8-03-2025 6:50am

City Of Blaine Updates Sign Ordinance To Clarify Temporary Sign Permit Rules

Tom Akaolisa Editor

Blaine Updates Sign Ordinance To Clarify Temporary Sign Permit Rules

BLAINE, Minn. — The City of Blaine has formally updated its zoning code to better regulate temporary signage, following the City Council’s adoption of Ordinance 25‑2582 on July 8, 2025. This amendment to Chapter 34 of the Blaine Zoning Ordinance replaces outdated references to “administrative permits” with a new, clearly defined “temporary sign permit” process.

The change is intended to give local businesses, nonprofits, and community institutions more predictable and accessible rules when advertising events, promotions, or services through temporary signage.

“This update brings clarity to how and when temporary signs can be used,” city staff noted in the ordinance summary. “It streamlines the permitting process while ensuring sign size, duration, and safety remain consistent with Blaine’s development standards.”

What’s New Under the Ordinance

The updated ordinance distinguishes two permit types for temporary signs:

Standard Temporary Sign Permit

Maximum Duration: Up to 4 weeks per calendar year
Minimum Permit Term: 7 consecutive days
Allowed Sign Types:
- Up to 2 banners (maximum 32 square feet each)
- Up to 2 feather signs (maximum 3.5 feet wide × 18 feet tall)
- Up to 5 freestanding signs, such as A-frames (maximum 6 square feet each)
Fee: $50 per two-week permit block

Special-Event Temporary Sign Permit

Maximum Duration: Up to 2 weeks per year
Minimum Permit Term: 7 consecutive days
Allowed Sign Types:
- 1 portable sign (maximum 48 square feet)
- Up to 3 banners (maximum 80 square feet each)
- Up to 5 feather signs
- Up to 5 freestanding signs

Additional Flexibility for New Businesses

To support new businesses and grand openings, the ordinance allows an additional 2 weeks of permitted signage time—bringing their total temporary sign allowance to 6 weeks per year under the permitting program, or up to 10 weeks annually when combined with basic signage allowances outside the permit program.

Fee Waivers and Exemptions

Organizations such as nonprofits, religious institutions, schools, and government agencies are exempt from temporary sign permit fees, though they are still required to apply and comply with placement and size rules.

Administration and Exceptions

Zoning Administrator Discretion: The administrator may approve sign type substitutions (e.g., swapping a banner for a feather sign), provided the overall area and quantity limits are not exceeded.
Construction Hardship Exceptions: Temporary signage permits may be extended or modified if business visibility is impaired due to public infrastructure construction.
Application Platform: Permits are submitted via Blaine’s iMS online permitting system. Most applications are reviewed within three business days.

Recap: Temporary Signage Allowances in Blaine

Permit Type	Duration	Allowed Sign Types	Max Sizes
Standard Permit	Up to 4 weeks/year	2 banners, 2 feather signs, 5 freestanding signs	32 sq ft (banners), 6 sq ft (freestanding), 3.5×18 ft (feather)
Special-Event Permit	Up to 2 weeks/year	1 portable sign, 3 banners, 5 feather signs, 5 freestanding signs	80 sq ft (banners), 48 sq ft (portable)
New Business Add-On	+2 weeks	Same as above	—
Fee	$50 per 2-week period	Waived for nonprofits, religious orgs, schools, governments	—

Supporting Local Visibility

The ordinance is part of a broader effort by Blaine city leaders to make municipal codes more transparent and small-business friendly. Officials say the new framework balances business needs with aesthetic standards, ensuring neighborhoods remain welcoming and uncluttered.

How to Apply

To learn more or apply for a temporary sign permit in Blaine, visit the city’s planning department page:
🔗 www.blainemn.gov/2998/Temporary-Sign-Permit

SOURCE DOCUMENTATION