# Sign Regulations in Chase City, Virginia

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Chase City, Virginia (VA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/virginia/chase-city
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/VA/Chase_City/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIITHCOGEOR_TIT6PLDE_CH3ZO_ARTQSIOR)

## At a glance

Chase City, Virginia regulates 23 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Business Signs in the Business, Limited (B-1) zoning district are capped at Wall sign: Not above roofline. Freestanding: 12 ft, or 25 ft (shopping centers only) tall and For wall signs: up to 20% of wall area or 60 sq ft (whichever is smaller). For freestanding: max 40 sq ft and 12 ft tall or 25 sq ft max along Highways 47/49, with a Freestanding sign min 7 ft from right-of-way setback (Sec. Sec. 6-3-255, Sec. 6-3-192(h), (i), (j), (k), Sec. 6-3-194). Most commercial signs in Chase City require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential, Limited (R-1) | 3 | 8 ft (if building-mounted) | Up to 24 sq ft | — |
| Residential, General (R-2), Residential, General (R-3) | 4 | 8 ft (if building-mounted) | 24 sq ft | — |
| Business, Limited (B-1) | 5 | Wall sign: Not above roofline. Freestanding: 12 ft, or 25 ft (shopping centers only) | Up to 24 sq ft | — |
| Business, General (B-2), Business, General (B-3) | 8 | Freestanding: 12 ft (standard), 25 ft (shopping center); Wall signs cannot extend past roofline | 24 sq ft | — |
| Industrial, Limited (M-1), Industrial, General (M-2) | 3 | Freestanding: 12 ft (standard), up to 25 ft (shopping center); Wall sign not above roofline | Wall sign: Up to 20% of wall, max 60 sq ft; Freestanding: 40 sq ft max, 12 ft tall, 7 ft setback; Shopping center/3+ tenants: 100 sq ft, 25 ft tall; Location/office/industrial IDs: 40 sq ft, 12 ft tall | — |
| Townhouses and/or Condominiums (R-2THC) | 1 | 8 ft | 6 sq ft (<=20 units), 16 sq ft (>21 units) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 6 ft | 100 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### Business, Limited (B-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Signs | Wall sign: Not above roofline. Freestanding: 12 ft, or 25 ft (shopping centers only) | For wall signs: up to 20% of wall area or 60 sq ft (whichever is smaller). For freestanding: max 40 sq ft and 12 ft tall or 25 sq ft max along Highways 47/49 | — | Freestanding sign min 7 ft from right-of-way | Wall signs: max 2 per facade; 1 freestanding per lot | Business premises; freestanding must be 7 ft back from ROW | — | Sec. 6-3-255, Sec. 6-3-192(h), (i), (j), (k), Sec. 6-3-194 |
| Church Bulletin Board and Identification Sign | If building-mounted, top max 8 ft above ground | Up to 24 sq ft | — | — | — | On church or institution premises | — | Sec. 6-3-252(6), Sec. 6-3-192(i), Sec. 6-3-255 |
| Directional Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | For traffic movement onto or within premises | — | Sec. 6-3-252(17), Sec. 6-3-192(j) |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | At the home occupation | — | Sec. 6-3-252(1), Sec. 6-3-192(k) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3.5 ft | 2 ft wide, 3.5 ft high | 2 ft | — | — | Adjacent to sidewalk between curb and front of restaurant | — | Sec. 6-3-255(11) |

### Business, General (B-2), Business, General (B-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Signs (General/Commercial/Location) | Freestanding: 12 ft (standard), 25 ft (shopping center); Wall signs cannot extend past roofline | Wall sign: 20% of wall area or 60 sq ft (whichever is smaller); Freestanding: max 40 sq ft, 12 ft tall, 7 ft min setback, except 25 sq ft max along Highways 47 & 49; Shopping centers/3+ tenants: 100 sq ft max, 25 ft tall max | — | Freestanding sign: 7 ft min from ROW | Max 2 wall per facade + 1 per rear; 1 freestanding per lot; 1 per shopping center/3+ tenants | On premises of business operated; freestanding must be 7 ft back from ROW | — | Sec. 6-3-255, Sec. 6-3-202(w),(x),(y), Sec. 6-3-208(w),(x),(y), Sec. 6-3-204, Sec. 6-3-210 |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Window of business operated | — | Sec. 6-3-255(3), (7) |
| Projecting/Marquee Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | Front of business building | — | Sec. 6-3-255(4) |
| Awning Sign | Min 8 ft clearance above sidewalk/grade | — | — | — | — | On awning at business | — | Sec. 6-3-255(5) |
| Canopy Sign | Min 10 ft clearance | — | — | — | — | On canopy at business | — | Sec. 6-3-255(6) |
| Portable Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | On business premises | — | Sec. 6-3-255(8) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 3.5 ft | 2 ft wide, 3.5 ft high | 2 ft | — | — | Adjacent to sidewalk between curb and business front (restaurant) | — | Sec. 6-3-255(11) |
| Institutional/Church Bulletin Board | 8 ft if building-mounted | Up to 24 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises of institution, church, etc. | — | Sec. 6-3-252(6) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address or Identification Sign | 3 ft if post-mounted | 1 sq ft | — | — | — | Building, mailbox, or post | — | Sec. 6-3-252(1) |
| Commemorative Plaque or Historical Marker | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | As appropriate | — | Sec. 6-3-252(2) |
| Construction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | At project site, one per roadway frontage | — | Sec. 6-3-252(3) |
| Temporary Political Campaign Sign | 6 ft | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | Private property | — | Sec. 6-3-252(13) |
| Temporary Yard Sale Sign | — | 16 sq ft per sign, limit 3 per sale | — | — | 3 per sale | Private property | — | Sec. 6-3-252(14) |
| Temporary Auction Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per auction | Private property | — | Sec. 6-3-252(15) |
| Temporary Business Banner | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | — | On building | — | Sec. 6-3-252(19) |

## Prohibited signs in Chase City

- Signs which imitate an official traffic sign.
- Signs which are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal, or which obstruct the view in any direction at any street or road intersection.
- Signs in any public right-of-way. Signs projecting over public property shall not be permitted unless otherwise specifically authorized by this article.
- Signs which contain or consist of pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, strings of light bulbs, or other similar moving or flashing devices, with the exception of seasonal or holiday displays, in accordance with section 6-3-252, item (1).
- Signs which are posted or attached to utility poles, trees or fences, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs.
- Signs advertising activities which are illegal under federal, state or town laws or regulations.
- Any sign displayed on an automobile, truck, or other motorized vehicle, when that vehicle is used primarily for the purpose of such advertising display.
- Building-mounted signs projecting above the roofline.
- Signs that contain statements, words, or pictures of an obscene, indecent or immoral character.
- Flashing signs, except for time and temperature signs.
- Signs affixed to a tree, other natural vegetation, or rocks.
- Signs or outdoor advertising structures that obstruct ingress or egress from any window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder, or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress for any room or building as required by law.
- Signs which reflect or cast glare or light, directly or indirectly, on any public roadway or adjacent property within a residential district.
- Signs which are visible from any limited access highway, except for on-site sale or rental signs, and on-site business signs, as permitted.
- Signs, other than official road markers, placed on an official road right-of-way.
- Signs located in such a manner as to materially impede the view of any road intersection; or in such a manner as to materially impede the view of an intersection of a road within a railroad grade crossing.
- Freestanding signs greater than 25 feet above the ground.

## Signs exempt from permit in Chase City

- Address or identification signs not exceeding one square foot in area attached flat against a building or mailbox, or mounted on a post no greater than three feet in height, indicating the address or name of a building occupant.
- Commemorative plaques and historical markers erected by recognized historical organizations or governmental bodies, not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Construction signs: one per roadway frontage not exceeding 32 square feet, displaying only project, contractors, architects, developers, planners, financial institutions, or engineers engaged in the project; posted only during construction.
- Flags, emblems, or insignias of governmental agencies or religious, charitable, public, or nonprofit organizations, with no single flag exceeding 54 square feet and no more than three per lot.
- Handicapped parking space signs.
- Institutional signs for hospitals, clinics, public, charitable, educational, or religious institutions, not exceeding 24 square feet; if building-mounted, top no more than eight feet above ground level.
- Integral signs: names of buildings, dates of erection, monumental citations, and commemorative tablets carved or constructed as a permanent part of the structure.
- Public signs including traffic, utility, and other regulatory signs.
- Rental signs: one per premises announcing room, apartment or house for rent, no larger than four square feet, removed within three days after vacancy filled.
- Security, warning, and private property signs not exceeding one and one-half square feet.
- Seasonal or temporary displays of patriotic, religious, or civic character on private property that do not advertise a product or service, and are not displayed for more than 30 days.
- Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are located, including visibility from any public right-of-way.
- Temporary political campaign signs on private property, not to exceed eight square feet in area and six feet in height, not erected more than 45 days before an election, removed within five days after the election.
- Temporary private yard sale signs, not exceeding three in number per sale, not more than 16 square feet per sign, not placed in public right-of-way, erected no more than 48 hours before the sale, removed within 24 hours after sale ends.
- Temporary auction signs, not exceeding 32 square feet per auction, not placed in public right-of-way, erected no more than 14 days before the auction, removed within 24 hours after the auction.
- Temporary real estate signs on premises, not exceeding six feet in height or four square feet in residential districts, or eight square feet in other districts; one per side of property facing a public right-of-way; no off-premises real estate signs except open house notices for up to 72 hours and up to five directional signs not exceeding two square feet in area; signs must not say 'sold' or 'pending', removed within ten days of sale.
- Traffic direction signs directing movement onto or within a premises not exceeding four square feet.
- Vehicle signs on trucks, buses, trailers, or other vehicles, while vehicles are used in the normal course of business.
- Temporary business banners, not to exceed 100 square feet, securely mounted to a building for no longer than 30 days for 'Grand Opening', 'Coming Soon', and specific special events, with a maximum of 60 days per year per business.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No general requirement for a master sign plan or sign plan is stated. However, all signs except those listed in Sec. 6-3-252 (signs allowed without permit) require a zoning permit, which may necessitate submission of plans or drawings per Sec. 6-3-251 and the general zoning permit procedures.
- Shopping centers and buildings with more than three tenants are limited to one freestanding sign, up to 100 square feet and not higher than 25 feet, indicating only the name of the shopping center or building and/or business uses. (Sec. 6-3-255(9)).
- Any sign not specifically listed as exempt in Sec. 6-3-252 requires a zoning permit prior to erection and must comply with all other legal requirements and the provisions of the sign ordinance (Sec. 6-3-251(b)). Failure to meet requirements may result in denial or revocation of permit.
- Variances or waivers from the minimum off-street parking regulations (which may relate to sign placement) may be allowed upon approval by the governing body after study and recommendation by the planning commission (Sec. 6-3-210.3), but no direct reference to variance or sign plans for signs themselves is given.
- If the sign is associated with a conditional use or planned development as described elsewhere in the code, additional plans or requirements may apply as stipulated by the planning commission or council (e.g., in sections regarding planned development or conditional uses).

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

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