Maximum total sign area per site.
Cape Coral Land Development Code § 7.2.5
in effectSection 7.2.5. - Maximum total sign area per site.
A. Residential uses in residential zoning districts. Except for signs identified as permitted, no signs are allowed on sites containing residential uses in residential zoning districts. Any sign on a residential site in a residential zoning district shall comply with the provisions for such sign(s).
B. Non-residential uses in all zoning districts. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the number of building signs located on property lawfully used for non-residential purposes shall not be limited so long as the cumulative total sign area (in square feet) of all such signs, except exempt signs, does not exceed the building sign allowance for the property. The allowable building sign area (in square feet) of all signs, except exempt signs, erected, installed, or located on a site lawfully containing a non-residential use in any zoning district shall be computed as follows:
1. Building mounted signs.
a. If a building contains more than one floor or story, the dimension of the primary side of the building shall be determined by measuring (in linear feet) the overall width of the first floor or story of the building on the side that faces the front lot line and the sign allowance for each business establishment or other entity occupying the building shall be shared by such business establishments or other entities as determined by the property owner based on the frontage of the building.
b. If a building contains more than one business establishment or other entity, but the exterior of the building has not been subdivided into units, the sign allowance for each business establishment or other entity occupying the building shall be shared by such business establishments or other entities as determined by the property owner based on the frontage of the building.
c. If all or part of the exterior of a building has been subdivided into two or more fully enclosed units capable of containing one or more business establishments or other entities (such as a multiple unit shopping center), the front dimension of each such unit shall be considered the building frontage of the unit and the sign allowance for each business establishment or other entity occupying such unit shall be shared among the business establishments or other entities occupying such unit in the manner prescribed by the property owner. Any remaining part of the exterior of the building which has not been subdivided into fully enclosed units shall be treated the same as a building which has not been subdivided into units.
d. If a single business establishment or other entity occupies more than one consecutive fully enclosed unit, the building frontage of such business or other entity shall be the total linear dimension of building frontage of all such units combined.
e. The allowable signage to be mounted on a building shall be based on the building frontage of a business or other entity as follows:
Linear Feet of Structural Frontage | Square Feet/Linear Feet of Structural Frontage | Maximum Area
≤100 Linear Feet | 2 Square Feet | 100 Square Feet
>100 Linear Feet to ≤300 Linear Feet | 1 Square Foot | 200 Square Feet
>300 Linear Feet | .75 Square Feet | 300 Square Feet
In the event a building is located on a lot that does not abut a public street, the frontage shall be measured along the publicly dedicated parking lot or platted alley that the lot fronts | |
f. In addition to the sign area otherwise allowed in this section, business establishments or other entities which meet the following criteria shall be allowed additional sign area for building-mounted signs as follows:
i. Businesses or other entities fronting on more than one platted street shall be permitted an additional sign area allowance of one-half square foot per linear foot of building frontage on such additional street up to a maximum of 50 square feet per street. Such additional sign area allowance for a second street shall be added to the building-mounted sign area allowance resulting from the building frontage calculation. If a business or other entity fronts on three or four streets, then the additional sign allowance resulting from frontage on the third or fourth streets shall be used on the building face actually abutting the third or fourth streets. For purposes of this article, when a business or other entity fronts three or four streets, the side(s) of the business establishment or other entity shall be deemed to be fronting on the second and, if applicable, the fourth streets and the rear of the business establishment or other entity shall be deemed to front on the third street.
ii. Businesses or other entities whose side or rear building frontages abut a public alley, public parking area, or mall parking area shall be permitted an additional allowance of one-half square foot per linear foot of such side or rear building frontage up to a maximum of 50 square feet. Such additional allowance shall only be used on the side or rear of the building which actually abuts the public alley, public parking area, or mall parking area.
C. Freestanding signs.
1. Individual business or entity sites.
a. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.4.3 of this article, "Gasoline pricing signs," no site shall have more than two freestanding signs.
b. The allowable freestanding sign area (in square feet), the maximum number of freestanding signs, and the maximum height of freestanding signs erected, located, or placed on lawfully existing non-residential uses in all zoning districts shall be based on the street frontage of the site.
c. When only one freestanding sign is permitted, the sign shall provide architectural design features, including colors or materials or both consistent with those used in the design of the building to which the sign is accessory. These features shall apply to the sign frame and supporting materials, not to the sign panel or panels that provide the actual advertising area.
d. When two freestanding signs are permitted, signs must be similar in design, color and materials.
e. For all individual non-residential use sites, the following maximum freestanding sign(s) number, maximum freestanding sign area, and height limitations shall apply:
Freestanding qa>Signs | Individual businesses or entities | Individual businesses or entities in Preserve Zoning Districts | Individual businesses or entities on Pine Island Road (SR 78), Veterans Parkway, US 41, and Burnt Store Road
Sign are based on street frontage (linear feet) | | |
100 feet or less | 30 square feet | 24 square feet | 36 square feet
101-200 feet | 40 square feet | 24 square feet | 48 square feet
201-300 feet | 52 square feet | 24 square feet | 60 square feet
301+ feet | 65 square feet | 24 square feet | 75 square feet
Height (feet): | 20 | 20 | 25
Maximum Number: | | |
Site with less than 500 linear feet abutting a single street | 1 | 1 | 1
Site with 500 or more linear feet abutting a single street | 2 | 1 | 2
1. When more than one freestanding sign is permitted on the same site, signs must be spaced a minimum of 300 feet apart. | | |
2. Multiple business or entity sites.
a. When only one freestanding sign is permitted, the sign shall provide architectural design features, including colors or materials consistent with those used in the design of the building the sign is accessory to. These features shall apply to the sign frame and supporting materials, not to the sign panel or panels that provide the actual advertising area.
b. On sites that are approved through a Planned Unit Development which contain commercial, professional, industrial, mixed use, or agricultural uses together with residential properties as part of the same Planned Unit Development, and the residential uses front the road on which the development faces with non-residential uses located inside the development not visible from the road, the Director may allow signs that are used to direct motorists to facilitate finding the non-residential component of the development. The Director shall take into consideration factors that include:
(i) The location of the non-residential uses within the development;
(ii) The location of permitted signage for the non-residential uses within the development; and
(iii) Roadway conditions.
c. Although the distribution of freestanding signage among the tenants or occupants of a multiple business or entity site shall be the responsibility of the real property site owner, the following limitations concerning maximum number, sign area, and height of freestanding signs shall apply to all multiple business or entity sites containing non-residential uses:
Freestanding Signs | Multiple business or entity sites | Multiple business or entity sites in Preservation Zoning Districts | Multiple business or entity sites on Pine Island Road (SR 78), Veterans Parkway, US 41, and Burnt Store Road
Sign are based on street frontage (linear feet) | | |
100 feet or less | 50 square feet | 24 square feet | 60 square feet
101—200 feet | 64 square feet | 24 square feet | 75 square feet
201—300 feet | 80 square feet | 24 square feet | 100 square feet
301+ feet | 100 square feet | 24 square feet | 150 square feet
Height (feet): | 20 | 20 | 25
Maximum Number: | | |
Site with less than 500 linear feet abutting a single street | 1 | 1 | 1
Site with 500 or more linear feet abutting a single street | 2 | 1 | 2
1. When more than one freestanding sign is permitted on the same site, signs must be spaced a minimum of 300 feet apart. | | |
2. In the event the depth of the property is at least three times the length of the street frontage (linear feet), an additional 25% of sign area is allowed. | | |
b. If a building contains more than one business establishment or other entity, but the exterior of the building has not been subdivided into units, the sign allowance for each business establishment or other entity occupying the building shall be shared by such business establishments or other entities as determined by the property owner based on the frontage of the building.
c. If all or part of the exterior of a building has been subdivided into two or more fully enclosed units capable of containing one or more business establishments or other entities (such as a multiple unit shopping center), the front dimension of each such unit shall be considered the building frontage of the unit and the sign allowance for each business establishment or other entity occupying such unit shall be shared among the business establishments or other entities occupying such unit in the manner prescribed by the property owner. Any remaining part of the exterior of the building which has not been subdivided into fully enclosed units shall be treated the same as a building which has not been subdivided into units.
d. If a single business establishment or other entity occupies more than one consecutive fully enclosed unit, the building frontage of such business or other entity shall be the total linear dimension of building frontage of all such units combined.
e. The allowable signage to be mounted on a building shall be based on the building frontage of a business or other entity as follows:
Linear Feet of Structural Frontage | Square Feet/Linear Feet of Structural Frontage | Maximum Area
≤100 Linear Feet | 2 Square Feet | 100 Square Feet
>100 Linear Feet to ≤300 Linear Feet | 1 Square Foot | 200 Square Feet
>300 Linear Feet | .75 Square Feet | 300 Square Feet
In the event a building is located on a lot that does not abut a public street, the frontage shall be measured along the publicly dedicated parking lot or platted alley that the lot fronts | |
f. In addition to the sign area otherwise allowed in this section, business establishments or other entities which meet the following criteria shall be allowed additional sign area for building-mounted signs as follows:
i. Businesses or other entities fronting on more than one platted street shall be permitted an additional sign area allowance of one-half square foot per linear foot of building frontage on such additional street up to a maximum of 50 square feet per street. Such additional sign area allowance for a second street shall be added to the building-mounted sign area allowance resulting from the building frontage calculation. If a business or other entity fronts on three or four streets, then the additional sign allowance resulting from frontage on the third or fourth streets shall be used on the building face actually abutting the third or fourth streets. For purposes of this article, when a business or other entity fronts three or four streets, the side(s) of the business establishment or other entity shall be deemed to be fronting on the second and, if applicable, the fourth streets and the rear of the business establishment or other entity shall be deemed to front on the third street.
ii. Businesses or other entities whose side or rear building frontages abut a public alley, public parking area, or mall parking area shall be permitted an additional allowance of one-half square foot per linear foot of such side or rear building frontage up to a maximum of 50 square feet. Such additional allowance shall only be used on the side or rear of the building which actually abuts the public alley, public parking area, or mall parking area.
C. Freestanding signs.
1. Individual business or entity sites.
a. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.4.3 of this article, "Gasoline pricing signs," no site shall have more than two freestanding signs.
b. The allowable freestanding sign area (in square feet), the maximum number of freestanding signs, and the maximum height of freestanding signs erected, located, or placed on lawfully existing non-residential uses in all zoning districts shall be based on the street frontage of the site.
c. When only one freestanding sign is permitted, the sign shall provide architectural design features, including colors or materials or both consistent with those used in the design of the building to which the sign is accessory. These features shall apply to the sign frame and supporting materials, not to the sign panel or panels that provide the actual advertising area.
d. When two freestanding signs are permitted, signs must be similar in design, color and materials.
e. For all individual non-residential use sites, the following maximum freestanding sign(s) number, maximum freestanding sign area, and height limitations shall apply:
Freestanding qa>Signs | Individual businesses or entities | Individual businesses or entities in Preserve Zoning Districts | Individual businesses or entities on Pine Island Road (SR 78), Veterans Parkway, US 41, and Burnt Store Road
Sign are based on street frontage (linear feet) | | |
100 feet or less | 30 square feet | 24 square feet | 36 square feet
101-200 feet | 40 square feet | 24 square feet | 48 square feet
201-300 feet | 52 square feet | 24 square feet | 60 square feet
301+ feet | 65 square feet | 24 square feet | 75 square feet
Height (feet): | 20 | 20 | 25
Maximum Number: | | |
Site with less than 500 linear feet abutting a single street | 1 | 1 | 1
Site with 500 or more linear feet abutting a single street | 2 | 1 | 2
1. When more than one freestanding sign is permitted on the same site, signs must be spaced a minimum of 300 feet apart. | | |
2. Multiple business or entity sites.
a. When only one freestanding sign is permitted, the sign shall provide architectural design features, including colors or materials consistent with those used in the design of the building the sign is accessory to. These features shall apply to the sign frame and supporting materials, not to the sign panel or panels that provide the actual advertising area.
b. On sites that are approved through a Planned Unit Development which contain commercial, professional, industrial, mixed use, or agricultural uses together with residential properties as part of the same Planned Unit Development, and the residential uses front the road on which the development faces with non-residential uses located inside the development not visible from the road, the Director may allow signs that are used to direct motorists to facilitate finding the non-residential component of the development. The Director shall take into consideration factors that include:
(i) The location of the non-residential uses within the development;
(ii) The location of permitted signage for the non-residential uses within the development; and
(iii) Roadway conditions.
c. Although the distribution of freestanding signage among the tenants or occupants of a multiple business or entity site shall be the responsibility of the real property site owner, the following limitations concerning maximum number, sign area, and height of freestanding signs shall apply to all multiple business or entity sites containing non-residential uses:
Freestanding Signs | Multiple business or entity sites | Multiple business or entity sites in Preservation Zoning Districts | Multiple business or entity sites on Pine Island Road (SR 78), Veterans Parkway, US 41, and Burnt Store Road
Sign are based on street frontage (linear feet) | | |
100 feet or less | 50 square feet | 24 square feet | 60 square feet
101—200 feet | 64 square feet | 24 square feet | 75 square feet
201—300 feet | 80 square feet | 24 square feet | 100 square feet
301+ feet | 100 square feet | 24 square feet | 150 square feet
Height (feet): | 20 | 20 | 25
Maximum Number: | | |
Site with less than 500 linear feet abutting a single street | 1 | 1 | 1
Site with 500 or more linear feet abutting a single street | 2 | 1 | 2
1. When more than one freestanding sign is permitted on the same site, signs must be spaced a minimum of 300 feet apart. | | |
2. In the event the depth of the property is at least three times the length of the street frontage (linear feet), an additional 25% of sign area is allowed. | | |Source: City of Cape Coral, Florida, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Land Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/cape_coral/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=ART7SI_CH2AD_S7.2.5MATOSIARPESIFetched: 11/4/2026