Every outdoor sign in Cortland is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the Cortland code it came from.
Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in Cortland.
Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in Cortland, Illinois. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.
Before you order or install a sign in Cortland, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.
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Max ground sign height
Monument: Not specified; Pylon: 15 ft
Ground sign setback
Monument: Not specified; Pylon: 10 ft from driveway and lot line
Awning Signs
Setback From Curb Requirement
No awning sign and the awning to which it is affixed shall project within two feet (2') of the curb of a street or driveway.
Awning Projection Clearance
7 ft minimum clearance; 8 ft max projection from wall
3 feet from finished grade for freestanding or 8 feet for wall
Directional Max Size
6 sq ft area; 3 ft freestanding; 8 ft wall
General Info
Jurisdiction Name
Cortland, IL
General Standards
Nonconforming Sign Termination Abandonment
Nonconforming sign presumed abandoned after 60 days of discontinuance; cannot be reestablished
Zoning Certificate For A Sign Requirement
zoning certificate for a sign: Application for a zoning certificate for a sign shall be filed with the zoning administrator upon forms provided by the town.
residential districts or within 100' of residential district: Illuminated signs permitted in residential districts or within one hundred feet (100') of a residential district shall not be illuminated between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless the use to which the sign pertains is open
Illuminated Sign Positioning
all illuminated signs: No illuminated sign shall be positioned or maintained so as to permit beams and illumination to be directed upon any adjacent property nor to cause glare or reflection that may constitute nuisance or traffic hazard
or erection of any sign: The fee to be charged for permits for the construction or erection of any sign, except those enumerated in section 9-6-5 of this chapter shall be as determined by the town board and amended from time to time.
Temporary Signs
Temp Signs Allowed
Permit required for temporary signs
Temp Sign Rules
Max area: 32 sq ft; Max height: 8 ft; Permit required