Royal Oak Township, MI Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Section 32-823 defines a community special event sign as a sign and/or banner, including related decorations and displays celebrating a traditionally-accepted patriotic or religious holiday, or special municipal or school activities. The temporary sign table in § 32-830(c) then sets the terms. The district column reads All, the permit column reads Yes, and the permitted duration column reads Duration of the event. The area, height and number columns each point to note (e): such signs can include ground or wall signs, banners, pennants or similar displays, and their number, area and height are subject to planning commission approval. The required setback column points to note (a), so the display must comply with the setback requirements for the district in which it stands.

The code prints no fixed number of days or calendar window for holiday displays. The event itself is the printed duration.

Lighting has its own line. Section 32-830(b)(4) prohibits string lights used for commercial purposes, other than use as temporary holiday decorations. Next to it, § 32-830(b)(2) prohibits any sign that incorporates flashing or moving lights, and § 32-830(b)(3) prohibits banners, pennants, festoons, spinners and streamers unless specifically permitted elsewhere in the chapter, which the community special event row does for banners and pennants. Under § 32-831(b), signs are illuminated only by steady, stationary, shielded light sources, and illumination that could distract motorists or create a traffic hazard is prohibited.

Permits come from the building official under §§ 32-825 and 32-826, with the fee set by resolution of the township board. A display left up after the event it celebrates meets the obsolete sign rule in § 32-827(d), which treats a sign that identifies an event that has already occurred as abandoned and requires its removal by the owner, agent or person having use of the building.