Signs
Signs may be erected, placed, established, painted, created or maintained in the County only in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions and other requirements of Chapter 33.57 CCC. A sign permit is required unless the sign is designated as exempt (see below). The size of the sign will be dictated by the zone in which the posting property resides. Contact the Clallam County Planning Department for further information.
Exempt Signs
The following types of signs shall be exempt from the standards established within the Exempt sign code (Chapter 33.57.060) and from the certificate of compliance requirements.
- Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public safety official, provided they are removed within seven (7) days after conclusion of the subject of notification;
- Directional, warning or information signs authorized by federal, State or municipal governments or signs required by law not exceeding 200 square feet of sign area and twenty (20) feet in height. Directional signs located within State or County right-of-way shall be administered by State standards for directional signs and, if within Clallam County right-of-way, shall be administered by the Motorist Informational Sign Ordinance, Chapter 9.21 CCC;
- Memorial plaques, building identification signs and building cornerstones which are cut or carved into a masonry surface or when made of noncombustible material and made an integral part of the building or structure. Plaques, tablets, or inscriptions indicating the name of a building, its date of erection, or other commemorative information, which are an integral part of the building structure or are attached flat to the face of the building, and which are not illuminated, except incidentally from light sources used for other purposes;
- Sculptures, murals, landscape features, fountains, mosaics, religious symbols, and design features which do not incorporate advertising or identification;
- The flag of a government or noncommercial institution such as a school;
- Traffic or pedestrian control signs or signals, or signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest which are erected by, or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his/her public duty;
- Exterior signs or displays not visible from streets or ways open to the public;
- “No trespassing,” “no dumping,” “no parking,” “private,” and other informational warning signs which shall not exceed four (4) square feet in surface area and eight (8) feet maximum height above grade;
- Commercial or residential address signs with lettering not exceeding twelve (12) inches in height and newspaper boxes located within ten (10) feet of an existing commercial/industrial building; and
- Election signs no greater than thirty-two (32) square feet in area and five (5) feet in height above grade.
Allowed Sign Types
The below table has several definitions pertaining to the types of signs allowed in Clallam County. Please refer to the definition section of the Clallam County Sign Code for all other definitions pertaining to signs (Chapter 33.57.020).
| Sign Type | Definition |
|---|---|
Façade | A sign which is attached parallel to and within nine (9) inches of the wall of a building, or vertical face of an awning or parapet which is supported by and confined within the limits of such wall, awning or parapet and which displays only one sign surface. “Facade sign” also include signs affixed to (within nine (9) inches at one point) or painted on an awning, canopy or roof so long as they do not extend above the primary roofline or more than eight (8) feet from the outside edge of the building. Soft drink dispensing machines will be considered a facade sign if located within nine (9) inches of the building. |
Freestanding and Monument | Freestanding - a sign which is supported by permanent uprights, pole or braces to the ground and which is not connected to a building. Monument - a ground-related, freestanding sign which is attached to the ground or to its base on grade by a solid sign structure and which structure extends from the ground or base to the sign face at the same or greater width as the sign face. Signs on fences are considered a form of monument sign. |
Vehicular | Signs affixed or painted on work vehicles, tractor-trailers, busses, vans or other vehicles. |
Temporary | A nonpermanent sign intended for use for a short period of time, which includes election signs, construction signs, real estate signs, grand opening signs, community event signs and residential yard sale signs. |
Commercial & Industrial Zone Sign Standards
Any sign that cannot be configured to qualify as one of the below sign types and is not an exempt sign is prohibited in all zones per Chapter 33.57.040 CCC. Externally illuminated signs shall not exceed background area average illumination levels when measured five (5) feet beyond any vertical surface of the sign; lighting fixtures shall be carefully located, aimed and shielded so that light is only directed on to the sign surface with a light source that is not directly visible from the adjacent roadway. Internally illuminated signs using 800 milliamp ballasts shall not have lamps spaced closer than twelve (12) inches apart or if using 425 milliamp ballast shall not be closer than six (6) inches apart.
| Sign Type | Design Parameters | Location Parameters | Multi-Business Complex Parameters |
|---|---|---|---|
Façade | One square foot of sign for each linear foot of building frontage facing a single public or private road. | May not extend above the primary roofline or project more than eight (8) feet from the roofline edge of the building. | Each business within a plaza may have one facade sign attached to the commercial structure that is limited to one square foot of sign area per linear foot of each businesses building frontage. |
Freestanding and Monument | Thirty-two (32) square feet of sign area, not to exceed ten (10) feet in height above grade. . | Must be located outside of any County, state, or federal rights-of-way. | One free standing or monument sign may be used to advertise the plaza or complex name and the businesses within the complex. This sign shall be limited to one sign not exceeding the signage area limit of 100 square feet and whose height shall not exceed ten (10) feet in height above grade. |
Vehicular | Limited to thirty-two (32) square feet. | Set back from the lot line or right of public use line that fronts on the State scenic and recreational highway a minimum of fifty (50) feet. | --- |
Temporary | Thirty-two (32) square feet, unlit, not to exceed five (5) feet above grade. Conditions present to qualify for a temporary sign would include the sale of property/business, a grand opening, construction of a business, and when advertising a community event. | --- | |
Residential & Resource Zone Sign Standards
Any sign that cannot be configured to qualify as one of the below sign types and is not an exempt sign is prohibited in all zones per Chapter 33.57.050 CCC. Illuminated signs are prohibited for all sign types. Only one façade, freestanding, or monument sign allowed per property.
| Sign Type | Design Parameters |
|---|---|
Façade | Maximum of six (6) square feet of signage. Only exception being the Commercial Forest (CF) zone, where maximum size is twenty (20) square feet of signage. |
Freestanding and Monument | Maximum of six (6) square feet of signage. Only exception being the Commercial Forest (CF) zone, where maximum size is twenty (20) square feet of signage. Not to exceed five (5) feet in height. |
Vehicular | Limited to a total of thirty-two (32) square feet Vehicular signage shall be set back from the lot line or public right of use line that fronts on the State scenic and recreational highway a minimum of 100 feet. |
Temporary | Limited to one unlit six (6) square foot sign for a property/home sale, construction sign and community event and shall not exceed five (5) feet in height above grade. Conditions present to qualify for a temporary sign would include property/home sale and when advertising a community event. |
Prohibited Signs
The following signs or displays are prohibited, except as otherwise specifically allowed within Chapter 33.57. Prohibited signs are subject to removal by the County at the owner’s or user’s expense.
- Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal, or device, or the light of an emergency or radio equipment vehicle; or which obstruct the visibility of any street sign or signal device;
- Signs identifying activities, products, businesses or services which have been discontinued for more than six (6) months on the premises upon which the signs are located;
- Private signs on public utility poles;
- Portable signs, due to fact that they are often placed where they block safety sight lines of motorists pulling into or out from a business or within safety sight triangles on corner lots;
- Signs erected, altered or relocated without a permit issued by the County or any other governmental agency that requires a permit under law;
- Signs that rotate or have a part or parts that move or revolve shall not be permitted in any zone except for the face of a clock less than six (6) square feet in size;
- Signs or advertising displays consisting of clusters of posters, banners not affixed to a building wall, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of lights other than holiday lights used exclusively for decorative purposes, spinners, twirlers or propellers, flashing signs, rotating or blinking lights, chasing or oscillating lights, light projections on other natural or manmade surfaces, television type video, flares, balloons, inflatable signs, bubble machines and similar devices of carnival nature, or containing elements creating sound greater than 40 decibels as measured from the nearest adjacent property or business boundary shall not be permitted in any zone;
- Signs within the public right-of-way unless erected by Clallam County or the State of Washington.