Official City and County Signs
  Official city or county signs are a viable option to provide destination information along both interstate and primary highways. There are few restrictions on specific size, location or message on these signs.
To qualify as an official city, county or public agency sign, the sign must:
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Be erected and maintained by a public officer or agency (a city or county can authorize a group to erect and maintain the sign on their behalf).
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Be erected within the territorial or zoning jurisdiction of the public officer or agency (a city may extend two miles outside its corporate limits under extraterritorial zoning).
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Be erected according to directions or authorizations contained in federal, state or local law (an ordinance, resolution or law authorizing erection of the sign must be passed).
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Be erected for the purpose of carrying out an official duty or responsibility.
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Be located beyond the highway right-of-way at a location that will not obstruct the vision of a driver approaching an intersection;
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Not imitate or resemble traffic control devices governed by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devises (MUTCD);
- Not contain any commercial message or business name.
An example of an official city sign would be a sign notifying motorists generically that food, lodging, camping, parks, shopping, antique malls, and an unlimited list of services are available. Such a sign could also direct motorists to a wide range of activities and sites (museums, historic sites, etc.) by name, provided they aren't commercial in nature.
The local jurisdiction or public agency would need to secure a lease or other interest in a site to erect such a sign. No approval or involvement by the Iowa DOT is required. However, the department would be willing to assist cities, counties and public agencies in meeting the requirements needed to qualify for official signing.
If you have any questions regarding Official City or Official County signs, please contact the Iowa DOT's Agent Eileen Buchanan at 515-239-1449
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