Novi, MI Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- I-96 ground sign cap
- 672 sq ft, 30 ft tall
- I-96 wall sign cap
- 360 square feet
- I-96 sign spacing
- 1,200 feet between signs
- M-5 zone spacing
- 5,000 feet between signs
- Eligible districts
- I-2, EXO (I-96); OST (M-5)
- Unbuilt permit
- Lapses after 1 year
Summary
Novi allows freeway-facing billboard-style signs only inside a narrow highway sign zone along I-96. City Code Section 28-8 caps ground-pole signs at 672 square feet and 30 feet tall within 50 feet of the I-96 right-of-way, in the I-2 and EXO districts only, and keeps signs at least 1,200 feet apart.
This section authorizes such signs when adjacent to highways within two (2) separate areas, or zones. In the area located along the I-96, signs are allowed within certain zoning districts subject to regulations as to height, size, and location and by permit as provided in section 28-3. ... (a)I-96 Corridor Zone.(1)In the I-2 District and EXO District, a highway sign zone is hereby established within fifty (50) feet of the limited access right-of-way of I-96. Highway signs in this zone are subject to the following conditions. ... Structure Type Area Height Placement Ground pole In I-2 district and EXO district, max. six hundred and seventy-two (672) square feet. Thirty (30) feet (see measurement method, section 28-1.) Not less than the required yard setback, and not closer than fifty (50) feet from any residential property. ... (3)In no event shall any highway sign be closer than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet from another highway sign, measured on a direct line from sign to sign.
Full Breakdown
Novi confines freeway-oriented billboard-style signage to two narrow corridor zones created by Section 28-8, rather than allowing it citywide. The first is the I-96 Corridor Zone, which exists only within 50 feet of the limited access right-of-way of I-96, and only on property zoned I-2 (Industrial) or EXO (Exposition). Inside that zone a ground pole highway sign may reach up to 672 square feet and 30 feet in height, and must sit no closer than the required yard setback and no closer than 50 feet to any residential property.
A wall-mounted highway sign in the same zone is capped at 360 square feet and cannot exceed the height of the wall it is mounted on. No highway sign may stand closer than 1,200 feet to another highway sign measured in a straight line, and the ground pole structure itself must be built of durable, noncombustible material such as metal, steel, aluminum, or fiberglass. The second zone, the M-5 Corridor Sign Zone, covers roughly one mile along the east side of M-5 between 13 Mile and 14 Mile Roads, limited to OST-zoned property, and imposes tighter spacing: no closer than 5,000 feet to another highway sign, 2,000 feet to a freeway interchange, or 500 feet to 13 Mile or 14 Mile Road.
Every highway sign still needs a permit under Section 28-3, and an M-5 corridor sign additionally requires city council review of a full site and landscape plan; an approved but unbuilt permit lapses after one year.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a freeway-facing sign outside the I-96 or M-5 corridor zones, or beyond the size, height, or spacing limits Section 28-8 sets for the zone it sits in, makes it an unpermitted sign. Section 28-10(a) declares any sign not expressly permitted prohibited, and Section 28-16 treats a violating sign as a public nuisance per se, subject to court-ordered removal and a municipal civil infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where in Novi can a freeway-facing billboard-style sign be located?
How big can a highway sign be along I-96 in Novi?
How far apart must highway signs be along the M-5 corridor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Novi
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