SCS/SB 809 - Under this act, on the date the commission approves funding for any phase or portion of construction or reconstruction of Interstate 70 or Interstate 44, the rules in effect for outdoor advertising on August 27, 1999, shall be reinstated for that section of highway scheduled for construction and there shall immediately be a moratorium imposed on the issuance of state sign permits for new sign structures. Owners of existing signs which meet the requirements for outdoor advertising in effect on August 27, 1999, and the requirements of the federal/state agreement and who voluntarily execute a partial waiver and reset agreement may reset such signs on the same or adjoining property. Such reset agreements shall be contingent upon obtaining any required local approval to reset the sign structure. Any sign which has been reset must still comply with the August 27, 1999 outdoor advertising regulations after it has been reset.
Owners of existing signs who elect to reset qualifying signs shall receive compensation representing the actual cost to reset the existing sign. Signs which have been reset under the act must be reconstructed of the same type materials and may not exceed the square footage of the original sign structure.
Sign owners may elect to reset existing qualifying signs by executing a partial waiver and reset agreement with the commission.
Upon the completion of construction on any section of Interstate 70 or Interstate 44, the moratorium on new permits shall be lifted and the rules for outdoor advertising in effect on the date the construction is completed shall apply to such section of highway.
Local zoning authorities may prohibit the resetting of qualifying signs which fail to comply with local regulations, but local authorities which choose to prohibit such resetting shall reimburse the commission the cost to condemn such signs less the cost to reset the sign under the act.
STEPHEN WITTE