This page is written only as a guide; it is not intended nor shall it be considered a complete set of requirements. Information sheets are also available at the City's Building Inspections Division
Definitions
Sign
Any surface, facing, or object upon which there is printed, painted or artistic matter, design or lighting.
Business Sign
Any sign upon which there is any name or designation that has as its purpose, business, professional or commercial advertising, and which is related directly to the use of the premises upon which the sign is located.
Product Sign
Any sign upon which there is any brand name, trademark, logo, distinctive symbol, designation or advertising which has as its purpose the promotion of any business, product, goods, activity or service. Product signs shall be subordinate to business signs.
Freestanding Ground Sign
A business sign erected on freestanding shafts, posts or walls solidly affixed to the ground and completely independent of any building or other structure, 7’ or less in height.
Pylon Sign
A business sign erected on freestanding shafts, posts or walls solidly affixed to the ground, and projecting more than 7’ in height. Pylon signs are considered a conditional use, and are subject to all applicable conditions, regulations and fees. Pylon signs require a Conditional Use Permit, a Building Permit, and a Sign Permit
Off-Premises Sign
A sign, other than billboard signs, which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered somewhere other than on the property upon which the sign is located. Off-premise signs are prohibited in the City of Eagan.
Governmental Sign
Any sign placed, erected or maintained by a governmental entity or agency for identification of, directions to a public facility or street, for traffic control, or general public services.
Non-Commercial Sign
Any sign which does not contain advertising for the sale of products or services.
Sign Area
The gross area, exclusive of supportive frame, which contains copy or identifying features such as a logo, character or identifying figure. The gross area shall be calculated as an enclosed area bounded by no more than 12 straight lines
Sign Height
The distance from the lowermost ground point to which the sign is attached, to the highest point on the sign.
General Sign Standards
- Placement within public right-of-way. No sign other than governmental signs shall be located within any City-owned public right-of-way. Residential name signs attached to mailboxes or private lampposts are excluded.
- Placement on public property. No sign, other than governmental signs, shall be placed upon any City-owned public property, or railroad right-of-way, or shall be affixed to any utility pole.
- Location to property line. No business sign shall be located nearer than 10 feet from any property / dividing line.
- Obstruction of vision. No sign shall be erected or maintained in such place and manner as obstructs driver vision or is noxious, annoying or hazardous because of method of lighting, illumination, reflection or location.
- Traffic visibility. On all corner lots in all districts, no structure or planting in excess of 30 inches above the abutting curb line shall be permitted within a triangular area defined as follows: beginning at the intersection of the project curb lines of two intersecting streets, thence 30 feet along one curb diagonally to a point 30 feet from the point of beginning of the other curb line, thence to the point of beginning.
- Moving parts, lights. No signs are allowed which contain moving sections or intermittent or flashing lights, except for intermittent display of time and temperature.
- Source of lighting. No signs are permitted for which the source of light is directly visible to passing pedestrians or vehicle traffic.
- Painted signs on buildings. No signs are allowed which are painted directly upon the walls of a building.
- Construction and erection of signs. All signs shall be constructed and erected in a good and workmanlike manner of sound and sufficient materials so as to ensure the safety of the public and in accordance with all reasonable standards employed by professional sign makers.
Off-Premise Signs
No off-premise sign shall be permitted in any zone within the city except as permitted under Subdivision 25 of the City Code (pre-existing billboard signs).
Residential Signs
Location of business signs in residential areas. Business signs are permitted in residentially zoned areas or areas of PD designation for residential use, only under the following cases:
- "For Sale" or "For Rent" signs. 4’ x 4’ or smaller, advertising the premises upon which such sign is located.
- Real estate "For Sale" signs. A land developer advertising the property offered for sale. Not to exceed 100 square feet. Sign must be located on the property offered for sale.
- Major apartment complexes. Area identification signs for major apartment complexes.
Building Mounted, Window and Door Business Signs, Standards
Building Mounted Signage
- Sign projection. No sign mounted upon a building is allowed to project more than 18” from the vertical surface of the building.
- Design similarity. All business signs mounted on a building shall be similar in design.
- Roof signs. No sign mounted upon a building is allowed to project above the highest outside wall or parapet wall.
- Product name signs. Product name signs shall be subordinate to business name signs.
- Single-tenant building and end units in multi-tenant buildings. No more than three signs on up to two elevations, not to exceed the allowed sign area based on zoning.
- Interior units of multi-tenant buildings. No more than two signs per tenant on one elevation, not to exceed the allowed sign area based on zoning.
- Cedar Grove District Signage. Signage placed in the Cedar Grove District is subject to additional requirements. Contact Code Enforcement staff for additional information.
- Sign Area No sign or combination of signs mounted upon a building shall cover in excess of 10% of the gross area of a side in the RD and BP zoning districts and 20% of the gross area of a side in all other zoning districts where business signs are allowed.
Window/Door Signage
- A sign displayed on a window or within an area 18 inches from the face of the window, as measured from the interior glass to the building interior, shall not occupy more than 60% of the area of the windows and/or doors on the side of the building on which the window/door sign is displayed.
- The area of a window/door sign shall be included in the calculation of the sign area allowed for building-mounted signs provided herein and shall not exceed the applicable sign area permitted.
- Window/door signs shall be allowed only on the building façade that has building-mounted signage.
- Any sign not exceeding a two (2) square feet area that depicts Open/Closed or Hours of Operation shall be exempt from requirements.
- A sign or display inside the building which is located more than 18 inches from the inside glass face of the window glass is not deemed a ‘”window sign” for purposes of this Section.
Freestanding Business Sign Standards
- Freestanding ground signs: Up to one allowed per building, with a maximum height of 7’ and face height of 4’.
- Pylon signs: Maximum of one allowed per building. A pylon sign is allowed in lieu of a monument sign and is limited in height to 27 feet above the lot level, and no more than 125 square feet per side. Pylon signs require Conditional Use Permit, Building Permit and Sign Permit approval.
Temporary Signs for Special Business Sales
- Any commercial use may have up to three (3) signs for the purpose of promoting a special sales event and the signs may not be displayed for more than 10 days within a 60-day period.
- The 60-day period shall commence on the first day of posting a temporary sign and concludes 60 days thereafter.
- Temporary signs shall not exceed an aggregate total area of 25 square feet.
- The Sign Permit application shall specify the days, not to exceed 10, on which the temporary sign will be displayed.
- The fee for a Temporary Sign Permit is $25.00. Signs must be attached to the building or to an existing pylon or monument sign.
Exemptions
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the following signs are exempt from the permit or fee provisions of this section. No exempt sign shall exceed 16 square feet of area except where stated below:
- For sale, lease, or rent signs of real estate when located on the property advertised, and when less than 16 square feet in total copy area.
- Church, hospital, or school directional signs, less than six square feet in total copy area.
- One on-property church sign for each church site.
- Signs warning of hazardous conditions.
- Simple information signs such as "Exit," "Loading Dock," etc.
- Simple nameplate signs on or over the entrance to a place of business or used to identify the parking area of a place of business. Not to exceed three square feet in gross area.
- Signs erected by a recognized unit of government having jurisdiction in the city, or a school district within the boundaries of the school district.
- Non-commercial signs.
- Temporary signs for special civic events or garage or neighborhood sales, for a period not to exceed 20 days.
Sign Permits and Fees
Sign Permits: No signs, except exemptions above, shall be erected or maintained anywhere in the City without first obtaining a Sign Permit.
Application: A formal application together with accompanying documents prescribed by the city shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Division to obtain a Sign Permit. The following documents are required:
- Building Sign – Sign Permit application, building elevation including dimensions of the gross area of the building side or unit, and sign plan with measurements.
- Monument Sign – Sign Permit application, site plan indicating monument placement noting minimum setback of 10 feet from property line, and sign plan with measurements.
- Temporary Sign – Sign Permit application, placement information indicating location on a building or existing pylon or monument sign, and sign plan with measurements. For freestanding placement, provide site plan meeting 10’ setback from property lines.
Fees: The Sign Permit fee is $2.50 per square foot of sign area for building and monument signs. The Temporary Sign Permit fee is a flat $25.00. The Building Permit fee for pylon signs is $135.00, in addition to the Sign Permit and Conditional Use Permit fee. Additional fees apply for a Conditional Use Permit application for a pylon sign.
Freestanding Monument Signage with Dynamic Sign Features
This handout is written only as a guide; it is not intended nor shall it be considered a complete set of requirements. Information sheets are also available at the City's Building Inspections Division.
Monument Sign Requirements (without dynamic signage)
- Height: Maximum 7’ feet overall height.
- Face: Maximum 4’ feet face height (area with text, graphics, logos, reader board, etc.).
- Base: Maximum 3’ base height.
- Width: No width restriction
- Square Footage: No size restriction
- Setbacks: Minimum of 10' from all property and dividing lines
- NOTE: Anything over 7' in height is a pylon and requires a Conditional Use Permit. See City Planning staff to apply.
Monument signs with Dynamic Sign Features (dynamic refers to LED, electronic, digital, etc.)
Monument signs with dynamic sign features must meet all of the above requirements pertaining to monuments signs. In addition, the following requirements must be met:
- Number of dynamic signs allowed: One dynamic display area on a sign face
- Maximum size of dynamic sign: Must be subordinate to the business name portion of the sign (dynamic signs must not be the predominant feature of the sign face).
- Minimum character height required:Based on Speed Limits:
- MPH Minimum Character Height
25-34 7”
35-44 9”
45-54 12”
55 & Above 15” - Frequency of message change: May NOT change or move more often than once every 1 minute.
- Note: Anything over 7’ in height is a pylon and requires a Conditional Use Permit. See City Planning staff to apply.
Download a Sign Permit application and submit one application per building, pylon or monument sign.
