Section 10Sign regulations
Needs a look
Content-based sign rules are a common source of lawsuits and attorney-fee awards against small cities, and they affect yard and campaign signs residents put up. See the fix
Business owners can't tell from the code whether portable or temporary signs are allowed or what they owe. See the fix
Plain English: what this part covers
Section 10 controls sign size, placement and permits, including billboards along I-75, yard signs, and signs that don't need a permit. Section 15 (added 2011) sets a $150-per-day fine for sign violations. The sign rules themselves date to 1996 and sort signs partly by what they say, which is worth a legal check-up (see flags).
- Signs exempt from permits generally up to 10 sq ft (Sec. 10-4)
- Sign setback: 10 ft from right-of-way (except downtown) (Sec. 10-2.3)
- Billboards: max 1,200 sq ft per side near I-75, 400 sq ft elsewhere; not within 100 ft of residential (Secs. 10-5, 10-2.3)
- Temporary sign deposit: $10, refunded if removed within 6 months (Sec. 10-7.3)
- Sign fine: $150 per violation per day; 10 days' notice for maintenance issues (Sec. 15)
10-1. Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to permit signs of a commercial nature in districts in which they are appropriate uses, and to regulate the size, density, and placement of signs intended to be seen from a public right-of-way in the interest of highway safety and the general welfare.
10-2. General Provisions. All signs within the area covered by these regulations shall be erected, constructed, or maintained in accordance with the provisions of this section; and only those signs that are listed in this section shall be erected within said area.
10-2.1. Traffic safety. No sign shall be erected or continued that:
a. Obstructs the sight distance along a public right-of-way.
b. Would tend by its location, color or nature to be confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signs or signals.
c. Uses admonitions such as "stop," "go," "slow," "danger," etc., which might be confused with traffic directional signals.
10-2.2. Construction prohibited. No sign shall be attached to or painted on any street, rock or other natural object; nor shall any sign be located on any public right-of-way.
10-2.3. Density and requirements.
a. Signs which do not require a permit shall be at least ten feet from any right-of-way line or property line.
b. Signs which require a permit:
1. Temporary, accessory and principal use signs shall be at least ten feet from any right-of-way line. (Setback requirement does not apply to D-C district.)
2. Advertising separate use signs shall be set back for the district in which they are located unless otherwise specified in this section. No permit shall be issued for any advertising separate use sign closer than 100 feet to any residential district. Within the boundaries of the City of Ashburn Historic District(s), separate use signs are expressly prohibited.
(Map depicting City of Ashburn Historic District available in the office of the City of Ashburn Zoning Administrator.) All advertising separate use signs which are located outside the historic district and which are adjacent to state highways that are a part of the Federal Aid Primary System or the Interstate Highway System shall meet the minimum spacing requirements of the Official Code of Georgia and Georgia Department of Transportation Rules and Regulations which are applicable thereto.
10-3. Illumination Not To Be a Nuisance. Illumination devices such as, but not limited to, floodlights or spot lights shall be so placed and so shielded as to prevent the rays or illumination therefrom being cast into neighboring dwellings and approaching vehicles.
10-4. Signs Not Requiring a Permit. The following signs shall not require a permit:
a. Signs to regulate traffic.
b. Signs required to be posted by law.
c. Warning signs and no trespassing signs.
d. Signs established by governmental agencies.
e. Signs indicating bus stops, taxi stands and similar public transportation.
f. Signs not exceeding ten square feet in area advertising specific property for sale, lease, rent or development, on private property.
g. Temporary real estate signs less than ten square feet in area advertising specific property for sale, lease, rent or development, on private property.
h. Any sign not exceeding ten square feet in area other than advertising separate use signs or signs requiring electrical wiring.
i. Temporary signs on private land involved in campaigns of religious, charitable, civic, fraternal, political and similar organizations.
10-5. Maximum Area of Signs. No advertising separate use sign within a 660-foot corridor along either side of I-75 shall be larger in area than 1,200 square feet per side, limit of two sign faces per travel direction. Within the remaining area of the city, no advertising separate use sign shall be larger in area than 400 square feet per side, limit of two sign faces per travel direction; except that in the City of Ashburn Historic District, such signage is prohibited. In addition to complying with the maximum area requirements which are contained herein, all advertising separate use signs which are adjacent to state highways that are a part of the Federal Aid Primary System or the Interstate Highway System shall meet all requirements, as amended from time to time, of the Official Code of Georgia and Georgia Department of Transportation Rules and Regulations which are applicable thereto.
10-6. Removal and Amortization Period. Any portable display sign now located within the City of Ashburn is hereby declared to be in noncompliance of section 10-2.1 of this . All such signs shall be removed within one year from the date of adoption of this ordinance.
10-7. Issuance of Permits. No sign, except those listed in section 10-4, shall be erected, hung, or placed or structurally altered without a permit from the zoning administrator. The zoning administrator shall only issue a permit for the erection or construction of a sign which meets the requirements of section 10 of this .
10-7.1. Filing procedures. Application for permits to erect, hang, or place a sign shall be submitted on forms obtainable from the zoning administrator. Each application shall be accompanied by plans showing the area of the sign, size and character and the method of illumination, if any, and the exact location proposed for such sign and in the case of a projecting sign, the proposed method of fastening said sign to the building structure, the vertical distance between such sign and the finished grade, and the horizontal distance between such sign and the street right-of-way.
10-7.2. Additional information. Each applicant shall, upon the request of the zoning administrator, submit any additional information deemed necessary by said administrator.
10-7.3. Temporary signs. If a temporary sign which does not require a permit is not intended to be left in place for a period to exceed six months, the owner may deposit a sum of $10.00 with the zoning administrator in lieu of the usual permit fee. If the sign is removed by the owner before the first day of the seventh month, the deposit shall be refunded in full; if not, the deposit shall be forfeited and the zoning administrator shall remove said sign.
Questions folks ask
Do I need a permit for a yard sign or political sign?
No permit is needed for temporary signs for religious, charitable, civic, political and similar campaigns, for-sale/for-rent signs under 10 sq ft, or most other signs under 10 sq ft that aren't billboards or electric. Signs without a permit still need to be at least 10 feet from the right-of-way and property lines, and no sign can go in the public right-of-way.
How do I get a sign permit for my business?
Apply to the zoning administrator on their form with drawings showing the sign's size, location, lighting and (for projecting signs) how it attaches. Billboards on state or federal highways also need a Georgia DOT permit first.
How big can a billboard be?
Up to 1,200 sq ft per side within 660 feet of I-75 and 400 sq ft per side elsewhere, two faces per travel direction. Billboards are banned in the historic district and can't be permitted within 100 feet of a residential district.
Can I put a sign on a utility pole or in the road right-of-way?
No. Signs can't be in any public right-of-way or painted on rocks or other natural objects, and no sign can block sight lines or look like a traffic signal.
What's the fine for a sign violation?
$150 per violation, and each day counts as a separate violation. For signs that are just poorly maintained, the city must give written notice and 10 days to fix it first.
This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. The official code is on Municode and at City Hall. Our copy is from April 30, 2026.
Online: https://jamesburgessleads.com/city-code/APXAZO_S10SIRE
Official version: https://library.municode.com/GA/Ashburn/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=APXAZO_S10SIRE
Paid for by James Burgess