The City of San José is proposing updates to the San José Municipal Code Title 23 for Supergraphic Signs related to Large Events within the Downtown Sign Zone (Section 23.04.124) and North San José Signage Area (Section 23.04.038) as outlined below: 

• Remove sunset clause 

• Displayed 75 days before and/or after a Large Event, but the display duration cannot exceed 180 days (or about 6 months) 

• Each sign can wrap around a building (around two facades), but cannot have more than a total of two signs for each building 

• Remove minimum height requirement of buildings 

• Cannot be displayed less than 40-feet above grade 

• One additional flat-mounted roof sign allowed 

The City Council hearing on this policy item is scheduled on February 25, 2025. 

Staff will gather community input on the proposed Sign Code Update. Comments, concerns, and questions will become part of the public record and will help inform the Sign Code update as it moves forward in the review process. Additional updates will be published on this page. 

View a brief presentation on the proposed changes with subtitles available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese. 

In 2016, the City Council adopted regulations implementing Supergraphic Signs with Ordinance No. 29850. These regulations allowed the installation of temporary large building-mounted signs to further the City’s objectives for visually vibrant signs that support Downtown and North San José businesses. The Downtown Sign Zone and the North San José Signage Area are key business centers within San José, and Downtown San José draws visitors and residents to conventions, large-scale sporting events, and cultural activities, therefore most suited for Supergraphic Signs.  

Supergraphics are large static signs on a flexible material (generally vinyl-based) attached to a building with adhesive or anchor bolts. Additionally, Supergraphics are limited to on-site or non-commercial advertising, which may include event sponsors where these signs are installed in a designated event zone. An example would be the “Oracle” sign displayed on the building at 488 S. Almaden Ave. during the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.  

The most flexible allowance for Supergraphic Signs was where they were allowed in conjunction with “Large Events”. A “Large Event” is defined by the Sign Code as either a convention or other event held in the Downtown Core Area with 700 or more San José hotel rooms booked on a single night by the San José Convention and Visitor’s Bureau or by the convention or event sponsor; or a Downtown Special Event, as defined in Municipal Code Section 6.55.050, with a projected attendance of 10,000 people or more as determined by the City Manager designee authorized to declare such events, and a permit for such event approved pursuant Chapter 13.14 of the Municipal Code. Examples of large events are Superbowl 50 in 2016 and the College Football Playoff National Championships in 2019. The return of the Superbowl and downtown activities related to the World Cup in 2026 are expected to meet the definition of a “Large Event.”  

In 2020, based on experience with Supergraphic signs from Superbowl 50 and the College Football Playoff in 2019, staff proposed to amend the Sign Code to streamline the permit process for approval of the Supergraphic signs to an Administrative Permit Process rather than a Development Permit, to reduce permitting duration, associated costs and promote newer signage opportunities. The Supergraphic Sign Ordinance was originally adopted with a sunset date, after which it no longer had any force or effect. Staff recommended the sunset period be extended three years from 2020 to January 1, 2023. The City Council approved this ordinance streamlining and extending Supergraphics sign allowances on February 25, 2020 (Ordinance number 30371).  

In anticipation of the upcoming special events in 2026 staff evaluated the effectiveness of the now-invalid Supergraphic Sign ordinance. Staff is proposing to remove the sunset for Supergraphic signs related to large events, and make amendments to the number of signs, size, placement, and duration of such signs.  

The Supergraphic Sign requires the review and approval of an Administrative Permit prior to installation. The proposed amendments to the Sign Code would eliminate the sunset period, increase display timeframes, and modify height and size allowances for the display of Supergraphic Signs on non-residential buildings, as discussed below: 

1. In anticipation of upcoming special events in 2026 including Superbowl and College Football categorized as Large Events, staff recommends the elimination of sunset date for Supergraphic Signs. 

2. The signage is currently permitted for a maximum of 120 days per calendar year on non-residential buildings and is proposed to be changed to 180 days per calendar year, before and after the large event. The current maximum period of 14 days before and after a large event signage display on non-residential buildings is requested to be changed to a maximum period of 75 additional days before and/or after the Large Event The proposed duration would allow for extended display duration and accommodate increased flexibility in set up and removal. 

3. The current allowance for signage display is on non-residential buildings that are at least one hundred twenty-five feet (125 feet) in height for Large Downtown Conventions or Special Events (without covering any portion of door or window less than 75 feet). The proposed change would eliminate this minimum height requirement, but no Supergraphic Sign shall be displayed at a height less than 40 feet above grade. 

4. The proposed allowance would change the allowance of one (1) Supergraphic Sign per building to two (2) signs specifically for large events. Additionally, each sign would be allowed to wrap around a building and cover up to two facades.  

6. Additional allowance related to flat-mounted Roof signs as defined in Section Code 23.02.470 would be permitted for large events but not otherwise allowed in other instances. 

Planning Division 
Aparna Ankola, Supervising Planner 
Email: Aparna.Ankola@sanjoseca.gov 

Planning Division
Rina Horie, Planner I
Email: Rina.Horie@sanjoseca.gov  

Updates on proposed changes to the San José Municipal Sign Code will be available on this webpage. 

Please use the Google Translate option located at the top of this webpage. Or for assistance in Spanish or Vietnamese, please contact the translators noted below. 

• Spanish/Español: Para información en español acerca de esta solicitud, comuníquese con Jennifer Provedor al 408-793-4100, e índique el número de Proyecto PP23-001 

• Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt: Muốn biết tin tức bằng tiếng Việt về tờ thông tin này, xin quý vị liên lạc Kayla Do ở số 408-793-4174