Are LED Signs Allowed in Fairburn, Fulton County, Georgia? A Guide to Permits, Sizes, and Zoning
EMC Sign Allowed?
❌ No. EMC signs are prohibited within the City of Fairburn.
The sign permit document states:
“Prohibited Signs: Electronic or Digital Billboards/Message Boards (LED), Feather Flag, Free Standing (Pole/Pylon).”
In the “Highway 29 Overlay District” the same prohibition is repeated.
There does not appear to be a separate variance or conditional-use process mentioned for EMCs in this document.
🔗 Full Ordinance – City of Fairburn Sign Code
🔗 Zoning & Parcel View – City of Fairburn Zoning & Parcel View
EMC Sign Summary Table
Since EMCs are not allowed, a full summary table for allowed EMCs is not applicable.
| Feature | Answer |
|---|---|
| EMC signs permitted? | ❌ No |
| Off-premise EMCs allowed? | ❌ Not applicable |
| EMCs in public right-of-way? | ❌ Not applicable |
| Use restrictions | Prohibited — “Electronic or Digital Billboards/Message Boards (LED)” listed among prohibited signs. |
Zoning District Overview
The city’s planning and zoning department handles sign permits and the zoning code.
A detailed list of zoning districts applicable in Fairburn is available via the city’s Zoning Ordinance link.
However, there is no indication in the publicly referenced sign permit document that EMCs are allowed in any zoning district or under any overlay district.
Zoning-Specific Standards
Because EMCs are prohibited outright, there are no zoning-specific tables for EMC allowances to include.
Permit Filing Requirements
Although EMCs are not permitted, the City sets out general sign permit application requirements (for monument, freestanding, wall, banner, etc.).
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A sign permit application must be submitted for each individual sign.
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Required submittals include: site plan showing north arrow, property boundaries, building/parking areas, road names; front/side elevation drawings; sign dimensions; materials/colors; whether illumination is interior/exterior.
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For Planned Centers: if multiple buildings in a center, a master signage plan is required.
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The sign permit document notes that in the Highway 29 Overlay District (part of Fairburn) the design is “historic” and certain sign types are “Prohibited” (including Electronic or Digital Billboards/Message Boards (LED)).
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Application processing is “within 30 days of the actual receipt of a completed application and paid permit fees.”
Because EMCs are prohibited, the usual additional requirements (for example related to EMC message duration, brightness, animation, off-premise content) do not appear in the publicly available sign permit application document.
Local Project Examples (Optional)
No known local example of a permitted EMC sign was found in the accessible documentation (since EMCs are prohibited). Should a client ever wish to propose an EMC, they would first need to verify whether a code amendment or variance option exists — none is referenced in the available documents.
Full Ordinance Text (Verbatim)
Here is a relevant excerpt from the Sign Permit Application Procedures document:
“Permitted Signs: Awnings, A-Frame, Sandwich Board, Monument, Wall/Sign Board, Window, Projecting, Hanging, Suspended
Prohibited Signs: Electronic or Digital Billboards/Message Boards (LED), Feather Flag, Free Standing (Pole/Pylon).”
In the Highway 29 Overlay District: the same classification of permitted vs prohibited signs appears.
External References
🗺️ Fairburn Zoning & Parcel View
📘 Fairburn Zoning Sign Code
📝 Permit Application Portal