Control of Outdoor Advertising near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
§ 113A-165. Advertisements prohibited within 1,000 feet of centerline; exceptions.
No advertisement or advertising structure shall be erected, constructed, installed, maintained or operated within 1,000 feet of the centerline of the Blue Ridge Parkway, except the following:
(1) Sign displays or devices which advertise sale, lease, rental, or development of the property on which it is located.
(2) On-premises Signs. - For the purpose of this Article, those signs, displays or devices which carry only advertisements strictly related to the lawful use of the property on which it is located including signs, displays or devices which identify the business transacted, services rendered, goods sold or produced on the property, name of the business, [and] name of the person, firm or corporation occupying or owning the property. The size of signs advertising the major business activity is not regulated hereunder. Signs which advertise brand-name products or service sold or offered for sale on the property shall not be displayed as on-premise[s] signs unless such signs are on or attached to the building in which such products are sold. All such signs permitted under this subsection shall be located not more than 150 feet from the building in which such business activity is carried on.
(3) Historic markers erected by duly constituted and authorized public authorities.
(4) Highway markers and signs erected or caused to be erected by the Board of Transportation or other authorized authorities in accordance with the law.
(5) Directional and official signs or notices erected and maintained by public officers or agencies pursuant to and in accordance with lawful authorization for the purpose of carrying out the official duty or responsibility.
(6) Signs located within a 1,000-foot radius of intersections created by the crossing of the centerline of the Blue Ridge Parkway with the centerlines of components of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, Federal Aid Primary Highway System, or the North Carolina System of Primary Highways, not, however, inconsistent with other provisions of the General Statutes. (1973, c. 507, s. 5; 1975, c. 385.)
§ 113A-166. Rules.
The Secretary of Environmental Quality may adopt rules needed to implement this Article. (1975, c. 385; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1987, c. 827, s. 149; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(69); 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1004, s. 19(b); 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(v).)
§ 113A-167. Existing billboards.
Any billboard in existence upon May 26, 1975, and which does not conform to the requirements of this Article may be maintained for the life of such advertisement or advertising structure, provided that: The Department of Environmental Quality is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift or condemnation all outdoor advertising and all property rights pertaining thereto existing on May 26, 1975, which are nonconforming.
(1) In any acquisition, purchase or condemnation, just compensation to the owner of the outdoor advertising where the owner of the outdoor advertising does not own the fee shall be limited to the fair market value at the time of the taking of the outdoor advertising owner's interest in the real property on which the outdoor advertising is located and such value shall include the value of the outdoor advertising.
(2) In any acquisition, purchase or condemnation, just compensation to the owner of the fee or other interest in the real property upon which the outdoor advertising is located where said owner does not own the outdoor advertising located thereon shall be limited to the difference in the fair market value of the entire tract immediately before and immediately after the taking by the Commission of the right to erect and maintain such outdoor advertising thereon, and in arriving at the fair market value after the taking, any special or general benefits accruing to the property by reason of the acquisition shall be taken into consideration.
(3) In any acquisition, purchase or condemnation, just compensation to the owner of the fee in the real property upon which the outdoor advertising is located where said owner also owns the outdoor advertising located thereon shall be limited to the fair market value of the outdoor advertising plus the difference in the fair market value of the entire tract immediately before and immediately after the taking by the Department of Environmental Quality of the right to erect and maintain such outdoor advertising thereon and in arriving at the fair market value after the taking, any special or general benefits accruing to the property by reason of the acquisition shall be taken into consideration. (1975, c. 385; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(70); 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)
§ 113A-168. Removal, etc., of unlawful advertising.
Any outdoor advertising erected or established after May 26, 1975, in violation of the provisions of this Article shall be unlawful and shall constitute a nuisance. The Department of Environmental Quality shall give 30 days' notice by certified mail to the owner of the nonconforming outdoor advertising structure, if such owner is known or can by reasonable diligence be ascertained, to move the outdoor advertising structure or to make it conform to the provisions of this Article and rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality hereunder. The Department or its agents shall have the right to remove or contract to have removed the nonconforming outdoor advertising at the expense of the said owner if the said owner fails to act within 30 days after receipt of such notice. The Department or its agents or contractor and his employees may enter upon private property for the purpose of removing outdoor advertising prohibited by this Article or its implementing rules without civil or criminal liability. (1975, c. 385; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1987, c. 827, s. 150; 1989, c. 727, s. 138; 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)
§ 113A-169. Condemnation procedure.
For the purposes of this Article, the Department of Environmental Quality shall use the procedure for condemnation of property as provided for by Article 9 of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes. (1975, c. 385; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(71); 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)
§ 113A-170. Violation a misdemeanor; injunctive relief.
Any person, firm, corporation or association placing or erecting outdoor advertising structure or junkyard along the Blue Ridge Parkway in violation of this Article or a rule adopted under this Article shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. In addition thereto, the Department of Environmental Quality may seek injunctive relief in the superior court of the county in which the said nonconforming outdoor advertising is located and require the outdoor advertising to conform to the provisions of this Article or a rule adopted under this Article, or require the removal of the said nonconforming outdoor advertising. (1975, c. 385; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1987, c. 827, s. 151; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(72); 1993, c. 539, s. 875; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)
§§ 113A-171 through 113A-175. Reserved for future codification purposes.