Santa Clarita, CA Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Max signs per lot
- 1 freeway-oriented pylon sign
- Max sign face area
- 200 square feet
- Max height
- 35 feet (CUP can raise it)
- Eligible businesses
- Food, lodging, motor vehicle fuel only
- Allowed zones
- C, MX, PI, I zones
- Prohibited copy
- Prices, phone numbers, web addresses
Summary
Santa Clarita allows one freeway-oriented pylon sign per lot for food, lodging or fuel businesses visible from an adjacent freeway. The sign is capped at 200 square feet per face and 35 feet in height, and copy is limited to the business name and logo under Municipal Code Section 17.51.080(Q)(10).
Freeway-Oriented Pylon Signs. Freeway-oriented pylon signs are permitted in the C, MX, PI and I zones for food, lodging or motor vehicle fuel businesses to be viewed primarily from an adjacent freeway, pursuant to a sign review for enhanced signing and the following regulations: a. Number. A maximum of one (1) sign is permitted on a lot or a parcel of land. b. Area. A maximum area of two hundred (200) square feet per sign face shall be permitted. c. Height. A maximum height of thirty-five (35) feet shall be permitted, unless a conditional use permit is approved. d. Lighting. Signs may be internally or externally lighted. No exposed neon or incandescent lamp shall be utilized. ... f. Sign Copy. Only the name and/or logo of food, lodging, or motor vehicle fuel businesses may be permitted. Products for sale, telephone numbers, web addresses, prices and other information which makes the sign appear to be advertisement are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
" A property gets a maximum of one such sign, capped at 200 square feet of sign face and 35 feet in height unless a conditional use permit raises the height allowance. The sign may be lit internally or externally, but exposed neon or incandescent lamps are prohibited. Sign copy is restricted to the business name and/or logo; listing products for sale, phone numbers, web addresses or prices is expressly prohibited because it would make the sign read as an advertisement rather than an identification sign.
All other code provisions applicable to pylon signs, including the general permitting process under the sign review for enhanced signing procedure, also apply to a freeway-oriented pylon sign. This differs from the related "freeway commercial center sign," a separate category under subsection (Q)(9) reserved for commercial centers of at least 50 acres along SR-14 and I-5, which is spaced at least 2,000 feet from another such sign and 500 feet from any other freestanding sign; a freeway-oriented pylon sign has no comparable acreage or spacing threshold because it is tied to an individual food, lodging or fuel business rather than a large center.
Violations & Fines
A freeway-oriented pylon sign erected without the required sign review approval, exceeding the 200-square-foot face or 35-foot height cap, or carrying prohibited advertising copy such as prices or phone numbers is an illegal sign under Section 17.11.020's illegal-sign definition and subject to the City's sign enforcement and abatement process, which can require removal or modification at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any business put up a freeway-facing pylon sign in Santa Clarita?
How big can a freeway-oriented pylon sign be in Santa Clarita?
Can the sign advertise gas prices or a phone number?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clarita
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clarita to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
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