# Sign Regulations in Buena Vista, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Buena Vista, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/buena-vista
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Buena_Vista/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH8BUBURE_ARTVISI)

## At a glance

Buena Vista, Virginia regulates 12 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Flags in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 45 ft. tall, 8' x 12' (96 sq. ft.), and 12 ft. wide, with a No freestanding flagpole within 5 ft of service drive/travel lane/adjacent street (exempt case). setback (Sec. 706.10 Table; 706.03-2). Most commercial signs in Buena Vista require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 45 ft. | 100% of wall | — |
| Residential zoning district | 2 | 4 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial zoning district | 2 | 25 ft. | 100% of wall | — |
| Institutional zoning district | 2 | 25 ft. | 100% of wall | — |
| Core Business District | 3 | 25 ft. | 100% of wall | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Height of wall | 100% of wall | — | N/A | — | Attached to building wall or painted on/against a flat surface of a structure, including roofs. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.02; 706.07; 706.04-3.3 |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 60 sq. ft. per sign | — | Setback must be at least the height of the sign; no setback needed if sign is under 5 feet tall. | — | On the ground and not attached to a building. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.04-1.4; 706.02; 706.07 |
| Awning, Marquee, Projecting Sign | Height of wall | 50% of wall area | — | N/A | — | Attached to building facade; awning signs are treated as wall signs. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.02; 706.07 |
| Flag | 45 ft. | 8' x 12' (96 sq. ft.) | 12 ft. | No freestanding flagpole within 5 ft of service drive/travel lane/adjacent street (exempt case). | — | Mounted on pole or rope; must not be within 5 feet of public right-of-way (if exempt flag). | — | 706.10 Table; 706.03-2 |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of gross window area per elevation | — | N/A | — | Attached to or within 18 inches of the surface of a window, visible externally. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.03-9 |
| A-Frame Sign (Sandwich Board) | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. per side (if temporary, exempt); otherwise addressed with permit | — | — | — | On ground, portable; subject to placement rules if used >24 hours. | — | 706.01-1; 706.03-7 |
| Minor Sign | 4 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — | — | Not more than two minor signs per parcel | Wall or freestanding. | — | 706.01-19; 706.03-6 |
| Bulletin Board | — | 12 sq. ft. (aggregate) | — | — | — | Wall or freestanding. | — | 706.01-5; 706.03-10 |

### Industrial zoning district

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Height of wall | 100% of wall | — | N/A | — | Affixed to wall of industrial building. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.04-3.3; 706.02 |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | Setback equal to height of sign; no setback required for signs under 5 ft. | — | On ground and not attached to building. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.02 |

### Core Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | Height of wall | 100% of wall | — | — | — | Affixed to wall of business. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.04-3.3; 706.02 |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | Setback equal to height of sign; no setback required for signs under 5 ft. | — | On ground and not attached to building. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.04-1.4; 706.02 |
| Awning, Marquee, Projecting Sign | Height of wall | 50% of wall area | — | N/A | — | Attached to building facade. | — | 706.10 Table; 706.02 |

## Prohibited signs in Buena Vista

- Signs not expressly permitted as being allowed by right or by conditional use permit under this article, by specific requirements in another portion of this chapter, or otherwise expressly allowed by city council are forbidden.
- Signs that violate any law of the Commonwealth of Virginia relating to outdoor advertising.
- Signs attached to natural vegetation.
- Signs simulating, or which are likely to be confused with, a traffic control sign or any other sign displayed by a public authority.
- Freestanding signs more than 25 feet in height.
- Any sign displayed without complying with all applicable regulations of this chapter.
- Inflatable signs.
- Signs that emit smoke, flame, scent, mist, aerosol, liquid, or gas.
- Signs that emit sound.
- Permanent off-premises business signs, unless specifically permitted by this chapter.
- Signs erected on public land other than those approved by an authorized city official in writing.
- Signs extending above the roofline of a building or its parapet wall.
- A sign that obstructs free or clear vision, or otherwise causes a safety hazard for vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic due to its location.
- Sign constructed or attached so as to obstruct the use of any window, door, stairway or other opening for ingress, egress, ventilation, or light as required by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code or any other applicable regulations.

## Signs exempt from permit in Buena Vista

- Signs erected by a governmental body or required by law.
- Flags up to 16 square feet in size not containing any commercial advertising, provided no freestanding pole is erected in the public right-of-way nor within five (5) feet of a service drive, travel lane, or adjoining street.
- The changing of messages on signs with movable lettering, or the changing of flyers on bulletin boards.
- The repair and maintenance of an existing permitted sign.
- One or more temporary signs with an aggregate area of twelve (12) square feet.
- Not more than two minor signs per parcel.
- Movable A-frame signs which are erected for a duration of less than 24 hours at a time and which have a sign face of no more than six (6) square feet per side.
- Pavement markings: Any sign applied directly and entirely to and flush with an asphalt, concrete, or similar paved surface.
- One or more permanent window signs which do not exceed 25% of the area of a single window, where the aggregate area of window signs on the same elevation does not exceed 25% of the gross window area of the same elevation.
- One or more bulletin boards with an aggregate area of twelve (12) square feet.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required prior to the display and erection of any sign except as provided in subsection 706.03 (Permit not required for exempted signs).
- An application for a sign permit shall be filed with the city on forms furnished by the city.
- Comprehensive sign plans may be approved by special use permit in districts for uses allowed by special use permit. Signage included in an approved comprehensive sign plan may deviate from regulations within this ordinance, provided that the intent of this ordinance is maintained.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Buena Vista — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Buena+Vista+VA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-buena-vista

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