Every outdoor sign in Riverdale 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 Riverdale 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 Riverdale.
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 Riverdale, 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 Riverdale, 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.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Max ground sign height
In business districts, no sign shall project higher than twenty-five feet above curb level.
Awning Signs
Min Vertical Clearance
All identification awnings and canopies shall maintain a vertical clearance of not less than eight feet above grade.
Awning Projection Clearance
Projection: max 4 ft from wall and at least 12 inches from curb; Clearance: min 8 ft vertical clearance above grade.
Electronic message boards shall provide for the full display of the correct time and temperature at least once every two minutes, displayed for a period of not less than five seconds in duration.
Freestanding
Industrial Advertising Max Height
Advertising signs in industrial districts (conditional use) shall not exceed three hundred square feet in area and no sign shall project higher than fifty feet from the curb level.
Ground Signs
Ground Sign Type
Monument signs permitted as identification sign subtype
All electrical wiring associated with freestanding signs shall be installed underground.
Max Exposed Bulb Wattage
No exposed reflective type bulb or incandescent lamp which exceeds fifteen watts shall be used on the exterior surface of a sign so as to expose the face of the bulb to any public street or adjacent property.
Institutional/subdivision/estate identification signs shall not exceed one hundred twenty square feet, except monument signs which shall not exceed two hundred square feet in area.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Nonconforming
Obsolete Sign Removal Deadline
Obsolete signs shall be removed by the owner within thirty days after written notification from the zoning administrator.
Amortization Period
Ten years from and after November 23, 1993, all legal, nonconforming and illegal signs shall be removed and eliminated.
Prohibited Signs
Roof Signs Prohibited
Wall mounted signs may not project above the roofline or parapet; roof signs are expressly prohibited (except within industrial districts).
Prohibited Sign Types
Flashing signs; pennants, streamers, and unauthorized portable signs; signs with moving parts; off-premise commercial signs; and obscene signs are specifically prohibited.
Projecting Signs
Min Vertical Clearance Pedestrian Way
Signs projecting into any pedestrian way must maintain a vertical clearance of not less than ten feet above grade.
Temporary Signs
Temp Signs Allowed
Promotional signs (pennants, streamers, portable signs) permitted for grand opening or major event with zoning administrator approval; limited to fourteen days before and seven days after event; no more than two times per year per business
Political Sign Max Area
No political sign shall exceed sixteen square feet in area. A maximum of four such signs may be placed on a building or on a zoning lot.
In the case of any wall mounted sign, no sign shall project or extend more than twenty-four inches from the face of the wall of the building.
Window Signs
Max Window Coverage
A maximum of twenty percent of a window area may be used for temporary and/or permanent window signs, but not to exceed fifty square feet per window area.
Window Sign Allowable Area
Max 20% of window area, not to exceed 50 sq ft per window area.
Need the full sign-code report?
The full interactive report includes all sign types, illumination rules, permit requirements, and source citations — for free.