The Town of Abingdon staff has received several
inquiries regarding temporary signs placed in citizen’s yards as well as those
placed within the public right of way. The Town adopted a sign ordinance
regarding temporary signs in June 2007, which is accessible with the full Code
of Ordinances for the Town of Abingdon at the following link:
Article
21 - Signs
Section
21-9. - Temporary signs.
(a) Temporary signs are permitted provided
they meet the standards of this section. The area of any temporary sign
maintained per this section shall not count for the allowable permanent sign
area for any lot or structure.
(b) A "temporary sign" is a sign
that is not permanently mounted to a building or into the ground. Signs
attached by rope, string, chain, tape, paste, and similar mechanisms; signs not
rigidly attached to a supporting structure; signs made of paper, cardboard,
cloth, and similar materials; and signs that are pushed, hammered or similarly
put into the ground are considered temporary signs.
Examples of temporary signs include,
but are not limited to, garage or yard sale signs, political campaign signs,
real estate signs, construction signs, menu/daily special signs.
(c) Each temporary sign shall be maintained
in good, safe condition, securely affixed to a building or the ground.
(d) Temporary sign area per lot shall not
exceed 32 square feet.
(e) Any temporary sign pertaining to an
event must be removed within ten days after the event. For example, garage or
yard sale signs, political campaign signs, and real estate signs are subject to
this provision. For all other temporary signs, a maximum posting period of 14
consecutive calendar days is permitted, up to five times per calendar year.
Such signs shall not be attached in any way to utility poles, meter posts, or
trees within any public street right-of-way. No person shall put up any notice
upon any building, wall, fence or other property of another person without
having first obtained the consent of the owner of such property.
(f) A temporary sign shall not be
illuminated.
(g) Pennants and streamers, without
advertising, may be displayed simultaneously with temporary grand opening
signs, but at no other time.
(1) Each sign is 32 square feet or less in
area;
(2) Each sign is on-premises and attached to
the structure or a permanent sign;
(3) Such signs are displayed no more than 14
consecutive days.
(Ord. of 6-4-07(2))
Section
21-8. - Prohibited signs.
21-8-1. The following signs are
prohibited within the town unless otherwise stated in this article:
a. Any sign affixed to, hung, placed or
painted on any other sign, fence, cliff, tree, public utility pole, radio or
television or similar tower provided that this prohibition shall not affect
official traffic, parking or informational signs placed on utility poles by the
town government.
b. Any sign or banner within or across a
public right-of-way, unless specifically approved by the town manager, or his
designee.
c. Any sign attached to, rather than
painted on, an awning which is not a marquee.
d. Any flashing or moving sign, except
those officially erected for safety purposes.
e. Any sign which advertises any,
business, product or service which is not conducted, produced or sold as a
primary product under license on the premises where the sign is located. Signs
relating to the activities of the previous occupant may remain in place for not
more than 60 days from the date of vacancy. When a business is vacated, the
sign for such terminated business shall be removed within 60 days.
f. Any sign which the town manager
determines to imitate an official traffic sign or signal or conflict with
traffic safety needs due to its location, coloring, movement, shape or
illumination.
g. Reserved.
h. Portable signs.
i. Any sign, except an official public
notice, which is nailed, tacked, posted, or in any other manner attached to any
utility pole, or structure supporting wire, cable, or pipe; or to public
property of any description.
j. Signs advertising activities or
products that are illegal under federal, state, town, or county law.
k. Any electrical sign that does not
display the UL, ETL, CSA, or ULC label.
l. Any sign that due to its size,
illumination, location or height obstructs the vision of motorists or
pedestrians at any intersection, or similarly obstructs the vision of motorists
entering a public right-of-way from private property.
m. A sign which obstructs any window or
door opening used as a means of egress, or which prevents free passage from one
part of a roof to any other part thereof, and a sign which interferes with an
opening required for ventilation.
n. A sign in a public right of way except
as provided in section 21-11 of this article. Any sign existing or having been
allowed in a public right-of-way may be ordered removed by the administrator
upon 30 days' notice if the use of that right of way is changed to require the
signs' removal, or if the public right of way is to be used for any public
purposes inconsistent with the existence of the sign.
o. A sign or illumination that causes any
glare into or upon any building or land other than the building and land to
which the sign is accessory or due to illumination presents a hazard to
pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic on any public and/or private right-of-way.
p. A sign that violates any provision of
any federal or state law relative to outdoor advertising.
q. Signs with moving components.
r. Pennants, streamers, except as
provided in section 21-9(g).
s. Large floating or stationary balloons.
t. Signs attached, painted, or mounted to
unlicensed and inoperative or generally stationary vehicles.
u. 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.
v. Off-premises signs. No off-premises
signs are permitted in the Town of Abingdon, except location signs which may be
located off-premises.
w. Billboards, except those existing at the
adoption of this ordinance (June 4, 2007). Repair of existing billboards is
allowed, however, replacement is not.
x. Signs
placed in the right-of-way of any street.
The sign regulations are intended to define, permit,
and control the use of signs which are legible from the public right-of-way.
Town Council has adopted these regulations in order to achieve community goals
and objectives, which include but are not limited to:
- ·
Protecting the health, safety, and
welfare of the public.
- ·
Equitably distributing the privilege of
using the public environs to communicate private information.
- ·
Safeguarding the public use and nature
of the streets and sidewalks.
For more information or questions about the sign
ordinance, please contact Town Hall at 276-628-3167 and ask to speak with Code
Compliance.
Examples of Temporary Signs
