DESIGN STANDARDS FOR PERMANENT SIGNS AND SIGN STRUCTURES
Mesa City Code § 11-43-2
in effect11-43-2: - DESIGN STANDARDS FOR PERMANENT SIGNS AND SIGN STRUCTURES
A. Architectural Compatibility. Permanent signs and sign structures shall:
1. Be designed to be attractive and artistic;
2. Incorporate design features associated with the buildings or structures, and should constitute an architectural component of the overall development that is compatible with, and not incongruous to, the architectural style and character of the development of the property associated with the sign; and
3. Utilize materials and design themes consistent with the architectural design theme of the development, as expressed by the building architecture, landscaping, and overall site development.
B. Attached Permanent Signs.
1. Design Standards. Attached permanent signs must comply with the following design standards:
a. A sign shall be mounted so that the attachment device is not visible or discernible and shall consist of the following:
i. Individual letters such as pan channel or other durable material or
ii. An architecturally designed cabinet that is irregular and freeform in shape.
b. A sign attached to a single tenant building shall not exceed more than fifty-percent (50%) of the width of the building elevation upon which the attached sign is placed.
c. A sign attached to a single tenant space of a multiple tenant building, as determined by the issuance of a separate Certificate of Occupancy for the specific tenant space, shall not exceed more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the width of the front of the occupancy upon which the attached sign is placed.
d. Placed on the elevation of the same tenant space for which the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
e. Opaque backgrounds shall be provided on internally illuminated signs so that only the sign copy is illuminated.
f. A wall mounted sign shall be placed below parapet or eave.
g. Roof signs are not permitted.
h. Signs are permitted on a false mansard roof, awning, or canopy. Signs placed in these locations shall comply with the following:
i. Installed in a manner where angle iron supports, guy wires, braces, or secondary supports, are not visible.
ii. Appear to be an architectural or integral part of the roof.
iii. All parts of the sign are below the highest portion of the building or roof where the sign is attached.
2. Design Guidelines:
a. Letters attached or anchored to the face of an exposed standard raceway should be architecturally designed and integrated into the building.
b. If non-standard raceways are used the following design guidelines shall be followed:
i. As a background where the raceway is not discernable. Raceway is designed as splash cabinet following the shape of the letters where the area of the cabinet is included in the total attached sign area as provided in the example shown in Figure 11-43-2-B-2-b-i;
[image omitted; see the official code]
FIGURE 11-43-2-B-2-b-i
ii. Integrated and a part of the design that acts as a backdrop where the area of the raceway is included in the total attached sign area as provided in the example shown in Figure 11-43-2-B-2-b-ii; or
[image omitted; see the official code]
FIGURE 11-43-2-B-2-b-ii
iii. Integrated into the design where letters are mounted to the top of the raceway cabinet as provided in the examples shown in Figures 11-43-2-B-2-b-iii.
[image omitted; see the official code]
FIGURE 11-43-2-B-2-b-iii
c. Raceways shall either:
i. Be finished to match the color of the building adjacent to the raceway and design elements of the building or
ii. When a raceway is provided as an architectural enhancement to the building elevation, the raceway must be in a contrasting color and material.
C. Detached Permanent and Freestanding Signs. Detached permanent and freestanding signs must complement design features associated with the buildings or structures, and constitute an architectural component of the overall development.
1. Design Standards. Detached permanent and freestanding signs must comply with the following design standards:
a. The sign structure must consist of metal, masonry, or a similar durable construction material using one (1) of the following styles:
i. A single base where the width of the base is a minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the width of the sign copy, or
ii. A base consisting of two (2) or more posts or columns in which the width of all posts or columns, in aggregate, is a minimum of thirty-three percent (33%) of the width of the sign copy.
b. An internally illuminated sign shall comply with the requirements of Section 11-41-3-B, and shall provide either:
i. An opaque background so only the sign copy is illuminated; or
ii. A translucent background of no more than fifty-percent (50%) opacity.
c. No detached permanent sign is allowed within seventy-five (75) feet of any other detached permanent sign on the same parcel or Group C-O-I Development site.
d. For streets or roads with three (3) or more traffic lanes, a sign is not allowed within fifteen (15) feet of the face of curb or edge of pavement, when no curb exists.
e. If a sign is placed at the street intersection of a corner parcel and is visible from both streets or both frontages, the sign may not exceed the maximum height and area allowed for the longer street frontage. The area of the sign is deducted from the total aggregate sign height, sign area, and number of signs permissible on the corner parcel.
2. Design Guidelines:
a. The sign copy should not exceed a horizontal-to-vertical ratio of two to one (2:1).
b. A sign may consist of more than one (1) sign panel provided all sign panels are attached to one (1) common integrated sign structure. When multiple sign panels are used, the area of the sign is calculated as one (1) aggregate sign area of all panels used.
c. Embellishment should complement the primary design elements or unique architectural features of the buildings or structures.
d. Embellishment added to a sign structure may extend above the allowable height, up to a maximum extension of twenty-percent (20%) of the permitted height of the sign.
[image omitted; see the official code]
FIGURE 11-43-2-C-2-d
Source: City of Mesa, Arizona, Mesa City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/az/mesa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT11ZOOR_ART5SIOR_CH43PESI_11-43-2DESTPESISISTFetched: 11/1/2026