Mesa monument (detached) sign rules: height, area, spacing and curb distance
Last checked: October 2026. Part of our Mesa sign rules guide. Every statement below is quoted or summarized from a saved official city source; the numbered markers open the Sources list at the bottom.
Confirm with the city before you build or bid. This page is a plain-English summary for planning only. It is not legal advice and not the official code. Later amendments we did not read may have changed some of these rules. Questions: Mesa Development Services, 480-644-4273, permitservices@mesaaz.gov, Monday–Thursday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, 55 N. Center St. [1]
Height and area
| Rule |
Requirement |
Source |
| Total area |
Total area: 1 sq ft per lineal foot of street frontage. |
[2] |
| Per sign |
Per sign: max 12 ft high and 80 sq ft. |
[2] |
| Height by frontage |
Height by frontage: one sign, 1 ft of height per 10 lineal ft of street frontage; multiple signs, 1 ft per 20 lineal ft. |
[2] |
| Option for centers |
Option for centers (Table D-4): commercial developments with at least 3 separate occupants and more than 400 ft of frontage on one street may have one sign up to 120 sq ft and 14 ft; all other detached signs max 50 sq ft and 8 ft. |
[2] |
| Embellishment |
Embellishment may extend up to 20% of the permitted height above the height limit. |
[3] |
Spacing and curb distance
| Rule |
Requirement |
Source |
| Other detached permanent signs |
Not within 75 ft of any other detached permanent sign on the same parcel or Group C-O-I Development site. |
[3] |
| Corner signs |
A corner sign visible from both streets may not exceed the allowance for the longer street frontage, and its area is deducted from the corner parcel's total. |
[3] |
| Document |
What it says |
Source |
| 2018 Sign Code §11-43-2(C)(1)(d) |
the 2018 Sign Code §11-43-2(C)(1)(d) says: "For streets or roads with three (3) or more traffic lanes, a sign is not allowed within fifteen (15) feet of the face of curb or edge of pavement, when no curb exists." |
[3][4] |
| City sign checklist |
The city's sign checklist item, which cites that same section, shortens it to: "Freestanding sign shall be 15 feet minimum from curb. (§11-43-2 C.1.d)". |
[3][4] |
Ask the city how it applies the rule on streets with fewer than three lanes. [3][4]
Design
| Rule |
Requirement |
Source |
| Materials and base |
Metal, masonry, or similar durable material; a single base at least 75% of the width of the copy, or posts or columns totaling at least 33%. |
[5][3] |
| Internally illuminated |
Internally illuminated: opaque background, or translucent background of no more than 50% opacity. |
[3] |
Drive-thru signs and Freeway Landmark Monuments
| Rule |
Requirement |
Source |
| Drive-thru and driveway signs |
Drive-thru and driveway signs "do not count against the detached permanent sign allowance" (§11-43-4). |
[6] |
Freeway Landmark Monuments (§11-43-7 as rewritten by Ordinance No. 5886, Nov. 18, 2024): [7]
- LC, GC, PEP, LI or GI zoning (or PC or ID-2 zoning, in conjunction with a commercial or industrial use, if the approved Community Plan or Infill Plan permits it); at least 30 contiguous acres; frontage on a freeway and an intersecting arterial street; [7]
- Design Review Board and Planning and Zoning Board recommendations, a Council Use Permit, and a sign permit; [7]
- max 60 ft high (up to 90 ft with a height modification); max 750 sq ft; [7]
- 2,000 ft from another FLM, 1,000 ft from a billboard, 500 ft from residential zoning or use (400 ft absolute minimum), with listed exceptions. [7]
What to submit
| Rule |
Requirement |
Source |
| Engineering |
Monument signs: "Provide structural and electrical plans with calculations sealed by an Arizona registered engineer (P.E.)." |
[8] |
| Checklist items |
Checklist items: current and future right-of-way dimensions; dimensions from back of curb or sidewalk to all freestanding signs; distance between freestanding signs; electronic message panel certification letter from owner. |
[4] |
Section numbers (§) refer to the city's zoning ordinance unless noted. Each statement on this page is checked against a saved copy of an official city source, and where official sources disagree we show both. Spotted an error or an outdated fee? Report an error.