# Sign Regulations in Lovejoy, Georgia

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Lovejoy, Georgia, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Lovejoy, Georgia (GA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/georgia/lovejoy
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/GA/Lovejoy/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH2AD_ARTIVFI_S2-121PEAUSICH)

## At a glance

Lovejoy, Georgia regulates 21 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Stanchion Signs in the Office/Institutional District (OI), Neighborhood Business District (NB), Community Business District (CB), General Business District (GB) zoning district are capped at 25 ft tall and 150 sq ft if lot <3 acres; 200 sq ft if lot ≥3 acres, with a No part of sign in or within ten feet of public right-of-way. No sign within sight distance triangle. setback (Sec. Sec. 7(b)(1), Attachment I. Signs). Most commercial signs in Lovejoy require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (A), Estate Residential District (ER), Single-Family Residence District (RS-180A, RS-180, RS-110, RS-110M, RS-65, RS-300), General Residence District (RG-75), Multiple-Family Residence District (RM), Fee Simple Attached Townhouse District (RMTH), Residential Duplex District (RD), Mixed Residential District (MR), Gated Residential District (GR), RMA Multifamily Apartment Residential District (RMA), Residential Townhouse District (RTH), Residential Mobile/Manufactured Home District (RMP) | 3 | 8 ft | 60 sq ft | — |
| Office/Institutional District (OI), Neighborhood Business District (NB), Community Business District (CB), General Business District (GB) | 6 | 25 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI) | 7 | 40 ft above street pavement (if ground is lower than pavement) | 672 sq ft | — |
| Planned Unit Development District (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Flood Hazard District (FH), Watershed Protection District (WSP) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Office/Institutional District (OI), Neighborhood Business District (NB), Community Business District (CB), General Business District (GB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Stanchion Sign | 25 ft | 150 sq ft if lot <3 acres; 200 sq ft if lot ≥3 acres | — | No part of sign in or within ten feet of public right-of-way. No sign within sight distance triangle. | One per lot | On individual lot | — | Sec. 7(b)(1), Attachment I. Signs |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 6 ft | 60 sq ft | — | No part of sign in or within ten feet of public right-of-way. No sign within sight distance triangle. | One per lot | On individual lot | — | Sec. 6(b)(2); Sec. 7(b)(1), Attachment I. Signs |
| Wall Sign (per wall facing street) | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | On exterior wall facing street | — | Sec. 7(b)(2), Attachment I. Signs |
| Projecting Sign (per wall facing street) | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | Attached to vertical surface of building | — | Sec. 7(b)(2), Attachment I. Signs |
| Planned Center Freestanding Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | Same as other freestanding signs | One per planned center | At center entrance | — | Sec. 7(b)(3), Attachment I. Signs |
| Wall Sign (business within planned center) | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | On exterior wall of individual business/unit facing street | — | Sec. 7(b)(3), Attachment I. Signs |

### Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Stanchion Sign | 25 ft | 150 sq ft if lot <3 acres; 200 sq ft if lot ≥3 acres | — | No part of sign in or within ten feet of public right-of-way. No sign within sight distance triangle. | One per lot | On individual lot | — | Sec. 7(b)(1), Attachment I. Signs |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 6 ft | 60 sq ft | — | No part of sign in or within ten feet of public right-of-way. No sign within sight distance triangle. | One per lot | On individual lot | — | Sec. 6(b)(2), Sec. 7(b)(1), Attachment I. Signs |
| Wall Sign (per wall facing street) | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | On exterior wall facing street | — | Sec. 7(b)(2), Attachment I. Signs |
| Projecting Sign (per wall facing street) | — | 18 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | Attached to vertical surface of building | — | Sec. 7(b)(2), Attachment I. Signs |
| Planned Center Freestanding Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | Same as other freestanding signs | One per planned center | At center entrance | — | Sec. 7(b)(3), Attachment I. Signs |
| Wall Sign (business within planned center) | — | 200 sq ft | — | — | One per wall facing street | On exterior wall of individual business/unit facing street | — | Sec. 7(b)(3), Attachment I. Signs |
| Billboard | 40 ft above street pavement (if ground is lower than pavement) | 672 sq ft | — | Not within 10 ft of right-of-way; not within 500 ft of public park or playground, not within 300 ft (measured along right-of-way) nor within 100 ft in any direction from a residence, church or school; not within 1,250 ft of another billboard on the same side of street (measured along right-of-way), not closer than 300 ft to another billboard in any direction. | Max ten billboards in city | In buildable area of the lot, see special spacing/location rules | — | Sec. 8, Attachment I. Signs |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Special Events) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | Per permit terms | On premises | — | Sec. 9(a), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Real Estate (Single-Family Lot) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per lot | On single-family residential lot | — | Sec. 11(a)(1), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Real Estate (Other Than Single-Family Lots) | — | 50 sq ft | — | — | 2 per project or 1 per entrance | At project or entrance | — | Sec. 11(a)(2), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Construction | — | 16 sq ft per contractor; 50 sq ft per development in other districts | — | — | Varies by contractor or per development | On construction site | — | Sec. 11(b), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Bulletin Board for Non-Profit Institution | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | On institution's property | — | Sec. 11(c), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Instructional | 3 ft | 2 sq ft | — | Not within 1 ft of right-of-way | — | Not within 1 ft of public right-of-way | — | Sec. 11(e), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Flags | 25 ft | 20 sq ft | — | — | 2 per parcel | — | — | Sec. 11(f), Attachment I. Signs |
| Exempt Signs: Miscellaneous | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 11(g), Attachment I. Signs |

## Prohibited signs in Lovejoy

- Animated signs, except as temporary signs, are prohibited in all zoning districts.
- Banners, flags, streamers, inflatable objects, aerial devices and other attention getting devices, except as temporary signs, are prohibited.
- Portable signs, mobile signs and trailer signs, except as temporary signs, are prohibited.
- Signs with flashing, intermittent or animated illumination or effect are prohibited.
- Signs which produce noise or any sound capable of being heard are prohibited.
- Signs which emit visible smoke, vapor, particles or odors are prohibited.
- Signs placed in parking spaces which are required to meet the minimum parking requirements or within the interior driveway of a commercial development are prohibited.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs that have been abandoned are prohibited.
- Signs which are dilapidated or in such condition as to create a hazard, nuisance or to be unsafe or fail to comply with any provision of the building code of the city are prohibited.
- Signs on a public right-of-way, except such signs as are exempt under other provisions of this ordinance, are prohibited.
- Signs or lights which contain or are an imitation of an official traffic-control sign, signal or emergency vehicle device are prohibited.
- Signs affixed to utility poles, street markers and fence posts are prohibited.
- Signs that advertise or promote illegal activities or contain obscenity as prohibited by Georgia law are prohibited.
- Signs that are erected, located or maintained in such a manner as to interfere with safe and free ingress and egress of any door or emergency exit are prohibited.
- No sign shall obstruct any fire escape, any means of egress or ventilation or prevent free passage from one part of a roof to any other part thereof, nor shall any sign be attached to a fire escape.
- No sign shall interfere with road or highway visibility or obstruct or otherwise interfere with the safe and orderly movement of traffic.
- No sign shall be erected, painted or drawn on any tree, rock or other natural feature.
- No sign shall be located on any building, fence or other property belonging to another person without the consent of the owner.
- No sign shall contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene nature which violate Georgia law.
- No sign shall be structurally unsafe, unclean, or in disrepair.
- No sign shall emit or utilize any sound capable of being detected on any traveled road or highway by a person with normal hearing.
- No sign or sign structure of any kind shall be permitted to extend into or above or be anchored or placed in any portion of a public right-of-way (except official governmental signs).

## Signs exempt from permit in Lovejoy

- No sign permit is required for real estate signs (one per single-family lot not exceeding six square feet, or, on other than single-family lots, up to 50 square feet, up to two such signs per project or one per entrance, with time restrictions as specified).
- No sign permit is required for construction signs (one construction sign per contractor not more than 16 square feet each, or one sign per development not exceeding 50 square feet in all other districts; only allowed during construction period, with removal timelines as specified).
- No sign permit is required for bulletin boards for non-profit institutions (not exceeding 32 square feet and must be located on the same property as the institution).
- Official signs of a governmental body, governmental agency or public authority are exempt (includes traffic signs, signals, regulatory devices, public notices, official instruments, and other required signs).
- Instructional signs (no more than three feet in height nor two square feet in area, and not located in or within one foot of a public right-of-way line) do not require a sign permit.
- Flags of up to 20 square feet in area and up to 25 feet in height (no more than two per parcel) do not require a sign permit.
- All signs of less than eight square feet in area do not require a sign permit.
- Signs in a residential zoning classification that are exempt shall not be illuminated.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required to post, display, substantially change, alter or erect a sign in the city, except where specifically excluded.
- Comprehensive sign plans: The zoning administrator may issue a variance to allow a sign permit for comprehensive sign plans (master sign plans) in residential subdivisions, office parks over 50,000 square feet, commercial centers over 100,000 square feet, industrial centers, hospitals, and PUDs.
- Comprehensive sign plan variances may contain conditions, requirements, or standards to ensure signs are not detrimental to persons or property in the vicinity or to the public welfare; these variances may allow increased sign area (up to 25% over maximum), increased height (up to 100% over maximum), and reduced setbacks (to zero feet) per established criteria.
- Application for a comprehensive sign plan variance must include: applicant's name/address, zoning, site plan, description/illustration of sign locations, and standards for size, quantity, materials, and illumination.
- Any sign plan variance (such as a comprehensive sign plan) is a type of variance governed by the process in Article XIII (Variances), which may require application and/or a meeting/hearing with the city manager and possible appeal to the mayor and council.
- Requests for comprehensive sign plan variances are subject to permit application, review, and approval procedures outlined by the zoning administrator.
- A sign for which a permit has not been secured shall be removed within ten days’ notice from the city at the expense of the sign owner/property owner.
- Variances from the sign ordinance outside of comprehensive sign plans may also be granted by the zoning administrator up to 5% of face area for extensions or cutouts (administrative variance).

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 6 zoning districts in Lovejoy — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Lovejoy+GA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-lovejoy

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