Sign Ordinance Update
Why update the sign ordinance?
- Improve organization, readability, and consistency.
- Additional regulatory flexibility.
Draft Recommendations
Draft sign ordinance recommendations are now available for public review. Please note that these are draft recommendations and final staff recommendations will be released on December 27.
Definitions
- Remove definitions that are not listed elsewhere in the sign regulations
- Consolidate sign types
- Revise digital sign definition
- Define internally illuminated panel sign, sign area, and sign area ratio
- Revise roof sign definition to clarify that signs on parapets are not roof signs
- Revise sign definition for clarity
Increase Flexibility
- Staff proposes additional flexibility and minor increases in signs allowances based on projects with sign SUPs approved by City Council, prior zoning history, and neighboring jurisdictions.
- Eliminate setbacks
- Eliminate site specific requirements, e.g., a property must be 100 feet wide to be eligible for freestanding sign installation
- Increase maximum freestanding sign size limit
- Increase maximum wall sign size limit
- Increase limits on number of freestanding, wall, and temporary signs
- Allow digital signs and regulate like illuminated signs with additional restrictions:
- Text and graphics shall not be animated, move, or flash
- Digital signs shall have an automatic photocell dimmer
- The changing of text or graphics shall occur no more than two times per minute
- Allow neon signs
Special Use Permits (SUPs)
- Create administrative SUP process for relief from sign rules related to time limits for temporary signs, size, height, illuminated/digital sign regulations, and number of signs
- Update existing standards for SUP approval and merge with new administrative SUP requirements
- Remove Coordinated sign SUP and replace with administrative SUP
Remove standards that are enforced by other City departments or are similar to regulations found in other codes, ordinances, or the Master Plan
- Remove when zoning approval is required because a) permitting is dictated by Code Administration and b) signs addressed by the ordinance must always comply with zoning regardless of whether City permits are required
- Remove sign provisions that are similar to language found in the Master Plan or other sections of the Zoning Ordinance
- Remove maintenance standards and other sign limitations that are similar to language found in the City Code or building code
Other Changes
- Amend how sign area is calculated, e.g., the base of a freestanding monument sign would not be included in sign area total
- General reorganization
- Retain A-frame sign prohibitions
Community Engagement
Wednesday, December 18, 6 p.m. - Community Meeting (Hybrid)
- Del Pepper Community Resource Center, Room 1305-A, 4850 Mark Center Drive
- Staff will present refined recommendations and seek input from meeting attendees. This will be a hybrid meeting with participation available via Zoom:
- Zoom link:
- Meeting ID:
- Passcode:
- Dial in: 301.715.8592
December Staff Virtual Office Hours
In addition to the community meeting, members of the public can join virtual office hours via Teams at the following times:
- Monday, December 16 from 12-2 p.m.
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 269 677 739 390
- Passcode: qy6TD7Wv
- Dial in by phone
- +1 703-719-4698,,355787751#
- Phone conference ID: 355 787 751#
- Tuesday, December 17 from 1-3 p.m.
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 229 517 053 30
- Passcode: ff2Sj2dW
- Dial in by phone
- +1 703-719-4698,,489513855#
- Phone conference ID: 489 513 855#
- Thursday, December 19 from 8-10 a.m.
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 278 098 696 405
- Passcode: Wn7av3Dt
- Dial in by phone
- +1 703-719-4698,,883968157#
- Phone conference ID: 883 968 157#
- Friday, December 20 from 3-5 p.m.
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 250 823 139 99
- Passcode: 5Rs9u6wS
- Dial in by phone
- +1 703-719-4698,,904242648#
- Phone conference ID: 904 242 648#
Public Hearings
Staff report with final recommendations will be released on December 27, 2024. The community is encouraged to participate in the following public hearings:
Planning Commission public hearing
Tuesday, January 7, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Location: City Council Chambers, second floor, City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Staff will present recommendations. Planning Commission will hear public testimony (sign up to speak here) and discuss staff’s recommendations. Planning Commission will then vote to recommend approval or denial of the proposal to City Council.
City Council public hearing
Saturday, January 25, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Location: City Council Chambers, second floor, City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Staff will present Planning Commission’s recommendations. City Council will hear public testimony (sign up to speak here) and discuss staff and Planning Commission’s recommendations. City Council will then vote to approve or deny the sign ordinance amendments.
Previous Community Engagement
- Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m. - Board of Architectural Review, City Hall, 301 King Street, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor
- Staff provided an informational update to the Board of Architectural Review
- Presentation
- Thursday, April 4, 7 p.m. - Planning Commission Work Session, City Council Chambers, second floor, City Hall, 301 King Street
- Staff presented draft recommendations and community input. Planning Commission discussed and provided policy direction to staff.
- Monday, April 1 - Community Meeting #1 , City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 2000
- Staff introduced the sign ordinance update and sought input from meeting attendees.
- Presentation
- Meeting video
Questions?
Contact Rachel Drescher, Urban Planner, 703.746.4333