South Bend handles garage-sale signs through its zoning sign ordinance. A sign on your own property with the owner's consent is allowed and must come down after the sale; signs staked in the public right-of-way or on utility poles are prohibited and removed.
Garage-sale signs fall under South Bend's Chapter 21 zoning sign rules, enforced by the zoning office. A temporary sale sign on private property with the owner's consent is allowed, and the owner must guarantee its removal once the sale ends — the city can remove a neglected sign after written notice. Off-premises placement is the real trouble: signs stuck in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, at intersections, or on other public property are prohibited and pulled without notice. Larger or freestanding temporary signs require a zoning permit with a fee scaled to size, and any sign in a historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. South Bend separately regulates the garage sale itself.
Signs placed in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, or on public property are removed by the city. A sign left up after the sale, or a permit-required sign posted without one, can draw a zoning citation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how South Bend's garage sale signs rules stack up against other locations.
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