While Fluvanna County’s sign ordinance is not new—it was passed in July 2010—enforcement efforts have amped up, causing some business owners concern.

The section on banners in the new ordinance has upset some owners who display their Rural Virginian Reader’s Choice winning banners each year. Under the new ordinance these are considered temporary signs and can only be displayed for 30 consecutive days.

Brenda Pace, owner of Child Connections in Palmyra, says a code compliance officer with the county dropped off a two-page notice that they might be in violation.

“We have our banners secured to our building safely,” Pace said of her first place for child care banners from 2008 and 2009 Rural Virginian Reader’s Choice awards. “They’re not flapping and not distracting. I feel we have strived to get recognized. We’ve worked for them.”

Darren Coffey, director of Planning & Community Development for Fluvanna, said the new ordinance is actually “more business friendly than the old ordinance.”

He pointed out it is more clear than the original one, it allows for slightly larger signs, lighting changes and a wider variety of sign types.

“We’ve been trying to educate” owners, Coffey says of the new ordinance. “For the most part they’ve been grateful for the head’s up instead of a letter.”

He said his office has given 120 businesses copies of the notice where they’re in violation. “There have been few grumbles, probably three to one positive,” he added. “We’re not picking on individual businesses. The last thing we want to do is be perceived as picking on businesses.”

But Pace, who has been open in Palmyra for 11 years, says she doesn’t agree with this aspect of the new ordinance.

“I can understand if you’re right along the road and there’s all these signs posted,” she said. “It gives us the recognition we’ve worked for. I have no intention of taking mine down. If unsightly, I’d feel differently.”

She’s not alone.

Vicki Wilson, principal broker and owner of Monticello Country Realtors in Palmyra, still has her banner up as well.

“I feel like that is a permanent structure as I have them attached to my own personal building,” she said. “They are not hanging out by the street or on personal property not owned by me. I am also annoyed that signs pop up all over the county for everything, banners, work wanted, builders and subdivisions.”

She added, “We have always obeyed the law and got the proper permits for all our signs, including the one at Zion Crossroads. I am not sure what the county is going to enforce, but they did leave me a letter regarding my banners. I also have a personal banner that belongs to my structure which they have no right to make me remove.”

The ordinance states banner signs are temporary signs and should not exceed 32 square feet. Additionally, it states that such signs are made of fabric or other flexible material, suspended from a fixed structure, rope, wire, string or cable. “Banner signs are for the advertising of a special event, product or group and are not to be displayed for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, and not more than 60 days total in a calendar year.” The notice handed out to the businesses specifically identifies the Reader’s Choice banners as temporary signs.

Jeff Craig, co-owner of Fluvanna Hardware, has such banners attached to his structure, as well. He said he thought as long as they were permanently attached to a fixed structure they would be allowed. He didn’t know whether he would take them down or not.

The change in the ordinance was prompted by complaints from owners and residents asking about signs they believed were not compliant to the ordinance.
Coffey said he worked with the Chamber of Commerce to announce the enforcement efforts, as well as through media.

He said he believes the new ordinance is better for the community. The full ordinance is available on the county’s website at http://www.co.fluvanna.va.us under the Fluvanna County Code. The notice handed to businesses says the “department will begin to proactively enforce the county’s sign regulations on an individual basis starting March 25.”

Coffey encourages anyone with questions or concerns to contact his office at (434) 591-1910 or .