The purpose of the division is to:

(1)

Ensure that businesses, individuals, and institutions have a reasonable opportunity to use signs as an effective means of communication;

(2)

Preserve property values;

(3)

Enhance the physical appearance of the city, and/or the natural scenic beauty;

(4)

Reduce distractions, obstructions, and hazards to pedestrian and vehicular traffic; and

(5)

Promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of city residents and visitors.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

Except as otherwise provided in 50-165 below, all persons erecting, changing, installing, or otherwise placing signs must first obtain a sign permit. The changing of copy or sign facing on an existing sign or the painting, cleaning or other normal maintenance, not including a structural change to the sign, does not require a sign permit.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

The following signs, if securely attached to real property and adequately maintained, are exempted from the requirement for a permit in section 50-164 and from the provisions of this division unless otherwise regulated:

(1)

Historical markers authorized by the appropriate authorities;

(2)

Highway markers, traffic control signs, and street signs;

(3)

Public wayfinding signs;

(4)

Displays of public art that do not display a commercial message;

(5)

Signs on the inside of ballpark or stadium field fences, or displayed inside other large sports or entertainment venues;

(6)

Public notices or other temporary signs if authorized by the city manager;

(7)

Home occupation signs, as regulated in section 50-134;

(8)

Temporary signs, as defined and regulated in section 50-172;

(9)

Incidental signs, as defined in division 18;

(10)

Flags and insignia of the United States of America, Commonwealth of Virginia, City of Bristol, or other official flags displayed for non-commercial purposes;

(11)

Signs displayed inside a building, including those temporarily attached to windows;

(12)

Street banners, as defined, subject to city policy and authorization;

(13)

Air-activated or inflated advertisements, as long as they do not block sight distance or interfere with traffic or pedestrians, limited to one per business establishment and a display period of not more than 30 days per six-month period.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

The following advertisements or sign structures are prohibited:

(1)

Signs that may be confused with traffic signs or signals, including those implying a requirement to stop or the existence of danger, or which imitate official highway signs or traffic signals with red, green, or amber lights or reflectorized material;

(2)

Signs with intermittent or flashing lights, loud noises, or movable objects;

(3)

Signs located near any public street intersection or near any curve in a public street that obstruct clear vision of traffic in any direction, as determined by current industry standards or evaluation by the city engineering or public works department;

(4)

Signs that advertise activities which are illegal at the location of advertisement or at the location of such activities;

(5)

Signs that are otherwise prohibited by this article, as amended, or applicable regulations adopted by the state department of transportation;

(6)

Signs with lighting of such intensity, brightness, glare, or direction to the extent that it impairs the vision of any driver or otherwise interferes with that driver's operation of a motor vehicle;

(7)

Banner signs stretched across the width of a street, highway, or alley; except when such sign is attached to standards erected and owned by the city and is duly authorized by the city and subject to city policies;

(8)

Signs that are attached to any city or utility pole or street light or located in any part of a public right-of way unless approved and erected by the city, except temporary A-frame signs as regulated in section 50-172.

(9)

Signs that are non-permanent in nature, made of plastic, paper, cloth, cardboard or similar material and are mounted on a wire frame, metal, wooden or plastic stakes and easily placed in the ground or attached to a wall or fence, except those that meet the requirements of section 50-172 for temporary signs.

(10)

Off-premises signs.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

The following standards shall apply to the number, location and type of freestanding, non-residential signs permitted within the city:

(1)

Pole signs.

a.

Pole signs shall only be allowed in the interstate advertising corridor, as defined in division 18 and if designed for the purpose of being visible to interstate traffic.

b.

Such signs shall comply with the area and height requirements in the free-standing sign allowances chart in (e) below.

c.

In no case shall land zoned for residential use be permitted a freestanding pole sign and no pole sign shall be allowed within 100 feet of a school property line.

d.

In no case shall any parcel of land be permitted more than one pole sign.

e.

No part of a pole sign shall be closer than five feet from any property line.

f.

The maximum height for a pole sign is 40 feet from the adjacent grade with the exception of pole sign locations that are below the elevation of the adjacent interstate. These properties may measure the 40 feet from the crown of the nearest interstate.

(2)

Ground-mounted signs.

a.

Except pole signs as allowed in subsection (a) above, all freestanding signs in the city shall be ground-mounted monument or post signs, and shall conform to the area requirements in the free-standing sign allowances chart in subsection (e) below.

b.

Establishments are permitted one ground-mounted sign per street frontage.

c.

Ground-mounted signs shall not exceed ten feet in height as measured from adjacent grade in B-3, M-1, M-2, or O-I; and six feet in height as measured from adjacent grade in B-1 and B-2.

d.

Ground-mounted signs shall have a minimum setback of ten feet as measured from any property line, except as may be allowed in subsections (d) and (e) below.

(3)

Multi-tenant signs.

a.

Multi-tenant signs shall be permitted in the B-1, B-3, O-I, M-1 and M-2 zoning districts.

b.

Such signs shall be no more than 20 feet in height as measured from adjacent grade, and have no more than 600 square feet of total sign area, except for the B-1 district which is subject to section 50-167(e).

c.

Multi-tenant signs in the B-1 district shall be no more than eight feet in height and have no more than 75 feet of total sign area.

d.

Multi-tenant signs shall be subject to a minimum setback of ten feet as measured from any property line and shall not be permitted within 100 feet of any school property line.

e.

Multi-tenant properties may construct a ground-mounted sign pursuant to the requirements of the free-standing sign allowances chart in (e) below or a multi-tenant sign as described above.

f.

Multi-tenant properties located within the interstate advertisement corridor may construct a pole sign pursuant to the freestanding sign allowances chart in (e), a multi-tenant sign as described above, and a ground-mounted sign.

g.

Each tenant advertising on a multi-tenant sign may construct an advertising area equal to that allowed for ground-mounted signage pursuant to the freestanding sign allowances chart in (e) below, considering the length of individual store frontage as the same as parcel frontage.

h.

Multi-tenant signs constructed within the interstate advertisement corridor shall not exceed 40 feet in height as measured from:

1.

The adjacent grade if directed toward an arterial road or a road of less designation.

2.

The crown of the nearest interstate if directed toward an interstate.

(1)

Setback exception. When the existing buildings along a road frontage are set back less than the minimum front yard requirements, new sign setback may be less than the minimum, but not less than the average setback of all signs in the same block or 200 feet on either side of the proposed sign, whichever is greater. No sign shall be located within a street right-of-way or obstruct clear vision as defined by industry standards or as determined by the city engineering or public works department.

(5)

All freestanding signage shall not exceed the following maximum square footage:

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

The following standards shall apply to wall signs within the City of Bristol.

(1)

Allowable sign area shall be determined by the length of each street frontage pursuant to the requirements in the wall sign allowances chart in (9) below.

(2)

Aggregate wall sign area shall not exceed 15 percent of the total area of the wall that the sign is placed on.

(3)

Multi-tenant buildings shall be allowed sign area per tenant space in accordance with the wall sign allowances chart in subsection (9) below, measuring the tenant's individual unit frontage as street frontage.

(4)

Wall signs shall not project more than one foot from the building wall nor shall they be within one foot of an established curb line. However, wall signs in the B-2 district may project up to four feet from the building wall.

(5)

The lower edge of projecting or suspended wall signs shall be at a height at least eight feet above the sidewalk.

(6)

Wall signs that project above the roofline of the building on which they are attached shall meet all requirements of the statewide building code and be counted as part of the total wall signage allowance.

(7)

Canopy and suspended signs, shall be considered wall signs when calculating wall sign area.

(8)

When calculating allowed wall signage for establishments with multiple buildings the allowed sign area per street frontage shall be considered aggregate for all buildings.

(9)

All wall signage shall not exceed the following maximum square footage based on the location and length of the building frontage:

(10)

The maximum square footage may be divided between multiple signs and different sides of the building as long as the total sign area does not exceed 15 percent of the total wall space where the signage is located.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

Residential signage shall be limited to one freestanding ground mounted sign per subdivision or development entrance not exceeding 18 square feet of advertising area per face, six feet in height, and shall be setback at least ten feet from any property line. A residential sign may be externally illuminated as long as any lighting is directed only on the sign and away from any residential property.

(b)

Signs in the FRD and the PUD district shall correspond with the regulations for the B-1 district found in this division, and are subject to the sign allowance flexibility in section 50-171.

(c)

Signs on residentially-zoned property for non-residential uses such as churches and schools shall correspond to the regulations for the B-1 district in this division.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

All non-residential signs may be illuminated either internally or externally, unless it distracts motorists as prohibited in subsections 50-166(2) and (6) or unless otherwise prohibited elsewhere in this division.

(b)

Electronic message centers (EMC) may be used as freestanding or wall signs and shall be counted against total allowed sign square footages as outlined in the size allowance charts in subsections 50-167(5) and 50-168(9) with the following restrictions:

(1)

EMC displays shall be allowed in the B-1, B-3, M-1, and M-2 districts; and churches and schools in all districts shall be permitted to utilize EMC displays.

(2)

An EMC shall include automatic dimming features for low light conditions and shall not distract motorists, as prohibited in subsections 50-166(2) and (6).

(3)

An EMC shall not contain video, continuous scrolling messages, or animation.

(4)

Messages or images displayed shall be static, appearing using a fade transition.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

In large-scale commercial and mixed use developments, a master sign plan can be approved by the planning commission if the following conditions are met: All signs are well-designed and complementary to each other; signs are no larger than necessary to ensure legibility and visibility; and the number of signs within the development shall be sufficient to provide necessary and safe internal vehicle and pedestrian circulation and wayfinding. A master sign plan can result in an increase of 25 percent in area for wall signage and 50 percent in area and height for free-standing signs.

(b)

For individual properties, a combined sign plan can be approved by the zoning administrator that allows the maximum allowance for free-standing signs and wall signs to be combined and distributed between those two kinds of signs, as long as subsection 50-168(2) is met for wall signage.

(c)

For buildings that exceed three stories in height, the wall sign allowance can be increased by ten percent for every additional floor above three, as long as subsection 50-168(2) is met for each individual wall.

(d)

Pole signs may be allowed for locations up to 500 feet beyond the interstate advertising corridor as long as the maximum size and height in subsection 50-167(5) is reduced by 25 percent for every 250 feet over the 1,000 foot distance. In these cases, sign height shall be measured from the adjacent grade.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

Temporary signs may be erected without a permit in all zoning districts, however all applicable requirements in this division shall apply, in addition to the following regulations:

(b)

All temporary signs must be securely attached to the ground, wall, or a fence; well-maintained; and must be removed if torn, damaged, falling down, or no longer legible, regardless of the time allowance provided in the temporary sign chart under (c) below.

(c)

The following regulations apply to categories of temporary signs:

(d)

The FRD and PUD districts, and non-residential uses in residential zones such as churches and schools, shall be treated the same as the B-1 district for temporary signage regulations in (c).

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

Every sign and its structure shall be maintained as safe and in good structural condition at all times, including the replacement of defective parts and wiring, painting, repainting, cleaning, and other acts required for general maintenance.

(b)

Upon written notice from the city, the owner, person, or firm maintaining a sign shall remove the sign when it becomes unsafe, is in danger of falling, or it becomes so deteriorated that is no longer serve a useful purpose of communication; or it is determined by the city to be a nuisance, or it is deemed unsafe by the city; or is unlawfully erected in violation of any of the provisions of this division.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

Any on-premises sign that is determined to be an abandoned sign as defined in division 18 and does not conform to the minimum standards of this chapter shall be deemed a nonconforming sign and shall be either removed from the premises or made to conform to this chapter within 24 months from the date of cessation of the use, activity or product to which it pertains. Any on-premises sign that is determined to be an abandoned sign, but is otherwise conforming to the minimum standards of this chapter, shall be painted over within 12 months from the date of cessation of the use, activity or product to which it pertains.

(b)

Any nonconforming off-premises sign which is determined to be an abandoned sign as defined in division 18 shall be removed including the sign face and all of its supporting structure within 24 months of its cessation of use.

(c)

There may be some instances that an abandoned sign whether conforming or nonconforming may be determined to be exempt from this section if the sign possesses documented historic architectural value or unique design as determined by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources or the Bristol Historical Association such as a sign painted on a wall of a historic structure, as long as it is not unsafe to the public.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

In requiring removal of unsafe, unlawful, or abandoned signs as regulated in sections 50-173 and 50-174, the zoning administrator shall provide 30 days from the date of the notice for compliance. If the property owner fails to comply within 30 days, the city may remove the sign and the cost of the removal shall be paid by the owner or person having the beneficial use of the premises. If the cost is not paid to the city within 30 days from the written statement requesting payment, the city may place a lien against the property until such cost is paid to be collected in the same manner as delinquent real property taxes.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

(a)

Normal maintenance of a legal nonconforming sign, including changing of copy, nonstructural repairs, and incidental alterations which do not extend or intensify the nonconforming features of the sign, shall be permitted. No structural alteration, enlargement, or extension shall be made to a legal nonconforming sign unless the alteration, enlargement, or extension will result in elimination or reduction of the nonconforming features of the sign. Alteration includes adding internal illumination or an electronic message center to a nonconforming sign.

(b)

A nonconforming sign shall not be relocated unless the relocation results in the sign becoming a conforming sign at the new location. All provisions of this division apply to a relocated sign, including the requirement for a permit.

(c)

Should any legal nonconforming sign be damaged by any means to an extent of 50 percent or more of its replacement cost at the time of damage, it shall not be reconstructed except in conformity with the provisions of this article. In the event damage or destruction of the sign is less than 50 percent of its replacement cost at that time, the sign may be rebuilt to its original condition and may continue to be displayed.

(d)

Nonconforming signs shall be exempt from the provisions of this section if the sign possesses documented historic architectural value or unique design as determined by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources or the Bristol Historical Association; or if the sign is required to be moved because of public right-of-way improvements.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)