(A) The following types of signs are exempt from permit requirements of this subchapter and may be placed in any zoning district subject to the provisions of this subchapter. Such signs shall otherwise be in conformance with all applicable requirements contained in this subchapter. There shall be no limit as to the number of such signs on any lot, except as herein prescribed. All such signs (except government signs) shall be located outside a road right-of-way. Except where specifically provided for, portable signs shall be prohibited.
(B) Specific signs not requiring permits:
(1) Government signs and logo signs, including way-finding signs that are approved, installed, and maintained by the City of Albemarle or designee.
(2) Memorial signs, plaques, or grave markers that are noncommercial in nature.
(3) Flags, pennants, insignia, or religious symbols of any government, non-profit or not-for-profit organization when not displayed in connection with a commercial promotion. Flags may be permitted as an advertising device, provided that they do not exceed 32 square feet.
(4) Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings and works of art, so long as such features or works do not contain letters, trademarks, moving parts, or lights.
(5) Public interest signs.
(6) On-premises directional and instructional signs not exceeding six square feet in area apiece.
(7) Identification signs for residential uses not exceeding four square feet in area, one only per premises.
(8) Incidental signs; however, in no case shall a drive-in window menu board be oriented to a public right-of- way or exceed 32 square feet in area. Any such drive-in window menu board containing a loud speaker shall be located at least 50 feet from any pre-existing residential unit located in a residential district.
(9) Campaign and election signs, provided that:
(a) Each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in area.
(b) All such signs shall be removed within three days after the election for which they were made.
(10) Temporary real estate signs advertising a specific property for sale, lease, rent, or development shall be located as follows:
(a) One sign per street frontage advertising real estate "For Sale," "For Rent," "For Lease," or "For Development," not greater than ten square feet in area in a residential district and 64 square feet in area in non-residential districts may be located on the property being advertised so long as the sign is located behind the street right-of-way line.
(b) If the property so advertised lies on a corner lot or double frontage lot, then a second sign may be oriented along the second street so long as the two signs are at least 100 feet apart as measured by the shortest straight line.
(11) Temporary construction signs, provided that:
(a) Signs in conjunction with any residential use shall not exceed ten square feet each.
(b) Signs in conjunction with all other uses shall have a maximum area of 50 square feet each.
(c) Only one such sign oriented per street front per premises shall be erected. Any two such signs located on the same premises shall be located at least 100 feet apart as measured by using a straight line.
(d) Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(e) Such signs shall only appear at the construction site.
(f) Such signs shall be removed within seven days after a completion of the project.
(12) Temporary special event signs for religious, charitable, civic, fraternal, or similar non-profit or not-for-profit organizations, provided that:
(a) Signs shall be on premises and removed no later than two days after the event.
(b) No such sign shall exceed 32 square feet.
(c) No such sign shall be illuminated.
(d) Commercial logos shall not be allowed.
(e) Types of signs allowed include metal, wood and plastic. Streamers, streams of flags and temporary cardboard signs are not allowed.
(13) Temporary displays as part of a Christmas, holiday, or civic event, so long as any such displays are not located within a street right-of- way, unless the city or the North Carolina Department of Transportation first grants permission for such.
(14) Bulletin boards and signs which contain information of a non- commercial nature. Such bulletin boards and signs may have a maximum area of 42 square feet.
(15) Directional signs for public uses only.
(16) Other signs containing non- commercial copy messages, provided that:
(a) Such signs have an area of no greater than 32 square feet.
(b) Such signs do not fit under the category of prohibited as listed in § 92.038.
(c) Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(17) Directory signs, provided that:
(a) No sign is located in a road right-of-way.
(b) The maximum sign area shall be 36 square feet or one-half the area of the largest freestanding sign permitted for the use, whichever is less.
(c) Letters do not exceed six inches in height.
(d) Height of sign does not exceed six feet.
(18) Window signs.
(19) "Warning," "No Trespassing," and similar informational signs.
(20) Signs located within a stadium that are intended to be read only by persons seated within the stadium.
(21) Permanent municipal, school, recreational, and civic club sponsored signs, schedules of events, and rules and regulations signs. Such signs shall not include identification signs.
(22) Any sign inside a building, not attached to or placed within an external window or piece of glass that is not legible more than three feet beyond the building in which it is located.
(23) Signs placed on newspaper boxes designed for placement of delivered newspaper to a particular location.
(24) Historic plaques, provided that they do not exceed four square feet in area.
(Ord. 01-44, passed 12-17-01; Am. Ord. 05-32, passed 7-18-05; Am. Ord. 15-12, passed 5-4-15; Am. Ord. 21-02, passed 1-19-21; Am. Ord. 21-26, passed 7-12-21; Am. Ord. 22-01, passed 1-3-22) Penalty, see § 10.80