zoneoptics
Alexandria, Virginia · General provision

11-513(W)

All Alexandria districts0

Dimensional standards

lot requirementsSTREETMin frontage 400 ftMIN LOT AREA15,000 sq ft
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

Lot

Minimum lot areaMinimum lot areaThe smallest parcel on which the district allows anything to be built.
15,000 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000. (0.34 acacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)
Minimum frontageFrontageThe length of a lot line that touches a public street.
400 ft

Extracted standards

11 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Signage

  • Digital sign animation prohibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance.

    Text, graphics, and images shall not be animated, move, or flash

  • Digital sign change frequency2 times/minute

    The changing of text or graphics shall occur no more than two times per minute.

  • Digital sign illumination compliance

    Signs shall comply with the illumination limitations in section 9-204(A)

  • Digital sign photocell dimmer required

    Signs shall have an automatic photocell dimmer

  • Freestanding sign count limit50 pct

    The number of freestanding signs shall not exceed the maximum number permitted by more than 50 percent. If fewer than two freestanding monument signs are permitted pursuant to section 9-201, no more than one additional freestanding monument sign shall be permitted with administrative special use permit approval.

  • Freestanding sign size limit33.33 pct

    The freestanding sign shall not have a sign area or height of more than one-third larger than the maximum sign area and taller than the height otherwise permitted.

  • HeightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. compliance requirement

    All signs and sign structures shall comply with the height regulations of the zone in which they are located.

  • ProhibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance. sign restriction

    The sign is not a prohibited sign pursuant to section 9-203.

  • Site eligibility requirement

    Signs must be located on a site that has one or more of the following: (a) A lot size of 15,000 square feet or more; (b) Three or more businesses; (c) Frontage on more than one street; or (d) Frontage exceeding 400 feet.

  • Temporary sign permit expiration2 years

    For temporary signs only, the administrative special use permit shall expire two years from the date of approval.

  • Wall sign area ratio0.5 ratio

    The wall sign area ratio, including temporary signs, shall not exceed 1:2.

From the ordinance

All signs and sign structures shall comply with the height regulations of the zone in which they are located. Signs must be located on a site that has one or more of the following: (a) A lot size of 15,000 square feet or more; (b) Three or more businesses; (c) Frontage on more than one street; or (d) Frontage exceeding 400 feet. For temporary signs only, the administrative special use permit shall expire two years from the date of approval. The wall sign area ratio, including temporary signs, shall not exceed 1:2. The sign is not a prohibited sign pursuant to section 9-203. The number of freestanding signs shall not exceed the maximum number permitted by more than 50 percent. If fewer than two freestanding monument signs are permitted pursuant to section 9-201, no more than one additional freestanding monument sign shall be permitted with administrative special use permit approval. The freestanding sign shall not have a sign area or height of more than one-third larger than the maximum sign area and taller than the height otherwise permitted. Digital signs shall comply with the following criteria: (a) Signs shall comply with the illumination limitations in section 9-204(A); (b) Text, graphics, and images shall not be animated, move, or flash; (c) Signs shall have an automatic photocell dimmer; and (d) The changing of text or graphics shall occur no more than two times per minute.
11-513(W)