Sign permits shall not be required for the following signs;
however, all applicable regulations of this chapter shall apply.
A. Signs erected by a governmental body or required by law, including
official traffic signs or sign structures, provisional warning signs
or sign structures, and temporary signs indicating danger.
B. Minor signs as defined by this article not exceeding three total
signs per street frontage per parcel.
C. Change of message of an approved sign.
D. Painting, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair
of signs or sign structures, unless a structural change is made.
E. Temporary signs as set forth in this section, including real estate
signs, contractor signs, and special event signs.
F. A sign displayed on a truck, bus or other vehicle while in use in
the normal course of business with the exception of mobile billboards
that are prohibited.
G. Flags of the United States of America, Commonwealth of Virginia,
City of Lexington, or other flags displayed for noncommercial purposes.
H. Any property actively offered for sale or lease may display one sign
per street frontage in addition to those otherwise allowed by this
article, limited to a maximum area of 16 square feet for parcels in
commercial zoning districts (R-LC, C-1, and C-2) and eight square
feet in all other zoning districts. Such signs shall to be removed
when the property is no longer offered for sale or lease and shall
not be banner type signs.
The following signs are prohibited:
A. Flashing signs or signs lighted in a varying degree, including strobe
lights.
B. Moving or rotating signs.
E. Signs or parts of a sign located anywhere on the roof or wall of
a building so that they shall extend above or beyond the perimeter
of the building's roof, wall or parapet wall or into a front, side
or rear yard setback.
F. Signs illuminated with sodium halide lights; and any illuminated
sign that emits excessive levels of light in the opinion of the Zoning
Administrator.
G. Electronic message boards.
H. Abandoned sign structures.
I. Changeable-copy signs, except as specifically permitted by this Zoning
chapter.
J. Any signs, including posters and handbills, affixed to any structures,
trees or other natural vegetation, rocks or poles.
K. Any sign that may be confused with or obstruct the view of any authorized
traffic sign or signal, or obstruct the sight-distance triangle at
any road intersection, or extend into the public right-of-way or otherwise
create a distraction for drivers.
L. Portable signs, including those on wheels, except A-frame/sandwich
boards complying with the provisions of this section.
M. Signs that prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window,
fire escape, or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to
any other part or otherwise adversely affect safety or are in violation
of any building code or other applicable law.
N. Signs that emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, normally detectable
sound or odor shall not be permitted, including open flames used to
attract public attention.
O. Mirrors or mirror devices on, in, or as part of a sign.
P. Signs placed, affixed or painted on a motor vehicle or trailer parked
with the primary purpose of providing signage, and not used in the
normal conduct of business.
Q. Signs located in the public right-of-way, unless approved and erected
by the City of Lexington.
S. Any sign representing or depicting specified sexual activities or
specified anatomical areas or sexually oriented goods; any sign containing
obscene text or pictures as defined by the Virginia Code.
T. Signs advertising activities or products that are illegal under federal,
state, City or county law.
[Amended 7-1-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-05]
Any business located within a C-2 Zoning District shall be limited
to displaying no greater than two square feet of signage per foot
of business frontage, and in no case shall any business display greater
than 100 square feet of signage per building street frontage. Individual
signs shall be limited in their size and placement according to the
following regulations:
Maximum Sign Dimensions: C-2 Zoning District
|
---|
Sign Type
|
Number
|
Area
(square feet)
|
Height
(feet)
|
---|
Window
|
Not limited
|
Lesser of 20% of window area or 6 square feet
|
Not limited
|
Freestanding
|
1 per street frontage, limit 2 per lot
|
25
|
15
|
Projecting
|
1 per business per street frontage
|
12
|
No less than 9
|
Wall
|
1 per business per street frontage
|
1 for each lineal foot of building frontage, with 32 minimum
area and 100 maximum area
|
15 feet maximum above grade level
|
Canopy
|
Permitted
|
Letters not more than 12 inches high
|
No less than 9
|
Internally illuminated
|
Permitted
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
A-frame
|
1 per 30 feet of frontage
|
6 per side
|
4
|
Painted
|
1 on side or rear wall
|
Shall not exceed 15% of that wall area
|
As per other standards
|
Temporary (freestanding banner, or wall only)1
|
Not limited
|
8
|
4
|
NOTES:
|
1
|
Temporary signs shall not count toward sign allotment for each
business.
|
Signs located in the R-1, R-2, R-M, or R-LC Zoning District
shall be limited in their size and placement according to the following
regulations:
Maximum Sign Dimensions: Residential Zoning Districts
(R-1, R-2, R-M, R-LC)
|
---|
|
Residential Uses
|
Residential Projects1
|
Nonresidential Uses
|
---|
Sign Type
|
Number
|
Area
(square feet)
|
Height
(feet)
|
Number
|
Area
(square feet)
|
Height
(feet)
|
Number
|
Area
(square feet)
|
Height
(feet)
|
Freestanding signs
|
1 per lot
|
2
|
4
|
1 per site entrance
|
16
|
4
|
1 per separate road frontage
|
16
|
5
|
Wall signs
|
1 per lot
|
2
|
N/A
|
1 per street frontage
|
16
|
N/A
|
1 per separate road frontage
|
16
|
12
|
NOTES:
|
1
|
Includes subdivisions, multifamily buildings, and other types
of residential projects built as a unified development.
|
[Added 3-21-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-04]
A. One wall sign 16 square feet in area and
not more than 10 feet above grade.
B. One freestanding sign 16 square feet in
area per each of two sides and not more than four feet above grade.
All signs shall be maintained in good condition and remain structurally
safe. Any sign that has deteriorated to a state of peeling, cracking,
splitting, fading or rusting, is in violation of this article and
subject to enforcement.
Any person aggrieved by any decision or order of the Zoning Administrator may appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals by serving written notice to the Zoning Administrator, who, in turn, shall immediately transmit the notice to the Board, which shall meet to hear it within 30 days thereafter. The Zoning Administrator shall take no further action on the matter, pending the Board's decision, except concerning unsafe signs which present an immediate and serious danger to the public, as provided in §
420-13.12B.