Santa Clara, CA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

& Prof. ). 090's replacement rules, or one of the designated CityPlace Billboards. 114, plus any state Caltrans outdoor advertising permit. The Planning Commission's approval findings must address least-visual-impact placement, public benefit terms, compliance with the operational standards, and no adverse effect on residential uses or traffic safety. Development standards fix the sign face at 800 square feet (excluding base and apron supports) with a 60-foot maximum overall length, a 25-foot maximum height measured from finished grade, a single cylindrical column support, and a minimum 1,500-foot separation from any other electronic display sign measured centerline to centerline.

Double-faced signs must sit back-to-back on the same column no more than eight feet apart. Operationally, brightness is capped at 5,000 nits by daylight and 500 nits from dusk to dawn, with an automatic dimmer control shifting the sign down starting a half-hour before sunset and back up a half-hour after sunrise. Each approved sign gets a 30-day post-installation brightness review during which the Director can order dimming or night shutoffs regardless of message content. Messages must hold static for at least eight seconds (except time, date, or temperature displays), change instantly with no fade, scroll, or dissolve, and any animation or apparent movement is banned outright. Operators must provide free daily time for public service announcements, including Amber Alerts.