Tangier City Zoning Code

5-1. Statement of Purpose. The following sign regulations are established to assure compatibility of signs with surrounding land usage, to enhance the economy of the Town, to preserve natural beauty and to promote the reasonable, orderly and effective display of outdoor advertising.

5-2. Advertising Outdoors Regulated. No person except a public officer or employee in performance of a public duty shall paste, post, paint, print, nail, tack, erect, place, maintain, or fasten any sign, pennant, flags, outdoor advertising signs, billboard, or notice of any kind, or cause the same to be done, facing or visible from any public street or public open space, except as provided herein.

5-3. Signs Permitted by Right The following signs are permitted by right, subject to other applicable provisions of this Article. 

A.       Business. A business sign is defined as a sign which directs attention to a product, commodity, or service available on the premises. Signs or a combination of letters may be attached to a building or structure, where business is conducted on the premises, for the purpose of advertising and displaying the name, address, and/or a business slogan, of the specific business. A Business sign shall not exceed 16 square feet, and the number of signs allowed is limited to one (1) sign per street frontage per establishment.

B.       Restaurant. In addition to other signage, restaurants and cafes shall be permitted a menu or sandwich board sign, which shall not exceed five (5) square feet.

C.       Directional. A directional sign, displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, must not exceed four (4) square feet, giving the name only of the business responsible for the erection of same, one (1) end of which may be pointed, or on which an arrow may be painted.

D.       Identification. An identification sign is defined as a sign displayed for the purpose of showing the name and use of a church, cemetery, fraternal organization, hospital or other similar establishment. An identification sign must not exceed 16 square feet, and is limited to one (1) sign per establishment.

E.        Home Occupation. A home occupation sign is defined as a sign identifying a product, commodity or service available on the premises, but which product, commodity or service is clearly a secondary use of the dwelling. A Home Occupation sign shall not exceed four (4) square feet, and is limited to one (1) sign per establishment. 

5-4. General Regulations.

A.  All signs shall be of balanced proportions and symmetrical in shape.   All signs and the surrounding area shall be maintained in a neat and orderly manner.

B. Signs shall not exceed a height of 15 feet above ground level or the street to which it is oriented, whichever is higher.

C. All signs must be attached, or wall-mounted, to a building or other permanent structure; Freestanding signs are prohibited.

D.        Signs constructed of paper or cardboard are prohibited.

E. Applied letters may substitute for wall-mounted signs, if constructed of painted wood, painted cast metal, bronze, brass or black anodized aluminum. Applied plastic letters shall not be permitted. The height of applied letters shall not exceed eight (8) inches

5-6. Nonconforming Signs. Any sign lawfully in existence at the time of the effective date of this ordinance may be maintained although it does not conform with the provisions of this ordinance. Such nonconforming signs shall comply in all respects with the requirements of Article 6 relating to nonconforming uses. If such nonconforming sign is destroyed, demolished, or removed due to any reason, it shall not be replaced without complying with all provisions of Article 6.