Farmington Hills's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Farmington Hills, Michigan, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Political Signs

Farmington Hills regulates signs in Chapter 34 (Zoning), administered by the Planning Department (248-871-2540). The City's sign code is content-neutral after Reed v. Town of Gilbert (576 U.S. 155 (2015)) and follows time, place, and manner regulation — duration of display, size of display, materials, and placement — so any sign type allowed for temporary signs may carry a political message. On Michigan state-trunkline rights-of-way (M-5 / Grand River Avenue / I-696 / Northwestern Highway), Michigan's Highway Advertising Act of 1972 (Act 106 of 1972, MCL 252.301 et seq.) governs and political signs must sit more than 30 feet from the edge of pavement (or, where there is a barrier curb, more than three feet behind the back of the curb) and must not be placed within limited-access freeway rights-of-way. Placement on the City's local street rights-of-way is regulated by the City.

Key details: Code Chapter: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 34 (Zoning) — sign regulations. Approach: Content-neutral (post-Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015)). Own-Yard Political Sign: Allowed on private property; no permit for typical residential temporary sign. Public Right-of-Way (City streets): Signs may be removed by City staff. State Trunklines (MDOT): Act 106 of 1972 (MCL 252.301 et seq.); MDOT placement rules.

Signs in the public right-of-way of City streets may be removed by City staff. Improperly placed signs on MDOT trunklines may be removed by MDOT maintenance forces under Act 106 of 1972. Civil infractions issued under Chapter 34 of the City Code follow the City's general penalty schedule under Chapter 1, Sec. 1-15 (general penalty for ordinance violations). Contact the Planning Department / Zoning and Code Enforcement at 248-871-2540 with placement questions or to report violations.

Holiday Displays

Farmington Hills does not set a calendar-based take-down date for residential holiday lights, wreaths, inflatables, or seasonal decorations. Decorations without a commercial message generally fall outside the Chapter 34 sign definition. Practical limits come from sight-distance / clear-vision rules in Chapter 34, the nuisance / blight provisions of Chapter 17, illumination spillover rules, and HOA covenants. Light displays may not project glare onto a public right-of-way or a neighbor's residential premises.

Key details: Permit Required: No — generic seasonal decorations on residential property are not Chapter 34 'signs'. Take-down Deadline: None in the Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances. Right-of-Way: Must remain clear (Chapter 26). Sight-Distance Triangle: Must remain clear (Chapter 34). Light Spillover / Glare: Subject to Chapter 17 nuisance enforcement.

No automatic citation for residential holiday displays. Citations apply only when a display obstructs the right-of-way or sight-distance triangle (Chapter 34 / Chapter 26), creates a nuisance under Chapter 17, violates noise rules under Chapter 19, violates HOA covenants (private civil enforcement), or involves unpermitted electrical work under Chapter 7 / Chapter 23.

The rules around holiday displays in Farmington Hills lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Garage Sale Signs

Farmington Hills regulates all temporary signs in a content-neutral way under Chapter 34 (Zoning), so the rules that apply to a small temporary sign apply equally to a garage-sale sign. A garage-sale sign on the host's own residential lot is allowed without a City sign permit. Off-premise signs in the public right-of-way of City streets — staked at intersections, in tree lawns, on utility poles, in medians — may be removed by City staff. On MDOT state trunklines (Grand River / M-5, I-696, Northwestern Highway), MDOT enforces the Michigan Highway Advertising Act of 1972 (MCL 252.301 et seq.).

Key details: Code Chapter: Farmington Hills Code Ch. 34 (Zoning) — temporary sign regulations. Own-Yard Sign: Allowed without City sign permit. City ROW: Signs may be removed by City staff. MDOT ROW (I-696, M-5, Grand River, Northwestern): Signs may be removed by MDOT (Act 106 of 1972). Utility Poles / Trees: Attachment prohibited.

Signs in the public right-of-way may be removed by City staff (City streets) or MDOT maintenance crews (state trunklines) without notice. Chapter 34 violations are civil infractions enforced under the City's general penalty schedule (Sec. 1-15). Recurring violators can be cited and prosecuted in 47th District Court (Farmington Hills jurisdiction).

The Bottom Line

Farmington Hills's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Farmington Hills is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Farmington Hills's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.