Garage and yard sale signs in unincorporated Sonoma County are temporary signs governed by Article 84 (Sign Regulations) of the County Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 26 (Secs. 26-84 series). Signs must follow Article 84 size and placement standards and may not be posted in public rights-of-way or on utility poles.
Sonoma County regulates temporary signs, including garage and yard sale signs, through Article 84 (Sign Regulations) of the County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 26). Permitted-sign provisions appear at Sec. 26-84-030, and the County identifies categories of signs allowed with limits on size, number, and duration. Temporary signs advertising short-term events are allowed subject to those Article 84 standards. As a practical matter, the County and the City of Santa Rosa have a long-standing understanding that off-site directional signs and arrow signs in public rights-of-way are not permitted, so garage-sale signs should not be placed on utility poles, traffic-sign posts, or within the road right-of-way. Signs should be located on private property with the owner's permission and removed promptly after the sale. Because Article 84 sets specific dimensional and duration limits and these can change with zoning amendments, residents should confirm the current size cap and any time limit for temporary signs with Permit Sonoma before posting. Most small, short-duration yard-sale signs on the seller's own property are allowed without a separate permit, but placement in the public right-of-way is the most common violation and can lead to removal.
Placing garage-sale signs in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, or on traffic-control posts is prohibited and signs may be removed; leaving signs up after the sale or exceeding Article 84 size limits can also draw enforcement.
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