This form is utilized when the initial permit submittal is insufficient and additional information is requested. This form must be processed through the Seminole County Building Division Permit Intake.
BUSINESS SIGNAGE
The regulations for signage at a business depends on the zoning of the property, the location of the property in relation to any restricted overlay districts and/or whether the property is zoned PUD or PD. Overlay districts each have their own sections in the Land Development Code (for example: Lake Mary Blvd. Corridor Overlay) and can be searched in Chapter 30 Zoning Regulations. If it is zoned PUD or PD, a County staff member will need to research the development agreement to see if there were additional regulations for signage stipulated in the agreement. In cases where there is no reference to additional restrictions on signage, the Sign Code Standards are utilized along with any other regulations or statutes that are required for the given parcel or unique sign request.
TEMPORARY SIGNS
Banners:
Can I put a banner out to draw attention to my business?
Banners are allowed for Grand Openings and for Special Event Permits. This includes Feather Flags.
Banners must be wholly on private property.
Building Permits are required for banners and signs related to Special Event Permit.
Balloon Signs:
Can I put a temporary balloon on the top of my commercial building? No. This is not permitted.
Sign Spinners:
Do sign spinners need a permit? We do not regulate sign spinners in our code. Because they normally stand directly in County Rights of Way, they are prohibited. In addition, sign spinners who are in public rights of way on US Highways are personally subject to traffic citations or fines. If a commercial business wants to have a sign spinner as part of their grand opening, they may include this in their grand opening signage permit request and the person spinning the sign must remain within the property boundaries of the parcel that the grand opening sign permit was for.
SIGN COPY
Sign Face or Sign Copy Change:
A building permit is required for a sign face change.
Calculating Signage Copy Area:
- How does the County calculate signage copy area? Unless otherwise stipulated in the Land Development Code, we take the overall length of the grouping of letters or symbols times the overall height of the grouping of letters or symbols.
- What does the County count as my building front distance? We count the side of the building that faces the street it is addressed to. In a retail plaza, it is the distance of the front of your unit unless your unit is on a corner of a building that also has an entrance beside it along with a bona fide roadway running along that side. Then you can pick the distance from either side to calculate the copy area allowance from, but not both sides.
- Does Seminole County count both sides of ground signs? Yes, our Land Development Code states all wall signs, window signs, and ground signs intended to be viewed from off-premise count toward the copy area allowance for the site.
- Do signs on my awnings count in the total copy area? Yes, this signage would count toward the overall copy area allowance. New awning installations on a commercial building have to be permitted.
- Do directional signs count toward the overall copy area allowance? These should be included with a permit for other signage so that we can check to be sure, but would not count toward the copy area allowance unless the signs contain commercial trademarked symbols and can be seen from off-premise. If they only contain words such as Entrance or Exit and or arrows, then we would not count them toward the overall copy area allowance.
SIGN TYPES
Electronic Message Sign:
Electronic Message Signs must meet the overall lighting foot candle distance requirements of .5 foot candles as provided in the lighting ordinance of the Land Development Code and other requirements specific to Electronic Message Centers shown in the standard sign codes of Seminole County. They must not flash or scroll or show any movement, or illusion of movement. Electronic signs must hold their message for a minimum of 5 seconds.
Pole Signs (Non-conforming for height):
I have a sign that is taller than the current code requires. Can I change the face on this sign without having to reduce the height of the sign to conform to the current County code? Yes, however, you cannot expand an existing non-conforming use so if the sign copy area is also non-conforming, we would require you to reduce the copy size on the sign to come into compliance with the current copy area allowance.
Ground Signs:
- Do I need to show a line of sight distance triangle for any new ground sign? It is not required, but would help speed up the review processing time if it were shown on your site plan.
- Are ground signs allowed on two road fronts for the same parcel of land? Yes as long as the site can still adhere to overall copy area requirements including both sides of ground signs.
- What if I am installing a new ground sign and do not have a site plan? You must work with the property owner to obtain an approved site plan or get a new survey completed that will show the location of the new ground sign on the parcel of land. We cannot approve a new ground sign without one of these documents.
- What if I need to remove landscaping or a tree to install a new ground sign? You must contact the Planning and Development Division to see if an Arbor Permit would be required.
Flags:
Can I install
permanent flags and place advertising on them that changes from time to time. Yes. Flags on poles must be permitted per the LDC and Building Code requirements and do not count toward the overall copy area allowance. Seminole County cannot dictate what symbols are placed on a flag unless such symbols are determined to be offensive and violate any other code requirements. Per
Sec.2.3 of the Land Development Code of Seminole County, a flag is defined as the following:
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A piece of canvas, fabric, paper, cloth, bunting, vinyl or other material attached to a staff or pole, with a distinctive color or colors, pattern or patterns or symbolic devices used as a national, state, county, municipal, corporate or collegial symbol or otherwise and having characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentations displayed thereon, and which is designed to move in the wind.
Awning Signs:
Can I have signs on my awnings? Yes, this signage would count toward the overall copy area allowance. New awning installations on a commercial building have to be permitted.
Directional Signs:
Directional signs may count toward the overall copy area allowance if the signs contain commercial trademarked symbols and can be seen from off-premise. If they only contain words such as Entrance or Exit and or arrows, then we would not count them toward the overall copy area allowance.
SIGN MAINTENANCE
- If I am just painting our sign structure and sprucing it up, do I need to pull a permit? It depends on what you will be doing to “spruce it up”. If you change the supporting members at all or modify the structure in anyway, this would require permitting. If all you are doing is painting the sign structure or cabinet a new color, then this would be considered general maintenance and not need a permit.
- Is a site plan required if I am just changing out a wall sign in a retail plaza? Yes, we need to see where the unit is and whether the site plan indicates the building front distance for the unit.
- If the site plan does not indicate the building front distance of my building, what can I use to show you the distance? You can take an elevation photo/rendering of the front and show the distance on that photo.
The contact information for the Building Division is:
Building Division
1101 East 1st Street
Sanford, FL 32771
View Map
Phone: (407) 665-7050
Fax: (407) 665-7486
E-mail
There may additional regulations that apply.
