Why is there a sign ordinance?
The Sign Ordinance is meant to preserve the aesthetic and environmental qualities of the Town while promoting safety and maintaining the economic viability of businesses through the availability of appropriate signage and sign management.  Complete details concerning signage may be found in Chapter 10 of the Land Development Code.

For your safety, no signage is permitted within the right-of-way.  This is a safety measure the Town takes to ensure the protection of our citizens.  This helps protect pedestrians, bikers and those traveling in vehicles from possible accidents caused by visually blocking the intersection with signage.

Yard Sale Signs
If you are holding a yard sale you are allowed 1 sign on your property and 3 off-premise signs per yard sale and you do not have to get a permit.  Make sure you get the property owner's permission for signs that are not on your property because they will have to be located on a property and not in the right-of-way. Yard sale signs are not allowed on street signs, power poles or fences. Also, signs should not block the view of the street for pedestrians, bikes or vehicles, so take care not to block the view of intersections.  Yard sale signs should be removed within 24 hours after the sale.  Signs cannot be greater than 4 square feet each.

Special Event Signs
On-premise special event signs or banners are allowed without a permit for a religious or not-for-profit event. The sign cannot exceed 32 square feet and should not be displayed longer than 45 days. No illumination is permitted.

Window signs are also permitted without a permit and may be up to 25% of the total area of the inside window.

Real Estate Signs
The Town allows one on-premise sign per street frontage not exceeding 6 square feet for homes or properties that are for sale or rent in residential districts.  This means that corner lots are allowed to have two signs that must be 100 feet apart.  Signs may be up to 32 square feet in nonresidential districts.  Three directional signs are permitted off-premise not exceeding 4 square feet each. Signs must be removed within 7 days after the property has been sold or rented.  No sign may be lighted and no banners are allowed.  

Prohibited Signs
Please be aware of signs that are prohibited. Inflatable signs, balloons, and flashing or rotating signs are not permitted.  Illuminated tubing or strings of light other than holiday lights are not permitted.  Examples of prohibited tubing or strings of light include lights outlining property lines, open sales areas, rooflines, doors, windows, landscaping, and edges of walls.  No neon signs are allowed.

Commercial Signs
To obtain a sign for your business you will need to obtain a sign permit.  You can get the permit application from the Cornelius Planning Office and Staff will approve the zoning after a site inspection. Mecklenburg County will issue the permit after the zoning is approved by the Town of Cornelius.