How Brentwood Handles Sign Regulations: A Practical Guide
Brentwood maintains 142 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with sign regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Brentwood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Digital Billboards
Brentwood outright prohibits new billboards and animated or electronic message signs. City code declares banning billboards a fundamental land use policy and lists animated signs, which include digital displays, among prohibited signs citywide.
Key details: New billboards: Completely prohibited, § 17.640.003(H). Animated/digital signs: Prohibited citywide, § 17.640.009(Q). Grandfathered billboards: Only pre-existing legal or permitted ones. State relocation exception: Bus. & Prof. Code § 5412 agreements. Enforcement: Nuisance per se, daily separate offense.
Every violation of Chapter 17.640, including installing a prohibited billboard or digital sign, is declared "a nuisance per se, each day a separate offense, and subject to abatement by any means available at law" under Section 17.640.010. The city may pursue civil nuisance abatement remedies daily until the sign is removed, and an illegal billboard erected without approval also falls within the code's definition of an "illegal sign."
Compared to other cities, Brentwood takes a harder line on digital billboards. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Window Signs
Nonresidential temporary window signs in Brentwood cannot cover more than 25% of a store's aggregate window area and can be displayed only seven cumulative days per month per business, with no permit needed if the limits are met.
Key details: Coverage limit: 25% of aggregate window area. Display period: 7 cumulative days per month. Applies to: Nonresidential establishments, per business. Permit needed if compliant: None. Enforcement: Nuisance per se, daily separate offense.
A window sign that exceeds the 25% coverage cap or the seven-day cumulative monthly limit is no longer an exempt sign under Section 17.640.005 and is treated as an unpermitted sign in violation of Chapter 17.640. Section 17.640.010 makes any chapter violation a nuisance per se, with each day of non-compliance a separate offense subject to abatement by the city by any legal means.
Garage Sale Signs
Brentwood allows one on-site garage sale sign per residence and up to four off-site directional signs per sale, capped at 3x3 feet, displayed only on weekends and holidays and removed the same day the sale ends.
Key details: On-site signs allowed: 1 per garage sale event. Off-site signs allowed: Up to 4 per event. Maximum size: 3 ft by 3 ft, including stake. Display days: Weekends and legal holidays only. Late removal: City may summarily remove sign.
Signs displayed outside weekends and legal holidays, exceeding the 3-by-3-foot size cap, or exceeding the one on-site/four off-site count may be summarily removed by the city under Section 17.645.006(C)(6). Beyond removal, any violation of the sign chapter is a nuisance per se under Section 17.640.010, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense subject to abatement.
Political Signs
Political signs on private property in Brentwood are treated the same as other non-commercial yard signs under the city's content-neutral sign ordinance. State law limits the city's ability to restrict election-related signage. Political signs on public property or in the right-of-way are prohibited.
Key details: Sign Classification: Treated same as non-commercial. Size Limit: 6 sq ft residential zones. Removal Timeline: Within 10 days post-election. Right-of-Way Ban: No placement allowed. Enforcement: Content-neutral required.
Compared to other cities, Brentwood takes a harder line on political signs. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
The Bottom Line
Brentwood is tougher than many cities when it comes to sign regulations. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Brentwood, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.
These rules come from Brentwood's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.