Projecting Signs in Commercial and Industrial Zones
San Diego Municipal Code § 142.1230
in effect§142.1230 Projecting Signs in Commercial and Industrial Zones
The following regulations apply to projecting signs that project more than 18 inches from a building wall in all commercial and industrial sign categories, unless otherwise indicated.
(a) A projecting sign is permitted for each establishment with accessible street frontage, in lieu of ground or roof signs.
(b) Table 142-12D provides the permitted sign area, the number of signs permitted per establishment with street frontage, and the maximum permitted height for projecting signs.
Table 142-12D Maximum Allowances for Projecting Signs On single Street Frontage Premises
Maximum Allowances | Sign Categories
A | B | C
(1) Permitted Sign Area (Based on the width of the adjacent public right-of-way and street speed limit)
Public Right-of Way Width(2) /Street Speed Limit
60 feet or less /15-20 MPH “ /25-30 MPH “ /35-45 MPH “ /50 + MPH | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 90 sf | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 60 sf | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 60 sf
Greater than 60 feet /15-20 MPH “ /25-30 MPH “ /35-45 MPH “ /50 + MPH | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 160 sf | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 60 sf | 32 sf 50 sf 60 sf 60 sf
Number of Signs per Establishment with Street Frontage
Street frontage less than or equal to 250 feet | 1 | 1 | 1
Street frontage greater than 250 feet | 2 | - | -
Minimum Horizontal Distance Between Projecting Signs | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet
Maximum Height and Maximum Projection over Parkways | See Table 142-12E for the allowable combinations of projection and height for projecting signs.
Footnotes for Table 142-12D 1 The permitted sign area is for a single face. If a projecting sign has two or more faces, the permitted sign area is doubled. Signs may have more than two faces, but the sign area shall not exceed twice the maximum permitted amount.
2 Where a public right-of-way is developed to 60 feet in width or less, but is designated as a major street or primary arterial by the applicable land use plan, the roof sign area shall be based on the greater than 60 feet public right-of-way width.
(c) Projecting signs are permitted a maximum projection over parkways. Table 142-12E provides the allowable combinations for projection over the parkway and height.
Table 142-12E Maximum Projection and Height for Projecting Signs
Height (Distance between the parkway or grade and the bottom of the sign) | Maximum Diagonal Projection over the Parkway (For corner signs at a 45-degree angle. This column may be used only if an establishment has no more than one projecting sign.) | Maximum Projection over the Parkway (For signs other than corner signs)
8 feet | 1 foot | 1 foot
9 feet | 1 foot and 8 inches | 1 foot and 6 inches
10 feet | 2 feet and 4 inches | 2 feet
11 feet | 3 feet | 2 feet and 6 inches
12 feet | 3 feet and 8 inches | 3 feet
13 feet | 4 feet and 4 inches | 3 feet and 6 inches
14 feet | 5 feet | 4 feet
15 feet | 5 feet and 8 inches | 4 feet and 6 inches
16 feet and greater | 6 feet and 4 inches | 5 feet
(d) General Regulations for Projecting Signs
(1) The projecting sign shall only be placed along the street frontage portion of the premises that is occupied by the establishment.
(2) All projecting signs, regardless of whether they project over public or private property, shall be subject to the regulations of this section.
(3) A projecting sign is permitted only in lieu of ground or roof signs. However, if an establishment is permitted to have two ground signs, a projecting sign may be substituted for one of the ground signs. When a ground sign and a projecting sign, or two projecting signs, are installed by the same establishment on the same street frontage, the area of the two signs shall be reduced to one-half of the maximum sign area permitted by Tables 142-12D and 142-12H.
(4) Projecting signs may be illuminated. All illuminated signs projecting over a parkway, except for marquee and entrance awning signs, must be internally illuminated.
(5) For Sign Category B only, projecting signs shall comply with the following:
(A) The sign face shall be parallel to the face of the building, and
(B) The sign shall not project above the eaves or parapet of the building.
(6) Projecting signs are permitted to revolve only if a Neighborhood Use Permit for revolving projecting signs has been issued in accordance with Chapter 12, Article 6, Division 2 (Neighborhood Use Permit Procedures) and Section 141.1101.
(7) Signs on Marquees (Non-Theater) and Entry Awnings
(A) Signs may be mounted directly to the bottom of a marquee or architectural projection subject to the following regulations.
(i) The sign area shall not exceed 4 square feet per side.
(ii) The vertical dimension of the sign shall not exceed 12 inches.
(iii) The bottom of the sign shall be at least 8 feet above grade.
(iv) The sign shall be symmetrically placed along a center line running parallel or perpendicular to the building facade and the outer edge of the marquee.
(B) All signs that are installed on a marquee or architectural projection shall be included as part of the permitted sign area for projecting signs on the premises.
(C) Signs that are attached to a marquee or other architectural projection that projects over a parkway shall comply with this section.
(D) Signs installed or painted on the vertical surface of a marquee or other architectural projection are not subject to height or projection requirements but may not project horizontally or vertically beyond any edge of the marquee or architectural projection.
(e) Locational Regulations for Projecting Signs
(1) Projecting signs shall meet the following minimum clearances:
(A) Signs that project above a parkway shall have a minimum clearance of 8 feet from the bottom of the sign to the grade below;
(B) Signs shall not project over alleys; and
(C) Signs that project over vehicular traffic areas on the premises and have a minimum clearance that is less than 16 feet, shall be labeled with the clearance height at the bottom of the sign with letters that are legible from a distance of at least 30 feet.
(2) Projecting signs may not be installed within five feet of the ground floor leasehold of an adjacent establishment.
(3) An establishment with 25 feet or more street frontage may have a sign that projects perpendicularly beyond a property line, provided that it projects no more than 5 feet, or two-thirds of the distance between the inside edge of the sidewalk and the face of the curb, whichever is less.
(4) An establishment with less than 25 feet of street frontage may have a sign that projects 4 feet or less beyond a property line.
(5) A minimum horizontal distance of 10 feet shall be provided between projecting signs.
(6) Projecting signs may not project above the roof line at the wall.
(7) Signs may project above the top of the parapet wall subject to the following regulations.
(A) The projecting sign shall only be placed on a single-story building.
(B) The sign shall not project more than 2 feet vertically above the top of the parapet.
(C) The uppermost point of the sign shall not exceed 16 feet in height.
(D) The portion of the sign that projects above the parapet shall not exceed 33-1/3 percent of the vertical dimension of the sign.
(E) A roof sign shall not be located on the premises.
(F) The establishment shall not have a wall sign that extends above the parapet.
(Added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.)
(Amended 7-22-2024 by O-21836 N.S.; effective 10-5-2024.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art02Division12.pdf#page=23Fetched: 10/28/2026