SIGN PERMITS

The City of Yelm is committed to providing minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare by regulating the number, size, design, quality of materials, construction, location, electrification and maintenance of all signs and sign structures; to preserving and improving the appearance of the City as a place in which to live and as an attraction to nonresidents who come to visit or trade; to encouraging sound signing practices as an aid to business and for public information but to preventing excessive and confusing signing displays.

In the interest of supporting the above-mentioned commitment, some signs are prohibited and are subject to removal (except legal nonconforming signs) by the City at the owner’s or user’s expense. The following signs or displays are prohibited:

• Roof signs;
• Animated signs;
• Flashing signs;
• Portable signs, except as provided under temporary signs;
• Advertising vehicles;
• Signs which purport to be, or are, an imitation of, or resemble an official traffic sign or signal, or which bear the words “stop,” “caution,” “danger,” “warning,” or similar words;
• Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal or device, or the light of an emergency or radio equipment vehicle; or which obstruct the visibility of traffic or street sign or signal device;
• Signs which are located upon or projecting over public streets, sidewalks, or rights-of-way, except as provided for awnings and marquees in YMC 15.24.280;
• Signs attached to utility poles;
• Off-premises signs;
• Strings of banners, pennants, and other graffiti-like material.

Illumination from or upon any sign shall be shaded, shielded, directed or reduced to avoid undue brightness, glare or reflection of light on private or public property in the surrounding area, and to avoid unreasonable distractions. All freestanding and monument signs shall include landscaping about their base to improve the overall appearance of the installation.

Sign size and location limitations are as follows:

Building/Gross Floor Area	Allowable Height	Allowable Area (per side)	Property Line Setback
5,000 square feet or less	Freestanding – 8 feet Monument - 5 feet	Freestanding – 20 square feet Monument - 40 square feet	5 feet
5,001 – 10,000 square feet	Freestanding – 8 feet Monument - 5 feet	Freestanding – 30 square feet Monument 50 square feet	5 feet
10,001 – 35,000 square feet	Freestanding – 10 feet Monument - 6 feet	Freestanding – 35 square feet Monument - 50 square feet	10 feet
35,001 – 60,000 square feet	Freestanding – 10 feet Monument - 6 feet	Freestanding – 40 square feet Monument - 72 square feet	10 feet
60,001 – 75,000 square feet	Freestanding - 15 feet Monument - 6 feet	Freestanding – 75 square feet Monument - 90 square feet	10 feet
75,001 – 100,000 square feet	Freestanding – 15 feet Monument - 6 feet	Freestanding – 100 square feet Monument - 120 square feet	15 feet
100,000+ square feet	Freestanding – 20 feet Monument - 6 feet	Freestanding – 150 square feet Monument - 120 square feet	15 feet

A. Flush-mounted wall signs: one square foot for each lineal foot of store (occupant) frontage (main point of entry). One identifier sign for businesses with a separate delivery access will be allowed, not to exceed two square feet.

B. Marquee sign: one square foot for each lineal foot of the front of the marquee or 30 percent coverage of the face of the marquee, whichever is less.

C. Awning: one square foot for each lineal foot of the front of the marquee or 30 percent coverage of the face of the marquee, whichever is less.

No sign permit shall be issued unless the sign installer has a valid Washington State contractor’s license; provided, however, an applicant may obtain a permit to install a sign on their own property without a state license.

ALL SIGNS ARE SUBJECT TO THE YELM MUNICIPAL CODE, CHAPTER 15.24, SIGNS. For further information, please see the entire chapter.