Gainesville › Unified Land Development Code
Article 14 — Signs, Chapter 14-6 — SUPPLEMENTAL SIGNAGE ALLOWANCES
§ 14-6-1
Sign During Sale or Construction
This section authorizes temporary signage during the time a lot, building, or tenant space is for sale, lease, rent, or under construction, as follows, subject to the area and other limitations of this section. Such signs authorized in this section may be placed on a site as specified until the property or premises is sold, leased, or rented, in which case the sign is no longer authorized.
(a)Vacant lot. During the time a vacant lot is for sale, lease, rent, or under construction, one freestanding sign per property frontage shall be authorized on the lot.
(b)Building. During the time a building on a lot is for sale, lease, rent, or under construction, one freestanding sign per property frontage, or one wall sign per building frontage, or one window sign shall be authorized.
(c)Multiple buildings or tenant spaces. During the time a development with more than one building, or more than one leasable spaces within one or more buildings, has tenant spaces for sale, lease, rent, or under construction, one freestanding sign shall be authorized on the lot. In addition, either one wall sign shall be authorized on the building with tenant space available, or one window sign shall be authorized within the building window of the tenant space available.
Table 14-6: Sign Allowances for Temporary Sale or Construction Signs
| Signs During Sale or Construction | Zoning District | R-I-A, R-I, N-C, R-II | R-O | O-I, N-B | R-B, G-B | C-B | L-I, H-I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding sign maximum sign face area (sq. ft.) | 4 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 32 | 48 | |
| Freestanding sign maximum height (ft.) | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| Wall sign (sq. ft.) | 4 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 32 | 48 | |
| Window sign (% of total window area) | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% |
R-O O-I, N-B R-B, G-B C-B L-I, H-I Freestanding sign maximum sign face area (sq. ft.) 4 12 24 48 32 48 Freestanding sign maximum height (ft.) 4 4 6 8 8 8 Wall sign (sq. ft.) 4 12 24 48 32 48 Window sign (% of total window area) 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%
Reading grid · rebuilt for display · verify at source (p. 420) ↗
§ 14-6-2
A-frame Sign
(a)An institution or establishment is authorized to display, during the institution or establishment’s hours of operations, one A-frame sign, not exceeding three feet in height or six square feet in total area in the following locations:
(1)On a public sidewalk in the C-B zoning district; or
(2)On a public sidewalk in the Midland Overlay; or
(3)In commercial zoning districts which have a private sidewalk or private walkway in front of the building located at least 40 feet from a public right of way.
(b)No such A-frame sign shall obstruct pedestrian or handicapped accessibility movements.
(c)Any sign authorized by this section shall be removed from the sidewalk or walkway when the institution or establishment is not open.
§ 14-6-3
Banner, Temporary
(a)Interim for an establishment. The occupant or prospective occupant of a building or leased space may erect a temporary banner not exceeding 32 square feet in area, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, provided that the occupant or prospective occupant has applied for a sign permit for permanent wall sign (or if permitted, permanent freestanding sign) for the building or leased space. The temporary banner may be affixed to a building wall, or if properly secured be affixed to an existing sign or to the ground. The temporary banner shall not remain in place for more than 60 days and must be removed once the permanent wall sign is erected.
(b)Temporary for residential subdivision. On any lot at the entrance to a subdivision of detached, single-family lots which has a lawful project entrance sign, one temporary banner not exceeding 16 square feet may be attached to the face of the project entrance sign or secured to the ground, during a time period of 40 days before and 40 days after the official date of a public high school graduation in the locality.
(c)General restrictions. Banners shall not be hung as under-canopy signs, flown as flags, or attached to or used as any other form of sign unless specifically provided otherwise in this Article.
§ 14-6-4
Billboards
A billboard, as defined, is allowed subject to compliance with the following requirements:
(a)The sign must be located in G-B, L-I, or H-I zoning districts within 300 feet of a State, U.S. or Interstate numbered highway.
(b)In the G-B district, the area of the sign face shall not exceed 80 square feet. In the L-I and H-I districts, the area of the sign face shall not exceed 240 square feet. In each of the districts, the height of the sign shall not exceed 25 feet.
(c)All portions of the billboard shall be located in accordance with the principal building setback requirements of the zoning district in which it is located.
(d)The billboard shall not be located within 1,000 feet of any other billboard or within 500 feet of a residential zoning district. Distance measurements shall be made horizontally in all directions from the nearest edge of the sign face.
(e)The billboard may not be located on or over any building.
(f)No buildings, structures, parking, or appurtenances may be constructed within the fall zone of a billboard, except that when the fall zone extends beyond the property line of the parcel on which the billboard is located, then buildings, structures, parking, or appurtenances shall not be restricted on the adjacent property.
(g)No billboard shall be constructed in a location where the fall zone of the proposed billboard includes any buildings, structures, parking, or appurtenances.
(h)Billboards located near expressway interchanges shall be limited as follows:
(1)No more than one billboard may be located in each quadrant of the interchange.
(2)Such billboards shall be restricted to an area in each quadrant 1,200 feet long beginning 500 feet from the road that crosses the expressway or 500 feet beyond the point where the pavement begins to widen on the main travelway of the expressway to accommodate an exit or entrance ramp, whichever is farther from the interchange.
(i)All billboards visible from or within 660 feet of a U.S. or State numbered highway shall comply with all requirements of the State of Georgia.
A site plan prepared by a registered land surveyor, architect or engineer shall be submitted with all billboard applications. The site plan shall include a boundary survey of the property, the exact location of the proposed billboard, and certification that all dimensional and distance requirements of this chapter are met.
§ 14-6-5
Canopy Signs
Freestanding canopies covering accessory uses or structures on a commercial or industrial lot shall be permitted one attached sign on each side of the freestanding canopy facing a street, not to exceed one-quarter (1/4) square foot per linear frontage of canopy per individual canopy sign.
§ 14-6-6
Changeable Copy
(a)Changeable copy electronic signs are not permitted within R-I-A, R-I, N-C, R-II, O-I, or N-B districts.
(b)No more than one changeable copy electronic sign shall be permitted for any single lot.
(c)Changeable copy shall be authorized to be incorporated into a principal use, monument (freestanding) sign. A changeable copy electronic price changer sign may be permitted on no more than two sides of a fuel canopy in lieu of a principal use, monument (freestanding) sign.
(d)Changeable copy shall not be incorporated into an existing billboard.
(e)Each message shall remain fixed for at least 10 seconds.
(f)There shall be a transition time of no more than 2 seconds between different messages for electronic changeable copy signs and no more than 3 seconds for mechanical changeable copy signs. Messages that dissolve or fade during transition time shall be permitted.
(g)Messages shall not consist of video, and messages shall not flash, blink, vary in light intensity, or travel, scroll, or behave in any other way which constitutes or implies motion or movement, except as specifically provided in this section during transition time.
(h)Changeable copy electronic signs shall include a default designed to freeze a display in one still position if a malfunction occurs.
(i)Changeable copy electronic signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area.
§ 14-6-7
Drive-Through Lane Sign
Drive-through lanes serving a restaurant may have a maximum of two display boards, each not exceeding 6 feet in height or 36 square feet in area.
§ 14-6-8
Flags
Any residence, establishment, or institution may display as many as three flags, per lot, when displayed in accordance with the placement, height, and area requirements of this section.
Flags may be displayed on a freestanding pole, projecting from a building or door or placed in a window as provided in this Section. Flags shall not be ground-mounted or affixed to utility poles, light poles, or vehicles. Flags must be kept in good condition.
(a)A flag may be displayed from a purpose-built, professionally fabricated, freestanding pole not to exceed a height of 30 feet. An individual flag flown from such a pole shall not exceed an area of 40 square feet.
(b)Flags may be flown from a metal or wooden pole attached to a bracket projecting from the side of a building or doorframe. The pole projecting from a building shall not exceed 6 feet in length. The flag flying from such pole shall not exceed an area of 15 square feet.
(c)Flags may be hung in the window of any non-residential property. The area of the flag is subject to the area limitations for window signage in Sec. 9-14-5-4.
§ 14-6-9
Special Temporary Outdoor Event Signs
(a)Special temporary event signage shall be authorized upon issuance of a permit for special temporary outdoor event pursuant to Chapter 9-9-11-3 of this ULDC, subject to compliance with this Section.
(b)Notwithstanding the prohibitions specified in this Article, at the discretion of the applicant, any one of the following signs and advertising devices may be applied for as part of a special temporary event and approved by the Community and Economic Development Department:
(1)One banner, not exceeding 32 square feet in area and 12 feet in height.
(2)No more than two additional, temporary freestanding signs not exceeding 4 square feet each or a height of 2 feet (excludes feather banners).
(3)One or more inflatable signs not to exceeding a total of 12 feet in height. The Director may authorize the placement of a temporary inflatable sign on the roof of a building, provided that such sign shall not to exceed the maximum building height allowance for the zoning district in which the sign is located.
(4)A combination of these permissions approved by the Community and Economic Development Department that is the functional equivalent in terms of advertising area.
(c)Signage shall be limited to a total of 60 days a calendar year for the same business or organization.
(d)Signage permitted pursuant to this Section shall not be illuminated.
§ 14-6-10
Suspended and Projecting Signs
Suspended or projecting signs are allowed in the C-B district and the Midland Overlay subject to the following:
(a)Suspended signs shall not exceed 6 square feet in area.
(b)Suspended signs shall not be illuminated.
(c)Projecting signs shall not exceed the lessor of:
(1)18 square feet in area; or
(2)An area equal to half the vertical height of the building wall.
(d)Suspended or projecting signs shall provide a minimum clearance of 8 feet from the ground level to the bottom pf the sign per Section 14-3-8.
(e)The Director may authorize the use of suspended or projecting signs in commercial zoning districts as a part of approving a uniform sign plan per Section 14-7-4.
VARIANCES