Stakeholders generally satisfied with new signage rules; access signage and murals flagged for clarity
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Summary
After years of work on a countywide sign code, Loudoun staff and stakeholders said the current sign regulations are broadly working in Western Loudoun, though business owners asked for clarity on wayfinding signs where access is via easements and residents raised questions about murals and lighting.
Loudoun County staff told the Transportation and Land Use Committee that the revised county sign ordinance — completed as part of the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite — has been in effect for about two years and is largely functioning as intended, but stakeholders raised a few narrow concerns.
Staff reminded the committee that sign groups and categories are established in tables (for ground, pole, sidewalk, entry, wall, window and miscellaneous signs) and that rural categories were revised to be content neutral. David summarized that the committee will consider size, quantity and illumination permissions relevant to the MOD and Western Loudoun. "The sign groups can be found in table 8 0 1 dash 1 of the zoning ordinance and in table 15 on page 23 of the staff report," staff said during the presentation.
Most public commenters and several supervisors said they had not received complaints and that the new rules appeared to be effective. Several winery owners said wayfinding and access signage can be a problem when a tasting room or event venue is located off a main road and the only access is via a private easement. Todd Henkel and Steve Bozzo urged practical answers that help visitors reach remote tasting rooms. Henkel also described efforts to pursue an American Viticultural Area designation and said that signage, paired with clear site standards, helps agritourism businesses survive.
Committee members asked about illumination and murals. Staff said murals painted on barns are regulated as signs but are treated separately in the ordinance and do not count against the property’s overall signage allotment; staff also noted that exterior downlit or shielded sign illumination is allowed with restrictions to protect dark skies in Western Loudoun. One business owner asked whether a small ground-mounted entry sign on a neighboring easement could be permitted; staff noted that off-premise signs are generally prohibited but asked for the example to be provided so staff could review options.
No ordinance amendments were adopted. Staff will track the limited access-sign examples and report back if code clarifications or a narrowly targeted amendment are needed.
