Culpeper County Unincorporated

Removal is required of any vacant and/or unused sign support structures, angle irons, sign poles or other remnants of old signs, which are not currently in use, or proposed for immediate reuse evidenced by a sign permit application for a permitted sign.

The Zoning Administrator, in consultation with the County Building Official, shall have the authority to order the repair, maintenance or removal of any sign or sign structure that has become dilapidated or represents a hazard to health or safety.

If at the time of the adoption of this Article, or amendments thereto, any sign which is being used in a manner or for a purpose which was otherwise lawful, but does not conform to the provisions of this Article, shall be deemed nonconforming. Such sign may continue only in the manner and to the extent that it existed at the time of such adoption or amendment.

A nonconforming sign and/or sign structure shall not be altered, reconstructed, replaced, or relocated other than to be brought into compliance with this Division, except for: (a) Reasonable repair and maintenance. (b) The changing of the advertised copy or message on an approved painted or printed sign or billboard or a theater marquee and similarly approved signs that are specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.

Removal of a nonconforming sign, or replacement of a nonconforming sign with a conforming sign, is required when: (a) Any such sign or substantial part is blown down, destroyed, deteriorated or for any reason or by any means is taken down, altered, and/or removed. For the purpose of this Article, 'substantial' is defined as fifty percent (50%) or more of the entire sign structure; or (b) The use of the sign and/or the property on which the sign is located has ceased, become vacant or been unoccupied for a consecutive period of two (2) years or more.

Signs proposed to be located within the triangular area on a corner lot formed by measuring twenty (20) feet along both street side property lines from their intersection, or ten (10) feet from the intersection of a property line adjacent and parallel to a public street and a private street or driveway, shall maintain a maximum thirty-six (36) inch top height.

The area of building mounted signs including wall, fascia, mansard, parapet, awning, roof, service island canopy signs, and suspended signs, is derived from the length of each building/structure frontage along the street where such building/structure has frontage: (i) For businesses on sites fronting on one (1) street, the sign area for each business shall not exceed one (1) square foot for each linear foot of the building frontage along the street where such building/structure has frontage. (ii) For businesses on sites fronting on two (2) or more streets, only the primary entrance frontage is measured as described in 'a' above. Auxiliary building elevations of such businesses are permitted sign area not to exceed one-half (½) square foot for each linear foot of building/structure frontage where such building has street frontage, up to a maximum of fifty (50) square feet. However, the aggregate sign area permitted for all building elevations for businesses on multiple frontages is one hundred fifty (150) square feet maximum, subject to the provisions of this section. In addition to the above, elevations which provide a noncustomer service entry, are permitted a nonilluminated building mounted wall sign of six (6) square feet in area, located adjacent to such entry.

A permanent on-premise sign that is normally located adjacent to a public right-of-way, or near various points of passage on or within private property. (a) The sign shall not exceed three (3) square feet in area per face and may be double sided. (b) Building mounted accessory signs are permitted at a height no greater than ten (10) feet flat against a wall of the building. Freestanding accessory signs are permitted provided they are no greater than three (3) feet above grade. (c) A limit of one (1) accessory sign is permitted at each individual location or accessway. (d) Such signs may only be internally illuminated or non-illuminated.

A sign mounted permanently on, under, or otherwise mounted on a service island canopy. (a) All types of service island signs are counted in the aggregate total sign area permitted for the use and are identified as noted herein. (i) Canopy fascia sign: A sign mounted flush against the vertical plane of the canopy fascia. (ii) Sign board: A sign located on a sign board that is permanently mounted on the canopy support pole at a height above the fuel pumps and below the fuel island canopy. (iii) Spanner board sign: A sign mounted flush against the vertical plane of a spanner board. A spanner board is a structural member extending between two (2) vertical support poles of the service island canopy and permanently mounted to the poles at a height above the service area and below the service island canopy.

A sign attached to the underside of a lintel, arch or other overhead spanning member of a porch or walkway, and which is hung either perpendicular or parallel to a vertical wall surface. (a) Such signs are permitted at a location on or immediately adjacent to, the business the sign identifies. (b) Sign area is counted in the aggregate total sign area permitted for the specific use or occupancy and/or shall reduce the allowable wall sign area for the wall from which the sign is displayed. One (1) such sign is permitted per business. (c) A minimum clearance between the bottom of a suspended sign and nearest grade or sidewalk of eight (8) feet is required. (d) No part of a suspended sign is permitted to extend beyond the edge of the building facade or overhang on which it is placed.

A sign painted, etched, or otherwise affixed to a permanently installed window of a building or placed within twenty-four (24) inches of the inside of the window. (a) Permanent window signs may be displayed, provided that the area occupied by permanent window signs shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the area of the window on, or within which they are displayed. (b) No such signs are permitted on second story windows or higher.

Banner signs are prohibited in all zoning districts as permanent signs.

A sign that is printed, painted, or affixed to an awning or canopy. (a) Awning/canopy signs are permitted in non-residential zoning districts only. (b) Sign copy, including logo, shall not exceed one (1) square foot of sign area per lineal foot of awning or canopy width and will count against the maximum allowable sign area for the building/tenant space. (c) On a multi-story building, such signs shall only be displayed on the ground floor awning/canopy. Signs on awnings or canopies of single-story buildings shall not exceed a height of twenty-five (25) feet. (d) No awning sign may project above, below, or beyond the edges of the face of the building wall or architectural element on which it is located. No part of an awning/canopy sign, as part of, or displayed on, the vertical or sloped surface of an awning or canopy, shall project beyond the edges of the awning or canopy surface on which it is displayed. (e) Awning/canopy signs shall not extend horizontally a distance greater than sixty percent (60%) of the horizontal length of the awning/canopy face or valance on which it is displayed. When an awning/canopy covers multiple storefronts, each store or tenant is permitted signage that extends a distance of not greater than sixty percent (60%) of the store width or tenant space.

A sign attached to, painted on, or erected against the wall, parapet, fascia or mansard roof of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the vertical face of the building or structure. (a) The permitted area of such signs is derived from the use and zoning district where the sign is proposed to be located, in accordance with Section 11-4 and Table 11-4. (b) No part of such sign shall project from the building wall on which it is mounted a distance greater than twenty-four (24) inches. (c) Such signs are permitted to be located on the specific business identified therein, and are not transferable in whole or in part from one building frontage to another. Where a single common entrance serves two (2) or more businesses, they are considered one (1) business for sign computation purposes. (d) Building mounted wall signs shall not extend horizontally a distance greater than sixty percent (60%) of the width of the building wall on which it is displayed. Buildings containing multiple occupancies are permitted building mounted wall signs for individual tenants, however, such signage shall not extend horizontally a distance greater than sixty (60%) of the width of the building wall designated for such specific occupancy. (e) No building mounted wall sign shall extend above or below the wall, parapet, or fascia upon which it is placed, nor shall such signs be installed within twelve (12) inches of the top of such building or parapet wall. Signs mounted on the lower portion of a mansard roof with a slope exceeding forty-five (45) degrees from the horizon are permitted, provided such signs do not project above the top of the roof feature on which it is placed. No sign is permitted which breaks the silhouette of the building on which it is located.

A sign that is designed so that characters, letters, numbers, or illustrations can be manually or mechanically/electronically/digitally changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign. (a) A changeable copy sign is permitted provided: (i) For such signs visible from a street, the sign area for a changeable copy sign is limited to not more than forty percent (40%) of the permitted face area of any sign. (ii) For such signs not visible from a street, the forty (40%) percent limitation above shall not apply. (iii) The rate of refresh is no more than twice per twenty-four (24) hour cycle. (iv) The copy advertises products and/or services provided at the sign location only. (v) The sign can only display one color at a time. (b) A changeable copy sign may be installed as part of a building mounted wall sign or a freestanding sign only. (c) All such signs shall comply with applicable illumination provisions of this Article.

A single sign, or a set of similarly designed individual signs placed or displayed in sequence and which may provide information in a list, roster, or directory format. (a) Such signs are not counted in the aggregate sign area for the use subject to the standards of this section, provided they are not visible from the public right-of-way. (b) Such signs may be wall mounted or mounted on a low profile freestanding sign structure and may be non-illuminated, internally illuminated, or directly illuminated by downward directed shielded fixtures. (c) The sign area of any directory sign shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet and, if freestanding, shall not exceed six (6) feet in height. (d) Such signs may be placed at points nearest the pedestrian entrances to the businesses within the multi-tenant development, and/or within pedestrian oriented open spaces.

A sign that is erected or mounted on its own self-supporting permanent structure or base detached from any supporting elements of a building. (a) The number and type of freestanding signs for single and multiple tenant uses are derived from the use, zoning district, location and type of development site frontage as outlined in Section 11-4-5 and Table 11-4. (b) Flag lot sites, having frontage on a public street, are permitted one (1) freestanding sign on the frontage that provides primary access to the site. (c) On a development site where more than one (1) freestanding sign is permitted, allowances for such signs are not transferable in whole or in part, from one street frontage to another. Orientation of a freestanding sign is based upon the street from which the permitted sign is authorized under Section 11-4-5, and Table 11-4. (d) Where more than one (1) freestanding sign is proposed for installation on a development site with multiple frontages, a minimum of sixty (60) linear feet shall separate each freestanding sign. (e) The permanent sign base of a freestanding sign shall have an aggregate width of at least forty percent (40%) of the width of the sign cabinet or face. (f) A landscaped area located around the base of the sign equal to three (3) square feet for each square foot of sign area, is required for all freestanding signs. The landscape area shall contain living landscape material consisting of shrubs, and/or perennial ground cover plants placed throughout the required landscape area having a spacing of not greater than three (3) feet on center. Where appropriate, the planting of deciduous or evergreen trees, installed in a manner that frames or accents the sign structure is encouraged. (g) A freestanding sign may consist of more than one (1) sign panel provided all such sign panels are consolidated into one common integrated sign structure. In the event a sign is installed that does not utilize the maximum sign area permitted, any supplemental additions shall conform within, and be compatible with the existing sign structure. (h) The leading edge of any freestanding sign is required to be set back a minimum of five (5) feet from the street side property line, and the sign structure a minimum of fifteen (15) feet from any interior side lot line. Freestanding signs shall not be installed within thirty (30) feet of any residential district.

A sign consisting of individual letters mounted on a screen or perimeter wall which may be attached or detached from a building, but which is architecturally integrated with the overall development. (a) The maximum permitted area of an individual sign is twenty-four (24) square feet. Multiple signs are permitted on the landscape wall. All such signs are counted in the aggregate building mounted wall sign area for such use. (b) The maximum permitted height of landscape walls where such signs are mounted is four (4) feet and the sign copy, to ensure visibility, must be a minimum of six (6) inches from the top, and twelve (12) inches above ground level. Such signs shall not project above or beyond the top or edge of a landscape wall. (c) Such perimeter or screen walls, and the signs thereon, are permitted only outside of the corner triangle at any corner in accordance with Section 11-3-6, unless the wall on which the sign is located is less than thirty (30) inches in height.

A sign attached to a building or other structure and extending, in whole or in part, more than fourteen (14) inches beyond the building. Projection of less than fourteen (14) inches shall be treated as a wall sign. (a) Such signs are counted in the total aggregate building mounted sign area for each use or occupancy, however, no individual projecting sign shall exceed twelve (12) square feet in area. (b) Projecting signs shall maintain a minimum clearance between the bottom of the sign and nearest grade or sidewalk of eight (8) feet. (c) Such signs may only be non-illuminated or externally illuminated utilizing down directed and shielded fixtures.

A building mounted sign extending above the plate line of a building or structure. (a) Roof mounted signs are permitted on the slope of peaked or sloped roof buildings only, where no walls exist to accommodate a building mounted wall sign. Such signs are counted in the aggregate building mounted sign area permitted for such use. Roof signs are permitted only on the lowest one-third (⅓) of the slope of the peaked roof, such that the sign does not project above the roof peak, break the silhouette of the building, or exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height. (b) Roof mounted signs, which meet the standards of this section, are to be installed in such a manner that the structural supports, to the greatest extent possible, are hidden or concealed from plain view.