In General

Sacramento City Code tit. 15, ch. 15.148, art. I

in effect

Sacramento City Code § 15.148.010 Purpose.

15.148.010 Purpose. The purpose of the sign regulations set forth in this chapter shall be to eliminate potential hazards to motorists and pedestrians; to encourage signs which, by their good design, are integrated with and harmonious to the buildings and sites which they occupy, and which eliminate excessive and confusing sign displays; to preserve and improve the appearance of the city as a place in which to live and to work and as an attraction to nonresidents who come to visit or trade; to safeguard and enhance property values; to protect public and private investment in buildings and open spaces; to supplement and be a part of the regulations imposed and the plan set forth under the Planning and Development Code; and to promote the public health, safety and general welfare. (Ord. 2013-0021 § 57; prior code § 3.02.030)

Sacramento City Code § 15.148.015 Government messages and signs.

15.148.015 Government messages and signs. Nothing in this chapter applies to or restricts the following: A. The city's use of city property to display the city's own messages. "City property" means real property over which the city: (1) has fee title, an easement (including a public right-of-way), a leasehold interest, or other legal interest; and (2) has the present right of possession and control. B. Governmental signs for regulatory purposes such as traffic control and public safety (e.g., street signs, danger signs, railroad-crossing signs, signs of public-service companies indicating danger, and aids to service or safety). (Ord. 2016-0025 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 15.148.020 Definitions.

15.148.020 Definitions. The definition of terms used in this chapter are set forth in Section 15.148.1170 of this chapter. (Prior code § 3.02.031)

Sacramento City Code § 15.148.025 Message substitution.

15.148.025 Message substitution. A. Subject to the consent of the land owner and the sign owner, a constitutionally protected noncommercial message of any type may be substituted, in whole or in part, in place of any commercial message or any other noncommercial message on a sign if the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content. Similarly, an onsite commercial message may be substituted for another commercial message on an on-site sign if the substitution does not also involve a change of the physical structure or mounting device for the sign. Such message substitutions may be made without any additional approval or permitting. B. The purposes of this section are to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over noncommercial speech or of any particular noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message and to allow a change of commercial messages on an on-site sign without a new permit. C. This section does not create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a parcel, nor does it affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be properly permitted. This section does not allow the substitution of an off-site commercial message in place of an on-site commercial message or the conversion of a sign to general advertising for hire. D. In addition to message substitution, whenever a parcel has a right to display area that is unused, that area may be used for constitutionally protected non-commercial messages on temporary signs, without permits or approvals; it may also be used for display of noncommercial messages on permanent structures, if the structure is properly permitted. E. This section prevails over any more specific provision to the contrary within this chapter. (Ord. 2013-0025 § 1; Ord. 2007-083 § 1)

Sacramento City Code § 15.148.026 Location of noncommercial messages.

15.148.026 Location of noncommercial messages. Throughout this chapter, the on-site/off-site distinction applies only to commercial messages on signs. There is no location criterion for noncommercial messages on signs. (Ord. 2007-083 § 2)

Source: City of Sacramento, Sacramento City Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sacramentoca/latest/sacramento_ca/0-0-0-31450Fetched: 10/24/2026