The Roanoke city charter needs an amendment to allow small businesses to use feather flags

Brew Initiative Coffee

Petition is addressed to

Mayor of Roanoke, Virginia Joseph L. Cobb

38 Signatures

4 %

1,000 for collection target

38 Signatures

4 %

1,000 for collection target

Launched 30/03/2026
Time remaining > 4 months
Submission
Dialog with recipient
Decision

Petition addressed to: Mayor of Roanoke, Virginia Joseph L. Cobb

Feather flags and portable inflatable signs are an essential tool for small mobile businesses such as food trucks to advertise to the general public. These tools are currently prohibited by the Roanoke City charter citing safety concerns caused by distracted drivers. The city charter (specifically sections 36.2-360 through 363) needs to be updated and amended to allow these types of non-permanent portable signage while addressing the concerns of driver distractions, like other communities within the Commonwealth have done.

Reason

Roanoke relies on the taxes and revenue brought in by all businesses operating within the city limits, including smaller businesses like mobile food trucks. Out-of-date ordinances, like the ones outright prohibiting the use of tools such as feather flags or inflatable signs unnecessarily harm these smaller businesses, causing the owners and operators to seek other locations without these restrictions to operate out of.

Thank you so much for your support, Brew Initiative Coffee, BEDFORD

Question to the initiator

Petition details

Petition started: 03/30/2026
Collection ends: 10/03/2026
Region: Roanoke
Topic: Economy

Not yet a PRO argument.

Cons

No CONTRA argument yet.

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Why people sign

All comments

Comment by Amy Mcginnis

Roanoke, on 20 Apr 2026

Food trucks are an important addition to create thriving small cities... but food trucks need to be able to alert the public to their presence in order to attract enough business to operate successfully. I support this amendment wholeheartedly.

Comment by Kathleen Faucett

Hartville, on 10 Apr 2026

Flags are a crucial tool for advertising small businesses.

Comment by Carole Eagon

Bedford, on 10 Apr 2026

Small businesses need all the help they can get to be noticed. Flags are an affordable way to do that.

Comment by Mathew watts

Roanoke, on 10 Apr 2026

New businesses need a low cost way to advertise. This would be helpful to our economic growth

Comment by Jude Donato

Vinton, on 05 Apr 2026

I am a customer that drives by mobile venues, the flags help me determine if the small business is open or not, which is my reason to stop and buy product, or not. It helps identify the exact location within a parking lot.

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The Roanoke city charter needs an amendment to allow small businesses to use feather flags

38 Signatures