Turlock, CA Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

TMC § 9-2-509 defines "sign" for zoning purposes, then lists items that fall outside that definition entirely: including, at item (17), "decorations, such as lights, figurines, small statues, and other similar items, that are on display and do not include commercial advertising messages." Because these displays aren't "signs" under the code, none of the article's permit, size, height, or setback requirements apply to them. The exemption only holds as long as the display carries no commercial message; add a business name or advertisement and it becomes a regulated sign subject to the noncommercial or commercial sign standards elsewhere in Chapter 9-2.