Loudoun County Unincorporated

Any sign that displays digital copy, including any illuminated sign on which the illumination is not kept stationary or constant in intensity and color when the sign is in use, including any light emitting diode (LED) or digital panel, and which varies in color or intensity. In the sign industry, digital signs are also referred to as dynamic signs, changeable electronic variable message signs (CEVMS), electronic message centers (EMCs), etc.

A development entry sign or subdivision entry sign.

A type of prohibited sign made of flexible material in the shape of a feather, quill, sail, blade or teardrop, and mounted on a solid or flexible pole or cord. These are sometimes referred to as "quill signs" or "sail banners."

Any sign placed upon or in the ground and not attached to a building. A Freestanding Sign includes ground signs, pylon signs, pole signs, entry signs, and sidewalk signs.

A sign erected and maintained by or under the direction of the County, the Virginia Department of Transportation, other governmental authorities, or a court officer in accordance with the law. Examples of government signs include, but are not limited to, official notices, traffic signs, directional signs, and historical markers.

A sign supported by uprights or braces placed upon or in the ground and not attached to any building. A ground sign includes any pylon sign and does not include a pole sign, entry sign, or sidewalk sign.

A government sign erected to identify a site, location, or landscape related to a person, structure, or event documented as historically significant at the local, state, or national level.

Any sign or any part of a sign that is: (i) illuminated, externally or internally, from an artificial light source located for the specific purpose of such illumination, or (ii) created by the projection of illuminations onto a surface (such as a building wall). An illuminated sign includes any digital sign, internally illuminated sign, externally illuminated sign, or halo lit sign.

A sign located on a flag, banner, or rigid panel that may be freestanding or mounted on a pole or a wall or similar structure, with or without a structural frame, that is normally incidental to the allowed use of the property, but can contain any message or content. The incidental sign category includes Light Post Banner, De Minimis, Temporary, and Miscellaneous Signs. Examples of incidental signs include directional signs, real estate signs, non-commercial opinion signs, menu boards, garage sale signs, holiday decorations, property or tenant identification names or numbers, names of occupants, signs on mailboxes or newspaper tubes, signs posted on private property relating to circulation or private parking, political signs, signs warning the public against trespassing or danger from animals, or signs stating hours of operation, open/closed, accepted forms of payment, business/professional affiliations, etc. This paragraph is provided to clarify the regulations and does not limit the content of incidental signs.

Cloth, paper, vinyl, bunting or the like, intended to be hung individually or in pairs and either with or without frames on a light post.

Visual depictions and/or works of art or licensed reproductions of original works of art including, but not limited to, mosaic, painting, or graphic art techniques that are applied, painted, implanted, or placed directly onto the exterior of any structure. This definition is not intended to discourage the use of new paint and printing technologies.

Any sign located on the same site, the same parcel, or the same development as the use that owns or controls the sign.

Any sign that uses neon, argon, or similar gas to illuminate transparent or translucent tubing or other material to emit light outlining all or a part of that sign. This sign is prohibited except as specifically permitted with the approval of a Sign Development Plan.

A type of freestanding sign that is supported by at least 1 visible support structure or pole. A Pole Sign does not include a flag mounted on a flagpole.

A type of wall sign attached to and projecting outward from a building face or wall, generally at a right angle to the building.

A type of ground sign permanently affixed to the ground, supported by 1 or more supports, and the overall height of the sign, including the supports, is greater than the sign's horizontal width. A pylon sign is commonly used for multitenant buildings or developments.

A movable sign not secured or attached to the ground or surface upon which it is located. A sidewalk sign may be freestanding, placed on an easel, or constructed in a manner to form an "A" shape.

A sign located along the entry to a residential subdivision.

A sign constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wood, wallboard, metal, or other light materials, with or without frames, which is intended to be displayed for a temporary duration or is of a nonrecurring nature. Examples of temporary signs include real estate signs, garage sale signs, holiday decorations, and political signs. These examples are provided to clarify the regulations and do not limit the content of temporary signs.

A type of attached sign that is mounted, painted, affixed, or otherwise secured to the wall of a building or structure. Types of wall signs include but are not limited to awning signs and projecting signs.