Kennewick's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Kennewick, Washington, there are 2 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.

Holiday Displays

Kennewick's outdoor lighting ordinance excludes seasonal decorations from its glare and shielding rules only while they're illuminated 60 consecutive calendar days or fewer, under KMC 18.39.050(5). Private residential lighting under 1,800 lumens is separately exempt outright with no time cap. Leave a bigger display lit past 60 days and it falls back under Chapter 18.39's standards, enforced as a Title 18 misdemeanor.

Key details: Seasonal decoration exclusion window: 60 consecutive calendar days. Small residential lighting exemption: under 1,800 lumens, no time limit. Default fixture rule: must be shielded/directed downward. Floodlighting buildings/signs midnight-sunrise: unlawful (KMC 18.39.040). Enforcement statute of limitations: 1 year from violation (KMC 18.39.070).

Operating an outdoor light fixture, holiday or otherwise, outside these exclusions and without the required shielding is a misdemeanor under KMC 18.54.090, which applies to any violation of a Title 18 provision. The City must bring an enforcement action within one year of the violation date under KMC 18.39.070, and floodlighting a building or sign above the horizontal between midnight and sunrise is independently unlawful under KMC 18.39.040.

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

Window Signs

Kennewick treats window signs as graphic signs, capping coverage at 33 percent of the window or wall area under the Sign Table, while exempting window signs from the building-permit requirement.

Key details: Coverage cap: 33% of wall or window area. Permit status: Exempt from building permit. Sign classification: Treated as a graphic sign. Applies citywide: Same cap in Tables A and B.

Exceeding the 33-percent coverage cap on a graphic-window sign, or treating a window display as exempt from other Chapter 18.24 rules like illumination and maintenance, can trigger a Planning Department correction notice.

The Bottom Line

Kennewick'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 Kennewick is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Kennewick's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.