TITLE 40

HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES

CHAPTER 19

BEAUTIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS

40-1910A.  Removal of off-premises outdoor advertising prohibited without compensation. (1) No governmental entity, including the state, or any municipality, county or other political subdivision shall remove or cause to be removed any legally placed off-premises outdoor advertising without paying compensation in cash or other method of payment mutually agreed upon, to the owner of the off-premises outdoor advertising based upon the fair market value of the off-premises outdoor advertising removed or proposed to be removed.

(2)  As used in this section:

(a)  "Off-premises outdoor advertising" means any outdoor sign, display, light, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, plaque, poster, billboard or other thing which is designed, intended or used to advertise or inform and which is situated in order to be visible from any highway, or other traveled way and which is located on property which is separate from and not adjoining the premises or property on which the advertised activity is carried out.

(b)  "Fair market value of the off-premises outdoor advertising" means the value of the off-premises outdoor advertising which shall include consideration of the income derived from the same and which shall otherwise be determined in the same manner as provided in section 7-711, Idaho Code.

(c)  "Legally placed" means, in reference to off-premises outdoor advertising, off-premises outdoor advertising which was erected in compliance with state laws and local ordinances, in effect at the time of erection or which was subsequently brought into compliance with state laws and local ordinances, except that the term does not apply to any off-premises outdoor advertising whose use is modified after erection in a manner which causes it to become illegal. Nothing herein shall require the payment of compensation for the removal by a governmental entity of any off-premises or other outdoor advertising which is, without authorization, erected or located in or upon a public right-of-way unless the same was legally placed thereon prior to the premises becoming a public right-of-way.

(d)  "Relocation" means removal of off-premises outdoor advertising and construction within the same market area of new off-premises outdoor advertising to substitute for the off-premises outdoor advertising removed.

(3)  It is a policy of this state to encourage governmental entities and owners of off-premises outdoor advertising to enter into relocation agreements in lieu and instead of paying the compensation provided herein, to continue development in a planned manner without expenditures of public funds while allowing continued maintenance of private investment and a medium of public communication. The state, cities, counties and all other political subdivisions are specifically empowered to enter into relocation agreements on whatever terms are agreeable to the off-premises outdoor advertising owner and the governmental entity and to adopt rules, ordinances or resolutions providing for relocation of off-premises outdoor advertising, provided that nothing herein shall require compensation other than the actual cost of relocation unless the said owner is reasonably unable to acquire an alternate permissible location of comparable cost and value within the same market area. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this section shall not be construed to prohibit a governmental entity from entering into any relocation agreement upon such terms as shall be otherwise lawful.

(4)  The requirement by a local governmental entity that legally placed off-premises advertising be removed as a condition or prerequisite for the issuance or continued effectiveness of a permit, license or other approval for any use, structure, development or activity other than off-premises outdoor advertising constitutes a compelled removal requiring compensation under this section unless the permit, license or approval is requested for the construction of a building or structure which cannot be built without physically removing the off-premises outdoor advertising.

History:

[40-1910A, added 1997, ch. 156, sec. 1, p. 451.]