Staunton

Signs that do not conform to the regulations prescribed by this chapter, but that were erected in accordance with all applicable regulations in effect at the time of their erection, shall be considered to be nonconforming signs. Nonconforming signs shall not be enlarged, extended, modified, reconstructed, or structurally altered except in accordance with this chapter.

All signs and components thereof shall be kept in good repair and in a safe, neat, clean, and attractive condition.

A sign shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which the sign is located when the business that it advertises is no longer conducted on the premises. If the owner or lessee fails to remove such sign, the zoning administrator shall give the owner 15 days' written notice to remove it.

The zoning administrator is hereby authorized and directed to enforce all of the provisions of this chapter.

Any person, firm, or corporation aggrieved by any decision made hereunder by the historic preservation commission or the zoning administrator may, within 30 days of the action or decision giving rise to such complaint, appeal the same in writing to the council for the city of Staunton.

This chapter, and the various parts, sections, and clauses hereof, are hereby declared to be severable.

In business districts, the following regulations shall apply: Sandwich board signs ... no larger overall than four feet in height and two feet in width. For Public Recreation Uses, Community Facilities, Hospitals, and Clinics: bulletin boards or identification signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area. For Gasoline Service Stations: Two pole signs not exceeding 30 square feet each in surface area.

Special Regulations for the Downtown Business Area. ... The total sign area for a business shall be computed on a ratio of one square foot of sign for each lineal foot of building face occupied by the business, except that no sign on, or attached to, a particular building face shall exceed 30 square feet in area. ... No freestanding sign shall exceed 12 feet in height from grade. ... Only external illumination of signs is permitted.

In any industrial district, the following regulations shall apply: (1) Business signs not exceeding one square foot per one linear foot of street frontage. Such sign shall be located not closer than five feet from any property lines. (2) Flashing to intermittent illumination is prohibited. (3) Billboards and other advertising structures are prohibited.

In any district, the following signs shall be permitted: (1) For each permitted or required parking area that has a capacity of more than four cars, one nonilluminated sign, not more than two square feet in area...

Whenever it shall appear to the zoning administrator that any sign has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of the terms of this chapter, or is unsafe or insecure, such sign shall either be made to conform with all sign regulations as provided by this chapter or shall be removed within 10 days after written notification thereof by the zoning administrator.

Permits and fees shall be regulated by the code of the city of Staunton.

The following regulations shall apply to all gasoline service stations: There shall be a building setback from all right-of-way lines a distance of not less than 40 feet.

Home occupation, where permitted, must meet the following special requirements: ... The home occupation, when restricted to the main building, shall not occupy more than 25 percent of the floor area within said building except in the case of in-home day care.

A homestay shall be exempt from providing additional off-street parking required under the provisions of Chapter 18.125 SCC.

No more than six chickens shall be allowed per property... Roosters are prohibited. Chickens shall not be allowed to roam free and they shall be kept in a pen or coop at all times. All coops and pens shall be deemed accessory structures and shall comply with the rear yard setback requirement of being not less than 10 feet from the property line at all times. All coops and pens shall be located in the rear yard only.

Any nonprofit organization organizing, creating and maintaining a community garden shall be permitted to use the property as a permitted principal use in all zoning districts excluding R-1 and R-2, low density residential districts.

The following uses are deemed to be temporary uses and shall also be subject to the specific regulations and time limits which follow and to the regulations of any district in which such use is located.

Beekeeping shall be permitted as an accessory use to a single-family or two-family dwelling on property zoned residential or professional, provided any person keeping bees thereon adheres to the following conditions

All nonresidential and multiple-family development (multifamily buildings) shall be subject to the site plan review requirements of this chapter.