Gainesville › Unified Land Development Code

Article 14 — Signs, Chapter 14-10 — CONSTRUCTION, PERMISSIONS AND PERMITS

current as of 2025-12-16verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗4 sections · full chapter

§ 14-10-1

Building Permit and Conformance to Codes

Whether or not required by the building code, a building permit shall be required and must be obtained from the Building Department prior to installation or placement of all the following:

(a)Permanent freestanding signs.

(b)Projecting signs.

(c)Suspended signs.

(d)Wall signs.

(e)Billboards.

Prior to permit approval, design review in accordance with Article 8 of the Unified Land Development Code shall be required to be accomplished. If plans are required for issuance of a building permit for a sign, the plans shall be certified as to conformance with all structural and wind-load resistive standards of the Building Code adopted by Section 16-1-2 by a structural engineer registered in the State of Georgia, or be prepared using standard drawings prepared by a structural engineer or other qualified professional meeting or exceeding all requirements of the Building Code adopted by Section 16-1-2.

§ 14-10-2

Composition and Construction Materials

(a)All permanent principal use freestanding signs and project entrance signs shall be required to be monument signs, except as may be authorized otherwise by the Community Development Director per Section 14-7-2 of this Article.

(b)Sign Materials.

(1)Exposed surfaces of signs must be constructed of or appear to be constructed of metal, glass, stone, concrete, brick, cloth, or wood, or similar approved material.

If synthetic materials are authorized, they shall have the same finished appearance as the materials specified here.

(2)Sandblasted wood signs are not prohibited but may or may not be considered appropriate.

(3)Plywood or unfinished wood is not an appropriate material for signs and shall not be permitted.

(4)Temporary signs shall be made of metal, plastic, laminated cardboard, or some other durable and waterproof material. No such sign shall be made of paper.

(5)The composition of any sign in the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone may be restricted or regulated by the Historic Preservation Commission.

§ 14-10-3

Sign Approval in Historic Preservation Overlay Zone

Signs located in the Historic Preservation Overlay established by Chapter 7-7 require a Certificate of Appropriateness to be issued pursuant to Chapter 19-3 of this ULDC. Within the Historic Preservation Overlay no freestanding or building sign shall be erected or installed unless sign has been approved by the Gainesville Historic Preservation Commission, except as specifically provided otherwise in this Section.

In acting on applications involving sign approvals, the Historic Preservation Commission shall consider the criteria established for the issuance of certificates of appropriateness, and adopted design guidelines for signs, if any. In addition, the Historic Preservation Commission may consider the following, which shall not be limiting, in issuing certificates of appropriateness for signs and may use these criteria in determining whether to approve, deny, or modify said signs:

(a)The sign with its overall design makes a positive contribution to the general appearance of the street and area in which it is located.

(b)The scale, size, and shape of the sign are proportional to the building on which they are placed or to which it pertains and the area in which it is located. To this end, the Historic Preservation Commission may find that a sign is out of character with the area or not proportional to the building, activity or use and may work with the applicant to reduce the scale, size or shape or placement of the sign or signs.

(c)The sign does not obscure architectural features of the building, and the design of the sign is integrated with the design of the building.

(d)The sign is designed for and directed toward pedestrians rather than to vehicular traffic so that it can be easily and comfortably read standing adjacent to the business, activity, or use.

(e)Signage, particularly freestanding principal signs, shall be simple in design and draw upon the architectural elements of the principal building.

(1)If the sign proposed is a wall sign, it must establish an appropriate rhythm to the facade.

(2)The proposed sign shall be composed of materials that are compatible with the materials of the building facade where it is placed or to which it pertains.

(3)Design, lettering, and composition of the sign must be compatible with the building.

(4)Lighting shall be indirect only, unless otherwise approved as part of a Certificate of Appropriateness granted by the Historic Preservation Commission.

The Historic Preservation Commission may approve design guidelines and examples of appropriate signs. All such approved design guidelines and examples of appropriate signs shall be maintained on file with the Community and Economic Development Department and be made available to applicants for signs in the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone. If such guidelines are examples are adopted, and a sign within the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is found by the Director to be consistent with said guidelines or examples of appropriate signs, the Director may issue approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness as a minor work project without the need for review and approval by the Historic Preservation Commission. In acting on applications involving sign approvals, the Director shall consider the criteria established for the issuance of certificates of appropriateness, adopted design guidelines for signs, and the criteria established in this Section.

§ 14-10-4

Sign Compliance Verification Letter

Except for signs that require a building permit or a Certificate of Appropriateness under the terms of this Chapter, no additional approval shall be required to erect a sign. However, property owners who want to ensure compliance with the terms of this Article may apply for and subject to a reasonable fee as may be established from time to time by the Governing Body and the Community Development Department may issue a written sign compliance verification letter. The Department shall have 10 calendar days from the date a complete request was received to issue a sign compliance verification letter.