Are LED Signs Allowed in Dundas, Richland County, Illinois? A Guide to Permits, Sizes, and Zoning
EMC Sign Allowed?
✅ Yes, with restrictions. Richland County permits changeable static image digital signs under Sec. 26-180(a)(2) & (o)(2) for certain off-premise signs, provided strict conditions are met.
“Changeable copy signs. Legal nonconforming off-premise signs … may be replaced … with surface area displaying changeable static images controlled by electronic communications … A digital sign must … remain fixed for a period of at least six (6) seconds between changes. … Digital signs shall not include animated, continuous, moving, rolling, or scrolling messages …”
🔗 Full Ordinance – City of Dundas Sign Code
🔗 Zoning & GIS Map – City of Dundas Zoning & GIS Map
EMC Sign Summary Table
| Feature | Answer |
|---|---|
| Zoning districts that allow EMCs | Off-premises signs in Commercial / Manufacturing / Industrial districts, for legal nonconforming off-premise signs. |
| EMC sign styles allowed | Digital static-image display faces (replacement of legal nonconforming off-premise signs) |
| Off-premise EMCs allowed | ✅ Yes—in limited replacement cases of nonconforming outdoor advertising signs |
| EMCs allowed in the public right-of-way | ❌ No—signs must be outside rights-of-way; signs in ROW are prohibited unless specifically allowed otherwise. |
| Minimum setback/buffer required | At least 300 feet from any residential district toward which the sign is oriented; also limits adjacent to historic districts, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. |
| Use restrictions/messaging | Must remain fixed for ≥ 6 seconds between changes; no animation, scrolling, moving parts; must comply with illumination limits (auto-dimmer / glare control) |
Zoning District Overview
Richland County’s signage rules apply across many unincorporated zoning districts, including:
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Commercial, Manufacturing, Industrial districts
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Residential districts (in which digital signs are generally more restricted)
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Overlay districts such as Historic and special districts near hospitals/nursing homes, etc.
🔍 For zoning maps and parcel designations, see Richland County GIS / Planning Department map services.
Zoning-Specific Standards (Where EMCs / Digital Faces Are Allowed)
Below are key standards for digital EMC-type faces and how they interact with Richland County’s zoning / permitted signage rules:
| Requirement | Off-Premise Digital Signs in Commercial / Manufacturing / Industrial Districts |
|---|---|
| Allowed | Only for legal nonconforming off-premise signs (often outdoor advertising or “billboards”) when replacing existing sign faces. |
| Max portion replaced | ❌No more than 1/3 of existing off-premise signs may be replaced with digital display faces. |
| Message dwell time | Message or static copy must stay fixed for a minimum of 6 seconds between changes. |
| Prohibited content/motion | Animated, scrolling, rolling, and continuously moving video displays are not allowed. |
| Illumination and brightness | Must have an automatic dimmer and a photo sensor; required not to cause glare or impair the vision of motorists. Maximum brightness defined: 7,500 nits in daytime, 500 nits between dusk and dawn. |
| Spacing/separation | At least 1,000 ft between digital signs on the same side of the roadway; similarly, opposite sides if oriented the same way. In Neighborhood Master Plan Overlay Districts, 2,000 ft spacing. |
| Height & structural limits | New digital replacement signs may use existing sign support structures; support structure height may not exceed the existing height. |
Permit Filing Requirements
If you plan to install or replace an off-premise legal nonconforming sign with a digital EMC face in Richland County:
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Obtain a sign permit from the Planning Department under § 26-180.
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Provide documentation showing the existing sign is a legal nonconforming, and that the new digital face replacement will not exceed the previous sign face area (or will stay equal to / less).
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Include details on display technology, illumination/dimming, copy change control (≥ 6 seconds fixed), and structural integrity if using existing supports.
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Ensure the sign will be located at an appropriate distance from residential districts, historic districts, hospitals/nursing homes, consistent with code.
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Understand spacing requirements (e.g., 1,000 ft between digital signs, etc.).
Full Ordinance Text (Verbatim Excerpts)
Relevant excerpts from Richland County Code § 26-180 – Signs:
“Changeable copy signs. Legal nonconforming off-premise signs … may be replaced … with surface area displaying changeable static images controlled by electronic communications … A digital sign must … remain fixed for a period of at least six (6) seconds between changes. … Digital signs shall not include animated, continuous, moving, rolling, or scrolling messages or video displays.”
“Digital signs shall have an automatic dimmer and a photo cell sensor … not to cause glare or impair the vision of motorists … Digital signs shall not exceed a maximum illumination of 7,500 nits … (daylight) and 500 nits between dusk to dawn … Digital signs shall not be permitted within three hundred (300) feet of any residential district …”
External Reference Links
🗺️ Dundas Zoning & GIS Map
📘 Dundas Zoning Sign Code
📝 Permit Application Portal