Mountain View's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Mountain View, California, 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.

Freeway-Facing Signs

Mountain View bans any sign designed or maintained primarily to be viewed from a freeway under City Code Sec. 3.18.2, and any sign proposed within 600 feet of a freeway's right-of-way is presumed to be freeway-oriented unless proven otherwise. Signs that also create a traffic hazard to freeway users are separately prohibited outright, regardless of distance.

Key details: Distance trigger: 600 feet from freeway right-of-way. Permit fee: $10 (Sec. 3.18.8). Hazardous sign removal: Within 30 days of notice. Nonconforming removal deadline: 1 year after freeway completion or 3 years. Reviewing officials: Building inspector, public works & planning directors.

Erecting, relocating, or maintaining a prohibited freeway-facing sign, or skipping the Sec. 3.18.7 permit, is enforced under the citywide penalty schedule in Sec. 1.7: an infraction draws up to a $100 fine the first time, $200 for a second violation within a year, and $500 for a third, with a fourth in the same year chargeable as a misdemeanor. A hazardous nonconforming sign must come down within 30 days of written notice or the city can order its removal.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Mountain View actively enforces its freeway-facing signs requirements.

Window Signs

Ground-floor businesses in Mountain View may cover at most 25 percent of their street-facing window glass with a window sign, or one square foot per linear foot of occupancy frontage, whichever is less, under City Code Sec. 36.36.15(j). Only one window sign is allowed per window pane, letters cannot exceed 12 inches, and most window signs must be nonilluminated.

Key details: Ground-floor coverage cap: 25% of window glass area. Alternative cap: 1 sq ft per linear ft of frontage. Signs per window: 1 window sign per pane. Lettering height limit: 12 inches maximum. Second-floor coverage cap: 15% of glass area.

A window sign that exceeds the 25 percent ground-floor glass coverage cap (or the one-square-foot-per-linear-foot alternative, whichever is smaller), that posts more than one sign per window pane, that uses lettering over 12 inches tall, or that adds illumination beyond what Sec. 36.36.15(j) allows is a nonconforming sign under Article XII and must be brought into compliance or removed. Sec. 36.36.10(a) makes it unlawful to display or maintain any sign in the city except in conformance with the sign chapter, and nonconforming signs are subject to removal within five years under Sec. 36.06.95.

Political Signs

Mountain View allows political signs on private residential property without a permit. Size, placement, and timing rules must follow the content-neutral sign ordinance and First Amendment protections.

Key details: Permit required: No on private property. Typical size limit: 6 square feet per sign. Right-of-way placement: Prohibited. Removal deadline: 10 days after election. Legal framework: Content-neutral, First Amendment.

The Bottom Line

Mountain View'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 Mountain View is broadly strict or permissive.

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