sources which shall be indirect, low-intensity and minimum glare only, and shall not be lit from below.

Permit Process

Triangulation Requirements
Not within 15-foot sight triangle

Temporary Signs

Temp Signs Allowed
Permit required for temporary signs
Temp Sign Rules
Max area: 32 sq ft per face; Max area per property: 32 sq ft total; Permit required
Temporary Sign Max Area Per Face
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1 more temporary signs rule in the full report →

Variance Appeals

Variance Grant Authority
BOA may grant variances relating to size, height, location, illumination, number and type of signs and other exceptions to standards
Variance Restrictions
Signs and other exceptions to standards: Variances cannot allow construction or expansion of off-premises signs or relax off-premises sign provisions

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