The sign regulations section of Airdrie’s Land Use Bylaw (LUB) explains rules for signs in the City.

It covers how to get a sign permit, types of signs that do and don’t need a permit and permissible and non-permissible types of signs.

It also covers general signage rules, including what is permitted in each area of the City and specific rules for certain types of signs, like digital signs and signs with changing messages.

The rules aim to balance safety and community aesthetics with the needs of businesses, residents and organizations.

After conducting public engagement and a survey last spring, City Administration revised the bylaw, coordinating with Airdrie businesses and billboard operators to refine the draft. This draft will be presented to the City’s Strategic Growth Standing Committee and then to Council.

Changes made to this draft of the bylaw include:

• Additional details have been added to address Construction and Community Identification signs, which allowed some of the detailed tables for sign standards to be simplified.
• Rules on setbacks for large billboard signs were adjusted based on sign visibility from surrounding buildings.
• Additional details were added to cross-reference other sections of the Land Use Bylaw (for example, signs for a Home Business are addressed in the “Home Business” standards and don’t need to be written a second time in the Sign Regulations section).
• Standards for time limitations on Portable Signs were refined
• A new section was added to address Billboard Sign regulations generally, which allowed some of the detailed tables for sign standards to be simplified.
• Criteria was added to define where the City would limit the term for a Billboard sign (allowing it for less time than the typical three years).
• Standards for digital displays on billboard signs were adjusted.
• A new section was added to address pre-existing billboards within the highway corridor.

The final draft of the bylaw is available here to review and staff is happy to receive your comments via this page or by email to willow.czaban@airdrie.ca.

Comments and questions received on or before March 13, 2025, will be considered before the draft is fully finalized and sent to the Strategic Growth Standing Committee for review.

Otherwise, staff are still happy to discuss the bylaw changes and to answer questions for clarification up to the date of the Council meeting and Public Hearing.