Attached signs.
San José Municipal Code § 23.04.020
in effect23.04.020 - Attached signs.
A. Quantity.
1. No more than one attached sign shall be permitted for each separate ground-level occupancy frontage, except that:
a. Any ground-level occupancy with more than one occupancy frontage may have one attached sign on each occupancy frontage, not to exceed four frontages.
b. Any ground-level occupancy exceeding twenty thousand square feet but not exceeding fifty thousand square feet may have up to three attached signs on one of its occupancy frontages; any ground-level occupancy exceeding fifty thousand square feet may have up to five attached signs on one of its occupancy frontages.
c. Any building with a building footprint greater than one hundred thousand square feet which has interior tenant spaces with no occupancy frontages may have up to five additional signs in addition to those set forth in Subsections a. and b. above.
d. A building with a building footprint of at least three hundred thousand square feet which has interior tenant spaces with no occupancy frontages and which is located in a shopping center site with a total building floor area of at least five hundred thousand square feet and that is not within a special sign zone as set forth in Section 23.02.860, may have up to eight additional signs in addition to those set forth in Subsections a. and b. above.
e. Parcels located entirely within the Capitol Expressway Auto Mall Signage Area may have an unlimited number of attached signs; provided, however, that the attached signs shall otherwise meet all of the other size, height and setback requirements of this section, including, without limitation, that the aggregate sign area of all attached signs shall not exceed the size limitations set forth in this section.
f. A large assembly space may have up to two programmable electronic signs and those signs may be placed on the same occupancy frontage as set forth in Subsection E. below.
g. Any building with a single tenant ground level occupancy in a building footprint of at least one hundred thousand square feet which is located in a shopping center site that is at least twenty-five acres in size, has a general plan land use designation of regional commercial and is not situated within a special sign zone may have up to sixteen attached signs in addition to those allowed under Subsection a. above. Where attached signs are allowed under this Subsection g., all attached signs, including attached signs allowed under Subsection a. above shall be subject to the following regulations:
i. The number of attached signs shall not exceed seven attached signs per occupancy frontage for up to three occupancy frontages.
ii. The number of attached signs shall not exceed a total of nineteen attached signs on the total of the three occupancy frontages listed in Subsection 23.04.020.A.1.g.i. above.
iii. Additional signs shall only be under this Subsection g. in lieu of the attached signs allowed under Subsections b. through d. above.
2. One attached sign shall be allowed for each second-story occupancy frontage with direct exterior access to the ground from the second story.
3. Each second-story retail tenant space with at least sixty-five thousand square feet of contiguous retail space within a building having a building footprint of at least three hundred thousand square feet and interior tenant spaces with no occupancy frontages, which building is located in a shopping center site with a total building floor area of at least five hundred thousand square feet and that is not within a special sign zone as set forth in Section 23.02.860, shall be allowed to have up to one attached sign per occupancy frontage not to exceed two occupancy frontages.
4. A maximum of four canopy signs shall be allowed on a service station canopy with a maximum of two canopy signs allowed on any side of the service station canopy.
B. Size.
1. The aggregate sign area of all attached signs on a ground-level occupancy frontage shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of such occupancy frontage, except that:
a. For an individual retail tenant with a minimum of twenty thousand square feet of contiguous, occupied retail space with at least ten thousand square feet of ground-level occupancy frontage, the aggregate allowed sign area may be calculated based upon a combination of the area allowed for the ground-level occupancy frontage plus the second floor occupancy frontage, all to a maximum of three hundred square feet per occupancy frontage.
b. The aggregate sign area of the additional attached signs allowed pursuant to Subsection 23.04.020.A.1.c. shall be no greater than two hundred square feet per building and no single such sign shall exceed eighty square feet in sign area.
c. The aggregate sign area of the additional attached sign allowed pursuant to Subsection 23.04.020.A.1.d. shall be no greater than three hundred twenty square feet per building and no single such sign shall exceed eighty square feet in sign area.
d. Where signs are allowed pursuant to Subsection 23.04.020.A.1.g, the following size limits shall apply to all attached signs, including attached signs allowed under Subsection 23.04.020.A.1.a. above:
i. The aggregate sign area of all attached signs shall not exceed one and three-quarters square feet for each one linear foot of occupancy frontage; and
ii. The maximum sign area of all attached signs on an occupancy frontage shall not exceed one thousand square feet; and
iii. The maximum sign area of any one attached sign shall not exceed three hundred eighty square feet; and
iv. Size limitations shall apply to all attached signs, including pre-existing attached signs.
2. Second- or third-story attached sign(s) shall be limited to one-half the first-floor sign area allowances, except:
a. For an individual retail tenant with a minimum of twenty thousand square feet of contiguous, occupied retail space with at least ten thousand square feet of ground-level occupancy frontage, the second- or third-story attached sign(s) shall be limited to one square foot for each linear foot of occupancy frontage on the second floor.
b. For a second-story retail tenant space as described in Subsection 23.04.020.A.3. above, the sign area of such sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two linear feet of occupancy frontage on the second floor. The maximum sign area of any one such sign shall not exceed one hundred twenty square feet. The maximum sign area of all such signs combined shall not exceed two hundred square feet.
3. The sum of the sign area of the attached signs on any building frontage shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage, except as allowed in Subsections 23.04.020.B.1. and 23.04.020.B.2.b. above.
4. On a service station canopy, signage shall not exceed the following square footages:
a. One of the canopy signs shall have an aggregate sign area that does not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of the length of the side of the canopy on which the sign is placed, and the length of that canopy sign shall not exceed a maximum of forty percent of the length of that canopy side. The larger canopy sign shall be one contiguous sign.
b. The remaining canopy signs shall not exceed the following square footages:
i. For signs approved prior to November 9, 2012, the maximum square footage allowed for each remaining canopy sign shall be six and one-half square feet per sign; and
ii. For signs approved on or after November 9, 2012, the maximum square footage allowed for each remaining canopy sign shall be four square feet per sign.
5. The signage allowed for lightbox signs at service stations shall be limited to twenty percent of the surface area of the lightbox up to a maximum of eight square feet.
6. All signage at service stations shall conform to Section 23.02.1110.
C. Height.
1. Subject to the provisions of Subsection C.2. and Subsections C.4. through C.7. hereinbelow, no attached sign shall be displayed higher than the finished floor elevation of the fourth floor of a building.
2. For buildings less than eighty feet in height, no attached sign shall be displayed higher than the finished floor elevation of the building's third floor when that building has a skyline sign pursuant to other provisions of this part.
3. In neighborhood business districts for buildings constructed prior to May 1, 1992, upward extensions of building facades that are sloped from the vertical plane at an angle no greater than sixty degrees shall be treated as extensions of the wall of the building and not as roofs for purposes of signage regulation. A sign placed on such an upward extension may not extend in height to within six inches of the highest point of the upward extension. Only permanent signs may be placed on such upward extensions.
4. An attached programmable electronic sign shall not be displayed higher than thirty feet from grade for small assembly spaces.
5. An attached programmable electronic sign shall not be more than fifty feet above grade for large assembly spaces.
6. A service station canopy sign shall not exceed two and one-half feet in height.
7. For buildings located in an employment growth area as designated in the general plan's planned growth areas diagram, attached signs (except for permitted skyline signs) shall be displayed no higher than the finished floor elevation of the building's ninth floor when such building and the attached sign meets all of the following criteria:
a. The building has a total building floor area of one hundred thousand square feet or greater; and
b. The building is one hundred feet or greater in height above grade; and
c. The highest point of the attached sign shall be at least thirty feet lower in height than the lowest point of any skyline or roof sign permitted pursuant to other provisions of this part.
D. Setbacks.
1. Signs facing an abutting residential parcel shall be at least thirty feet from the property line of such residential parcel, unless it includes a programmable electronic sign, in which case the sign shall be at least one hundred fifty feet from the property line of such residential parcel.
2. Signs facing an abutting nonresidential parcel shall be at least ten feet from the property line of such nonresidential parcel, unless the abutting nonresidential parcel contains a parking lot or driveway at its nearest point to the sign, in which case, no setback is required.
E. Programmable electronic sign.
1. The attached sign allowed for a small assembly in accordance with Section 23.04.020.A. above may have a programmable electronic sign not to exceed seventy-five percent of the allowable sign area. No more than one sign (attached or detached) shall be a programmable electronic sign.
2. The attached sign allowed for a large assembly space in accordance with Section 23.04.020.A. above may have a programmable electronic sign not to exceed seventy-five percent of the allowable sign area.
3. Safety or directional signs for public parking garages.
a. A safety or directional sign that is an attached sign with a programmable electronic sign component is allowed subject to and so long as the sign fully meets the criteria set forth below in this Subsection 23.04.020.E., and such sign shall not reduce otherwise allowable signage for a public parking garage:
i. The programmable electronic sign component of the sign shall be integrated with the allowed attached sign; and
ii. The programmable electronic sign component of the sign shall not be greater than ten square feet in sign area.
b. A safety or directional sign that is a free-standing sign with a programmable electronic sign component is allowed subject to and so long as the sign fully meets the criteria set forth below in this Subsection 23.04.020.E., and such sign shall not reduce otherwise allowable signage for a public parking garage or for the parcel, as parcel is defined in Section 23.04.010, on which such sign is located:
i. A maximum of three such signs are allowed per parcel, as parcel is defined in Section 23.04.010; and
ii. Each such sign shall be no more than ten square feet in sign area.
4. Operation of a programmable electronic sign shall conform to the provisions of Section 23.02.905.
F. Additional allowed signage.
1. The following additional signs shall be allowed and shall not reduce the types and quantity of signage that are otherwise allowed under this title.
a. Fin signs.
i. Fin signs shall be allowed that:
1. Do not exceed twenty square feet in sign area per side;
2. Project no more than four feet from the wall to which a fin sign is attached;
3. Are located at least seven feet but not more than twenty feet above grade; and
4. Are not illuminated or are illuminated by external or neon tube lighting.
ii. Each ground-level occupancy frontage may have one such fin sign.
iii. Exception.
1. In neighborhood business districts, fin signs may project more than three feet from the wall to which they are attached.
b. Awning signs.
i. A maximum of two awning signs of no greater than ten square feet in sign area may be placed upon each discrete surface of an awning.
ii. Awning signs shall be located at least seven feet but not more than twelve feet above grade.
iii. Awning signs shall not be illuminated.
iv. Awning signs shall maintain a minimum three-inch clearance from the edge of the discrete surface of the awning on which the sign is placed.
c. Window signs.
i. Window signs consistent with Section 23.02.1060 of this title are allowed.
ii. Window signs shall not be allowed above the first floor, except as follows:
1. Window signs may be displayed by second-story occupancy frontages with no separate ground-level frontage.
2. In neighborhood business districts, window signs may be displayed on first- and second-story occupancy frontages.
d. Arcade signs.
i. Arcade signs shall be allowed [provided] that:
1. Do not exceed ten square feet in area per side; and
2. Are located at least seven feet above grade.
ii. Each ground-level occupancy frontage may display one such sign.
e. Vertical projecting signs are allowed when all of the following criteria are met.
i. The sign does not exceed twenty square feet in sign area; and
ii. The building to which the sign is attached is at least fifty feet in height; and
iii. The sign shall be located at least fifteen feet above grade; and
iv. The sign shall project no more than six feet from the building surface to which the sign is attached; and
v. The sign may project above the cornice or parapet of a building to which it is attached for a distance no greater than ten feet; and
vi. Each building occupancy frontage may display no more than one such sign.
f. Public parking garage signs.
i. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, one public parking garage sign per street frontage shall be allowed on any building containing a garage with two hundred or more parking spaces that are open and available for parking to the general public.
ii. Such a public parking garage sign shall meet all of the following criteria:
1. Shall be flat-mounted and limited to a maximum of one hundred square feet in sign area; and
2. Shall be located at least thirty feet but no higher than seventy feet above grade and shall not project above the cornice or parapet of the building.
g. Entryway signs.
i. Entryway signs are allowed on a building that has a building footprint of at least three hundred thousand square feet, and has interior tenant spaces with no occupancy frontages, and is located within a shopping center site that has a total building floor area of five hundred thousand square feet and that is not located within a special sign zone as set forth in Section 23.02.860. There are two types of entryway signs - primary entryway signs and secondary entryway signs.
ii. Primary entryway sign. A primary entryway sign is a sign located above a primary publicly-used entrance to the building and subject to the criteria below:
1. A building shall have no more than two primary entryway signs.
2. Each primary entryway sign shall be located above a public entryway and shall be no more than twenty feet in height above grade.
3. Each primary entryway sign shall not exceed five square feet for each linear foot of public entryway width, to a maximum square footage of one hundred eighty square feet.
4. A public entryway shall have no more than one entryway sign located above it.
iii. Secondary entryway sign. A secondary entryway sign is a sign located above a primary or secondary publicly-used entrance to the building and subject to the criteria below:
1. One secondary entryway sign is allowed over each public entryway, except that a secondary entryway sign shall not be placed above a public entryway with a primary entryway sign; and
2. Each secondary entryway sign shall not exceed three square feet for each linear foot of public entryway width, to a maximum square footage of eighty square feet.
3. Each secondary entryway sign shall be located above a public entryway and shall be no more than twenty feet in height above grade.
4. A public entryway shall have no more than one entryway sign located above it.
h. Shopping center corner signs. Shopping center corner signs are allowed on corner buildings subject to all of the following criteria.
i. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection 23.02.1300.C., a shopping center corner sign shall require approval of a development permit.
ii. A maximum of two shopping center corner signs are allowed on a corner building, with no more than one shopping center corner sign on a single building facade.
iii. The sign area for each shopping center corner sign shall not exceed one and one-half square feet for each linear foot of occupancy frontage and shall not exceed two hundred square feet per sign. For purposes of determining the sign area only that portion of the occupancy frontage located within two hundred fifty feet of the intersection of two public streets as specified in Section 23.02.125 shall be included in calculating the size of the occupancy frontage.
iv. The top of each shopping center corner sign shall be located no higher than twice the height of the corner building, up to a maximum height of fifty feet above grade, and further shall not project above the top of the cornice of the corner building if the sign is on a cornice, above the top of the parapet of the corner building if the sign is on a parapet, or more than twenty feet in height from the top of the roof plane of the corner building if the sign is not on a cornice or parapet. For a corner building with a sloped roof, the "top of the roof plane" as used herein means the midpoint of the slope of a pitched, gable or hip roof.
v. Each shopping center corner sign shall be integrated with the architecture of the corner building on which it is located to form a cohesive design and shall not have visible support structures such as poles that project the shopping center corner sign from the roof or walls of the building.
vi. The shopping center corner sign shall not be a programmable electronic sign.
vii. There shall not be both a skyline sign and a shopping center corner sign on the same corner building.
G. Marquees.
1. The maximum sign area of marquees and the maximum amount of other signage on an occupancy frontage with a marquee shall be subject to design approval and shall not be subject to other size and quantity restrictions in this part.
2. Exception. Marquees shall not be allowed in the CO commercial district or in the IP, LI, and HI industrial districts.
H. Skyline signs; roof signs.
1. General provisions and applicability.
a. Non-residential buildings may have skyline signs on buildings less than eighty feet in height, and skyline or roof signs on buildings eighty feet or greater in height citywide.
b. Unless otherwise specified in Section 23.01.020.H.b., the skyline sign area for non-residential buildings less than eighty feet in height shall not exceed five hundred square feet total per building and any one such skyline sign shall not be larger than half of the ground floor sign allowance up to two hundred fifty square feet.
c. Unless otherwise specified in Section 23.01.020.H.b., the skyline sign or roof sign area for non-residential buildings greater than eighty feet in height shall not exceed five hundred square feet total per building and any one such skyline sign or roof sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
d. Non-garage uses on the top floor of parking garages may have skyline signs.
e. Illuminated skyline or roof signs located on buildings within one thousand feet of a river or creek shall not directly face that river or creek.
f. Each skyline sign or roof sign shall be designed as an integral part of the building design and placed on a permanent architectural element which has been designed to accommodate it.
g. Skyline signs and roof signs may be illuminated with external lighting; halolighting; and internal lighting if only the letters or symbols are illuminated. Such signs shall be illuminated only with continuous lighting except that gradual color changes shall be allowed if there is no perception of flashing lights created.
h. Skyline signs and roof signs on buildings eighty feet or greater in height above grade shall not reduce otherwise allowable signage for the building.
2. Dimensions.
a. In the area bounded by State Highway 87, US 101 and Interstate 880:
i. The total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs or roof signs on buildings eighty feet or greater in height above grade shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign or roof sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
ii. The total amount of square footage of sign area for skyline signs for non-garage uses on the top floor of parking garages shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
b. In the area of the city north of US 101 and west of Interstate Highway 880:
i. The total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs on buildings less than eighty feet in height shall be limited in size to an area equal to one-half of the first floor sign area allowances, except that the total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs on buildings:
1. Of less than eighty feet in height above grade, and
2. With a building frontage on a public street of less than one hundred fifty linear feet,
shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of occupancy frontage, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 23.040.020.B. and 23.04.020.H.1.h.
ii. The total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs or roof signs on buildings eighty feet or greater in height above grade shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign or roof sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
iii. The total amount of square footage of sign area for skyline signs for non-garage uses on the top floor of parking garages shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
c. In the area located in the Edenvale Industrial Redevelopment Area:
i. The total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs on buildings less than eighty feet shall be limited in size to an area equal to one-half of the first floor sign area allowances.
ii. The total amount of square footage of sign area for all skyline signs or roof signs on buildings eighty feet or greater in height above grade shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign or roof sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
iii. The total amount of square footage of sign area for skyline signs for non-garage uses on the top floor of parking garages shall not exceed five hundred square feet per building and any one such skyline sign shall not be larger than two hundred fifty square feet.
3. Quantity. A total of either two skyline signs or two roof signs are allowed per building; provided, however, that in the Edenvale Industrial Redevelopment Area a combination of skyline and roof signs are allowed not to exceed two signs in the aggregate per building.
4. There shall not be both a skyline sign and a roof sign on the same building or on connected buildings, subject to the provisions of Subsection 23.04.020.H.3. above.
(Ords. 24201, 25458, 26014, 26187, 26597, 26709, 26762, 26942, 27018, 27034, 27375, 27910, 28022, 29013, 29097, 29153, 29223, 29246, 29324, 29380, 29843.)
Source: City of San José, Municipal Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/san_jose/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT23SI_CH23.04SIRE_PT1COCPCNCGPQCITEIPLIHICOINZODINEBUDICAEXAUMASIARSTCRBOSIAROABLHIURVISIARNOSAJOSIAR_23.04.020ATSIFetched: 11/1/2026