Appomattox County Unincorporated

Signs in B-1, V-1, M-1, IP and H-1 Districts. Signs pertaining only to the uses conducted on the premises will be permitted, subject to the following regulations: One sign announcing a permitted home occupation, Type II, will be allowed for each street on which the lot abuts. Each sign shall not exceed two square feet in area. Such signs shall not be illuminated. Home occupation, Type I, does not permit signage of any type. Building-mounted signs (roof signs) shall face only upon an abutting street or an abutting parking lot on the same parcel where the sign is located. The aggregate face area of all signs on any one wall of the building shall not exceed 40 square feet unless the building wall is longer than 100 linear feet. Signs on building walls longer than 100 linear feet shall not exceed one sign equal to one square foot of sign area for every 1/2 linear foot of building frontage, measured corner to corner. Newly constructed groups of buildings shall have unified and/or coordinated building-mounted signs. Total aggregate sign area for the unified/coordinated sign plan shall not exceed one square foot of sign area for every one linear foot of building frontage, measured corner to corner. Building-mounted signs (roof signs) shall not project more than 15 inches beyond the face of the building. Projecting signs or suspended signs mounted perpendicular to the building may project a maximum of four feet beyond the face of the building and must allow for a minimum of eight feet of clearance from the bottom of the sign to the average grade. One freestanding sign structure permanently fixed to the ground may be erected on each street on which a lot abuts, provided such sign structure does not extend beyond the lot line, nor shall such signs be located closer than 75 feet from each other. The aggregate area of the freestanding sign shall not exceed 100 square feet along Richmond Highway and 24 feet high or 40 square feet and 15 feet high for all other locations. Sign bases, uprights, poles, or other support located under the sign shall not count toward the calculation. When a group of buildings is coordinated into a business or shopping area (business park, industrial park, shopping center, mall, etc.), one freestanding sign structure, permanently fixed to the ground, may be erected on each street on which the area abuts, provided such sign structure does not extend beyond the lot line, nor shall such signs be located closer than 75 feet from each other. Any architectural or decorative material to support or enhance the sign face may not exceed 25% of the sign face area. Sign bases, uprights, poles, or other support located under the sign shall not count toward the calculation. The aggregate face area shall not exceed 24 square feet for the first business or tenant. The aggregate face area may be increased in increments of four square feet for each subsequent business or tenant up to a maximum aggregate face area of 300 square feet along Richmond Highway or 160 square feet for all others. Signs may be illuminated by either backlighting or direct light, provided no light from any illuminated sign shall cause direct glare onto any adjoining property or public right-of-way. Directional signs, each not exceeding four square feet in area and four feet in height, may be displayed as needed to control egress and ingress in a safe and proper manner. One sign with the word "open" (neon or otherwise) shall be permitted per use, provided the sign does not exceed four square feet. Said sign shall not count towards the maximum allowable sign area.

Signs pertaining only to the uses conducted on the premises will be permitted, subject to the following regulations:

Off-premises signs shall be allowed in the following zoning districts: (B-1) General Business, (M-1) Industrial, and (IP) Planned Industrial, subject to the following regulations: No off-premises sign shall be located within a 500-foot radius of an existing off-premises sign. No off-premises sign shall be located within 300 feet of any residential zoning district, public square, park, school, library, or religious assembly property. No off-premises sign shall be allowed to be installed on any roof structure. Side-by-side, double, and/or multi-decker off-premises signs shall be prohibited. Any off-premises sign must have a minimum sign setback of 40 feet from the center line of any public right-of-way, or 15 feet from the front property line, whichever is greater. Any off-premises sign shall have a minimum side and/or rear setback of 15 feet. The maximum size of any off-premises sign on a lot shall be 378 square feet plus 5% for embellishments. There shall be only one sign face pointing in each direction. Multiple-tiered signs shall be prohibited. Sign height for off-premises signs shall not exceed 40 feet above average grade.

Off-premises signs shall be allowed in the following zoning districts: (B-1) General Business, (M-1) Industrial, and (IP) Planned Industrial, subject to the following regulations:

The cumulative area for any temporary sign shall not exceed 32 square feet.

Off-premises signs, including billboards, shall only be allowed in the B-1 General Commercial District, M-1 Industrial District and IP Planned Industrial District.

A nonconforming sign which is damaged or destroyed to an extent exceeding 50% of its appraised value may not be altered, replaced or reinstalled unless it is in conformance with the current standards of this article.

A site development plan shall be required and shall be submitted for the following: New development in every zoning district, including uses approved as special exemptions, except for single-family and two-family dwelling units on individual lots. The conversion of any single-family or two-family dwelling units to any other use, or a higher-intensity residential use, or the conversion of any building or property to a different category (e.g., commercial to industrial). New public buildings, except for minor utility services. Uses involving a structure requiring review by the Planning Commission under § 15.2-2232, Code of Virginia (1950), as amended. Additions or modifications to buildings or uses, except single-family or two-family dwelling units, resulting in an increase of 1,000 square feet or greater in area. The conversion of any property from fee-simple ownership to a condominium form of ownership. The use or development of any parcel conditionally rezoned, where any of the conditions accepted and attached to the parcel apply to the physical arrangement or design of the site.

All off-street loading spaces shall be located on the same lot as the structure or use. No loading space or berth shall be located within 40 feet of the nearest point of intersection of the edge of the adjoining travelway or the ultimate right-of-way of an adjoining street. No loading space or berth shall be located within the front yard setback. No loading space or berth shall be used to meet the space requirements for off-street parking, and no loading space shall interfere with the free circulation within the off-street parking area.

In order to avoid excessive surpluses, environmental impacts, and development costs, parking shall not exceed the minimum requirement by more than 25%. Parking which exceeds the minimum requirement shall be required to comply with the following standards: Increase in quantity from 1% to 10%: Interior landscaping in parking areas shall be increased by 5%. All sides of the parking area shall have a planting strip along them. The planting strip shall be a minimum width of four feet and shall contain one large deciduous or large evergreen tree every 30 feet, and small shrubbery interspersed throughout the planting strip. Increase in quantity from 11% to 25%: Interior landscaping in parking areas shall be increased by 10%. All sides of the parking area shall have a planting strip along them. The planting strip shall be a minimum width of six feet and contain one large deciduous or large evergreen tree every 15 feet, and small shrubbery interspersed throughout the planting strip.

In order to avoid excessive surpluses, environmental impacts, and development costs, parking shall not exceed the minimum requirement by more than 25%.

In the, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zoning Districts: ... No truck or commercial vehicle with, or designed to have, more than two rear wheels shall be allowed to be parked overnight in front of the front building line of the principal structure

Except for vehicles parked within multifamily developments, all recreational vehicles, boats, and utility trailers shall be parked behind the front building line unless space is provided in a completely enclosed garage or other building. ... No truck or commercial vehicle with, or designed to have, more than two rear wheels shall be allowed to be parked overnight in front of the front building line of the principal structure, except while loading or unloading on such premises.

No recreational vehicle shall be used for living or business purposes or connected to utility services except for maintenance purpose or as otherwise provided in this article. Continuous use for living or business purposes for 10 or more days shall be considered a violation of this article, when not being utilized in a bona fide campground or like facility.

All required off-street parking spaces shall be located on the same lot as the structure or use, except under the following conditions: 1. All required parking spaces are on a contiguous lot under the same ownership or in a permanent parking easement on adjacent property. 2. Such required spaces are within 500 feet walking distance of a building entrance or use and such spaces do not require pedestrians to cross a minor arterial or greater highway. 3. Contiguous lots providing off-street parking for more than one use shall provide sufficient space to comply with the parking requirements for all uses.

Off-street parking shall be provided for any new building constructed, for new uses or conversions of existing conforming buildings, or for enlargements of existing structures.

The number of nonresidential parking spaces reserved for the disabled shall comply with the following table as well as with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code... All spaces for disabled parking shall have a minimum dimension of 13 feet by 20 feet. Spaces for disabled shall be the closest to a building entrance... connected by a paved surface with no less than five feet of unobstructed width. At no point shall the gradient exceed a one-foot rise or fall in 20 feet... Spaces shall be clearly marked with both pavement marking and aboveground signage.

Off-street parking spaces that are located on the ground and open to the sky may be located in any required yard unless otherwise required for screening, buffering, landscaping, or other County code. Parking structures and carports shall be subject to the minimum yard setback requirements applicable in the zoning district in which the structure is located. Carports open on all four sides and not permanently affixed to the ground shall not be subject to zoning review or approval; however, they shall be subject to the minimum yard setback requirements applicable in the zoning district in which the structure is located.

All off-street parking spaces shall provide safe and convenient access to a street. If such spaces are contiguous to a public street, then the street side of such space shall be curbed. Aisles between rows of parking spaces shall comply with the geometric design standards in the latest publication of parking guidelines issued by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). All off-street parking and stacking areas, including aisles and driveways, shall be at a minimum graveled and maintained accordingly. It is the strong preference of the County to have all off-street parking, stacking and loading areas for any nonresidential use to be constructed and maintained to a surface meeting the standards of the Virginia Department of Transportation's Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements (SSAR).

Each off-street parking space shall be a minimum of 200 square feet (10 feet by 20 feet). Where parking spaces lie adjacent to landscaped areas, the paved depth of all stalls may be decreased by two feet to provide for a vehicle overhang area, thus reducing the minimum parking space area to 180 square feet (10 feet by 18 feet). The vehicle overhang area may not encroach into any sidewalk area. Compact-vehicle parking will be permitted according to the following regulations: 1. Compact-vehicle spaces shall be located in groups of five or more contiguous spaces and shall have an appropriate marking identifying them as such. 2. Dimensions for compact-vehicle spaces shall be a minimum of 162 square feet (nine feet by 18 feet). 3. If the total parking requirement is 100 spaces or less, then 20% of the spaces may be designated for compact vehicle use.