The purpose of the following requirements for signs is to promote general safety and control the number, size and location of signs to reduce clutter and encourage installation of signs that are readable. The City of Yankton’s general objective by adopting a Sign Ordinance is to promote health, safety and welfare and to achieve the following:

• Safety: To promote the safety of persons and property by discouraging signs that create a hazard due to collapse, fire, collision, decay or abandonment and to regulate signs that create traffic hazards by confusing or distracting motorists by impairing the driver’s ability to see pedestrians, obstacles or other vehicles, or to see and interpret any official traffic sign, signal or device.
• Communication Efficiency: To promote the efficient transfer of information so that businesses and services may identify themselves. It is the objective of the sign ordinance that no person or group is arbitrarily denied the use of the sight line from public right-of-ways for communication purposes.
• Landscape quality and preservation: To protect the public welfare and to enhance the appearance and economic value of the landscape by providing signs that do not create a nuisance to persons using public right-of-ways and do not constitute a nuisance to adjacent property by their brightness, size, height or movement.

General Commercial, Industrial, Shopping Center Zoning Districts

Number of Signs: One or more signs are allowed in accordance with the following:

• Size: The total area of signs shall not exceed two square feet of surface area for each one linear foot of lot frontage, and an additional one square foot of signage is allowed for multifrontage (corner) lots for each additional five linear feet.
• Illumination: The light from any illuminated sign or billboard shall be shielded, shaded or directed so that the light intensity does not adversely affect surrounding premises or affect the safe vision of vehicle operators.
• Blinking, Flashing, Illumination: Shall only be allowed in Business or Industrial districts.
• Externally Illuminated Signs: The maximum lamp wattage of externally illuminated signs shall be (25) watts per incandescent lamp. There are no limitations for neon or fluorescent lamps.
• Height: In Business and Industrial districts no sign shall be erected to exceed (50) feet in height.
• Construction: All signs shall be constructed to meet the requirements of the Uniform Sign Code.
• Off Premise Signs & Bill Boards: Offpremise signs are signs which direct attention to a business or service that is not located on the same premises. Off-premise signs are recognized as a business enterprise. The spacing for off-premise signs shall not be closer than (100) feet to any other off-premise sign unless the signs are separated by buildings or other obstructions in such a manner that only one sign facing is visible from the highway at any one time. Off-premise signs shall not be located closer than 60 feet to any intersection or access point (driveway) unless written approval is granted by the Department of Community Development.
• Temporary Signs: Temporary sign displays are limited to 60 days per calendar year. Signs such as banners, pennants, posters, movable leader boards and portable changeable copy signs are considered temporary signs. Temporary signs typically do not meet the minimum standards of the Uniform Sign Code for structural and wind loading stability.
• Political signs: Political election individual candidate signs are permitted to be displayed 60 days prior to an election and must be removed 7 days after an election. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility. Signs that are placed in right of way, on public property, create a nuisance or a traffic hazard will be removed without notice by the Department of Community Development. A permit is not required for individual political candidate signs meeting the placement and having a maximum size of 32 square feet.
• Sign Contractor Licensing: The City of Yankton requires commercial sign contractors to be licensed by the city. An application for a sign contractors license can be obtained at the City of Yankton Finance Office or by calling 605-668- 5243. A fee of $25.00 is charged for this annual license.
• Shopping Centers: In addition to other permitted signage, a group of five or more commercial businesses that are arranged and related is permitted one additional (200) square foot sign to establish an identification as a retail sales or service center.
• Projection Signs: In certain zoning districts, and with the written approval of the Department of Community Development, signs may be permitted to overhang or extend over sidewalks provided that the sign is not less than ten feet above the surface of the sidewalk.
• Awnings: In certain zoning districts, and with the written approval of the Department of Community Development, awnings that are attached to buildings may overhang a sidewalk providing that it is not less than seven feet above the surface.
• Historical Monument or Markers: Historical signs are limited to 16 square feet per site in residential or commercial zoned districts. Historical signage located on public right-of-ways require written approval from the Department of Community Development.
• Real Estate Signs: Real estate signs are limited to eight square feet per sign and one per realtor per site. Real estate signs are not permitted to be placed in right-of-way.
• Private sale signs: Signs used to advertise private yard sales (garage sales) are limited to 32 square feet. Signs may be displayed seven days prior to a sale and one day after. Signs cannot be located in right-of-way or attached to public light/power poles or other public utilities.

This pamphlet is a general informational guide and does not represent the City of Yankton’s Ordinance in its entirety. The complete publication of Yankton’s Code of Ordinances is on file at the Department of Community Development.