The following is a synopsis of portions of the New Orleans City Code, the Zoning Ordinance, and current Vieux Carré Commission policy which regulates signs.
- GENERAL
Signs shall advertise bona fide businesses only. There shall be a maximum of one sign per store, shop or bona fide place of business. Up to one-half the area of such signs may advertise products or commodities actually sold on the premises. Signs which no longer advertise a bona fide place of business shall be removed within five (5) days of Vieux Carré Commission notification.
No sign shall be displayed from the parapet or roofs of any building in the Vieux Carré.
No sign shall be place on a balcony, gallery, canopy, shed, roof, door or window or placed in any manner whatsoever so as to disfigure or conceal any architectural feature or detail of any building.
- LOCATION AND SIZE
Signs shall not extend or be located beyond 4'-0" from a building face. Hooded lamps for such signs may extend 6" beyond the 4'-0" maximum.
Maximum sign size shall be computed as follows: for single face signs, allowable area shall not exceed 30 sq. in. (60 sq. in. for double face) for each running foot of business frontage. If two or more businesses are on a single lot with less than 25 linear feet of front footage, total sign area may be increased by 1 1/2 times. If two or more businesses are on a single lot with more than 50 linear feet of front footage, total sign area may be increased 1 square foot for every ten additional linear feet of lot footage.
In no case shall single face signs be smaller than 2 sq. ft. (288 sq. in.) or 4 sq. ft. for double face nor larger than 8 sq. ft. (1152 sq. in.) or 16 sq. ft. for double face.
- ILLUMINATION
Exterior illumination shall be by hooded lamps with maximum wattage as follows:
- Sign size up to 18" X 42" (756 sq. in.) - 75 watt
- Sign size more than 18" X 42" but less than 24" X 48" (1152 sq. in.) - 150 watt
- Sign size 24" X 48" - 220 watt
- VCE DISTRICT SIGNS
Signs shall not interfere with the integrity of the building, nor be located above the first floor level. Each place of business shall be allowed one category sign and one inventory (or menu) sign.
Size of category signs shall be determined as follows:
Maximum sign size is eight percent (8%) times height times base of the public space area of Bourbon Street facade. (Height is distance between floor and ceiling. Base is footage on Bourbon Street immediately behind front facade used to invite occupancy.) Halls, stairways, storage, office, other common areas may not be used to calculate Bourbon Street facades. Upper floor businesses do not consider any doorway or access at street level.
Single face signs may be attached to, erected parallel to, or painted on the facade. Double face signs may have a depth no wider than 18". In no case shall single face flat signs be greater than 25 square feet (3600 sq. in.) and in no case shall double face signs be greater than 50 sq. ft. (7200 sq. in.).
Inventory signs shall be single face flat signs no greater than 2 sq. ft. Of this area, no more than 30 sq. in. shall be used to identify the name or type of business.
Illumination requirements are the same as listed in C. above except that neon signs are permitted.
- ADDITIONAL SIGN POLICIES(not part of City Code or Zoning Code)
Banners shall be erected for special events only. Banners shall be hung for a maximum of seven (7) calendar days for each event. No banners shall be hung on the face of Purple rated buildings. That portion of a banner which mentions specific commercial establishments cannot exceed 1/3 (33%) of the area of the banner. Banners shall comply with all other requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
Temporary signs, which include real estate signs and construction related signs, but do not include "Grand Opening" or "Sale" type signs, shall be a maximum of 20" X 30". There shall be not more than one sign for each street face of a property. (Two may be permitted provided the property is listed by two different companies.) These signs shall comply with all other requirements as listed in the Zoning Ordinance.
Sale signs shall not be considered temporary signs, and shall comply with all requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Grand Opening signs shall be permitted for a maximum of fourteen (14) days from the opening of a bona fide business and shall be a maximum size of 20" X 30".
Menu Boxes shall be permitted on restaurants and on establishments with changing live entertainment in the VCE Zoning District. Menu Boxes shall be no larger than 2 sq. ft., and shall be constructed of wood or copper (aluminum and tin prohibited). Boxes can have hinged glass doors, and can be illuminated from within by incandescent fixtures only.
Signs with back to back sign faces with lighting between are prohibited in all VCC districts. Neon signs are prohibited everywhere in the Vieux Carré except in the VCE Zoning District.