(1) Legislative findings and purpose. To promote the safety, convenience and enjoyment of public travel, to preserve the natural beauty of Wisconsin, to aid in the free flow of interstate commerce, to protect the public investment in highways, and to conform to the expressed intent of congress to control the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices adjacent to the national system of interstate and defense highways, it is hereby declared to be necessary in the public interest to control the erection and maintenance of billboards and other outdoor advertising devices adjacent to said system of interstate and federal-aid primary highways and the Great River Road.
(2) Definitions. In this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) “Adjacent area” means an area which is adjacent to and within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of any interstate or primary highway or the Great River Road, which 660 feet distance shall be measured horizontally along a line normal or perpendicular to the center line of the highway.
(b) “Business area” means any part of an adjacent area which is zoned for business, industrial or commercial activities under the authority of the laws of this state; or not zoned, but which constitutes an unzoned commercial or industrial area as defined in par. (k). In adjacent areas along the interstate system business areas shall be limited to commercial or industrial zones within the boundaries of incorporated municipalities, as those boundaries existed on September 1, 1959, and all other areas where the land-use as of September 1, 1959, was clearly established by state law as industrial or commercial.
(c) “Center line of the highway” means a line equidistant from the edges of the median separating the main-traveled ways of a divided highway, or the center line of the main-traveled way of a nondivided highway.
(d) “Commercial or industrial activities” for purposes of unzoned industrial and commercial areas mean those activities generally recognized as commercial or industrial by local zoning authorities in this state, except that none of the following activities shall be considered commercial or industrial:
1. Outdoor advertising structures.
2. Agricultural, forestry, ranching, grazing, farming and similar activities, including, but not limited to wayside fresh produce stands.
3. Activities normally or regularly in operation less than 3 months of the year.
4. Transient or temporary activities.
5. Activities not visible from the main-traveled way.
6. Activities more than 660 feet from the nearest edge of the right-of-way.
7. Railroad tracks and minor sidings.
8. Areas which are predominantly used for residential purposes.
(e) “Erect” means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish; but it does not include any of the foregoing activities when performed as an incident to the change of advertising message or customary maintenance of the sign structures.
(em) “Great River Road” means any highway officially designated as part of the Great River Road system by the department and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government and any highway designated as part of the Great River Road under s. 84.107. Signs along the Great River Road shall be regulated as are signs along primary highways.
(f) “Interstate highway” means any highway at any time officially designated as a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways by the department and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government.
(fm) “Landmark sign” means a sign of historic or artistic significance, the preservation of which is consistent with the purposes of this section, as determined by the department, including signs on farm structures or natural surfaces.
(g) “Maintain” means to allow to exist.
(h) “Main-traveled way” means the through traffic lanes exclusive of frontage roads, auxiliary lanes and ramps.
(hm) “Municipal welcome sign” means an official sign erected and maintained by a municipality that the municipality determines is necessary to inform motorists of the territorial boundaries of the municipality.
(i) “Primary highway” means any highway, other than an interstate highway, at any time officially designated as a part of the federal-aid primary system by the department and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government.
(j) “Sign” means any outdoor advertising sign, display, device, notice, figure, painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing, which is designed, intended, or used to advertise or inform, any part of the advertising or informative contents of which is visible from any place on the main-traveled way of any portion of an interstate highway or primary highway.
(k) “Unzoned commercial or industrial areas” mean those areas which are not zoned by state or local law, regulation or ordinance, and on which there is located one or more permanent structures devoted to a commercial or industrial activity or on which a commercial or industrial activity is actually conducted whether or not a permanent structure is located thereon, and the area along the highway extending outward 800 feet from and beyond the edge of such activity. Each side of the highway will be considered separately in applying this definition. All measurements shall be from the outer edges of the regularly used buildings, parking lots, storage or processing and landscaped areas of the commercial or industrial activities, not from the property lines of the activities, and shall be along or parallel to the edge or pavement of the highway.
(km) “Urban area” means any area which is an urbanized area or urban place, as determined by the department under 23 USC 101 (a) and regulations adopted thereunder and approved by the appropriate federal authority. Maps of urban area boundaries shall be available for inspection at offices of the department and copies of such maps shall be provided at cost to anyone requesting the same.
(L) “Zoned commercial or industrial areas” mean those areas which are zoned for business, industry, commerce or trade pursuant to a state or local zoning ordinance or regulation.
(2m) Conditional uses and special exceptions not considered. No uses of real property that are authorized by special zoning permission, including uses by conditional use, special exception, zoning variance or conditional permit, may be considered when determining whether the area is a business area.
(3) Signs prohibited. No sign visible from the main-traveled way of any interstate or federal-aid highway may be erected or maintained, except the following:
(a) Directional and other official signs, including, but not limited to, municipal welcome signs and signs pertaining to natural wonders, scenic and historical attractions, which are required or authorized by law, and which comply with rules which shall be promulgated by the department relative to their lighting, size, number, spacing and such other requirements as are appropriate to implement this section, but such rules shall not be inconsistent with, nor more restrictive than, such national standards as may be promulgated from time to time by the secretary of transportation of the United States under 23 USC 131 (c).
(b) Signs advertising the sale or lease of property upon which they are located if such signs comply with rules of the department.
(c) Signs advertising activities conducted on the property on which they are located if such on-property signs comply with applicable federal law and the June 1961 agreement between the department and the federal highway administrator relative to control of advertising adjacent to interstate highways. No on-property sign may be erected in a location where it constitutes a traffic hazard. If the department issues permits for outdoor advertising signs, the department is not required to issue permits for on-property signs that conform to the requirements of this paragraph. On-property signs may be illuminated, subject to the following restrictions:
1. Signs that contain, include or are illuminated by any flashing, intermittent or moving light or lights are prohibited, except electronic signs permitted by rule of the department.
2. Signs that are not effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled ways of the interstate or federal-aid primary highway and that are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or that otherwise interfere with any driver’s operation of a motor vehicle, are prohibited.
3. No sign may be so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal.
(d) Signs located in business areas on March 18, 1972.
(e) Signs to be erected in business areas subsequent to March 18, 1972 which when erected will comply with sub. (4).
(f) Signs located in urban areas outside the adjacent area.
(g) Landmark signs lawfully in existence on October 22, 1965.
(h) Signs outside the adjacent area which are not erected with the purpose of their message being read from the main-traveled way of an interstate or primary highway.
(i) Signs on farm buildings which are utilized by owners of the building for agricultural purposes if the signs promote a Wisconsin agricultural product unless prohibited by federal law.
(j)
1. Signs erected by the Crime Stoppers, the nationwide organization affiliated with local police departments, on or before October 14, 1997, without regard to whether the department has issued a license for the sign. The department may not remove a sign authorized under this paragraph unless the sign does not conform to federal requirements. The requirements under s. 86.19 do not apply to signs described in this subdivision.
2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., whenever a sign authorized under this paragraph requires replacement due to damage or deterioration, the department shall require the sign to be licensed under sub. (10) and to meet all of the requirements of this section and s. 86.19.
(4) Sign criteria. The department shall effectively control or cause to be controlled, the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices that are erected subsequent to March 18, 1972 in all business areas. Whenever a bona fide county or local zoning authority has made a determination of customary use, as to size, lighting and spacing such determination may be accepted in lieu of controls by agreement in the zoned commercial and industrial areas within the geographical jurisdiction of such authority. In all other business areas, the criteria set forth below shall apply:
(a) Size of signs shall be as follows:
1. The maximum areas for any one sign shall be 1,200 square feet with a maximum height of 30 feet and maximum length of 60 feet, inclusive of any border and trim but excluding the base or apron, supports and other structural members.
2. The areas shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, circle or combination thereof which will encompass the entire sign.
3. The maximum size limitations shall apply to each side of a sign structure and signs may be placed back-to-back, side-by-side, or in V-type construction with not more than 2 displays to each facing, and such sign structure shall be considered as one sign.
(b) Signs may be illuminated, subject to the following restrictions:
1. Signs which contain, include, or are illuminated by any flashing, intermittent, or moving light or lights are prohibited, except those specified in par. (bm) and those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather, or similar information.
2. Signs which are not effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled ways of the interstate or federal-aid primary highway and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interfere with any driver’s operation of a motor vehicle are prohibited.
3. No sign shall be so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of, or obscures an official traffic sign, device, or signal.
(bm) Signs may contain multiple or variable messages, including messages on louvers that are rotated and messages formed solely by use of lights or other electronic or digital displays, that may be changed by any electronic process, subject to all of the following restrictions:
1. Each change of message shall be accomplished in one second or less.
2. Each message shall remain in a fixed position for at least 6 seconds.
3. The use of traveling messages or segmented messages is prohibited.
4. The department, by rule, may prohibit or establish restrictions on the illumination of messages to a degree of brightness that is greater than necessary for adequate visibility.
(c) Spacing of signs shall be as follows:
1. On interstate and federal-aid primary highways signs may not be located in such a manner as to obscure, or otherwise physically interfere with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, signal, or device, obstruct or physically interfere with the driver’s view of approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic.
2. On interstate highways and freeways on the federal-aid primary system no 2 structures shall be spaced less than 500 feet apart. Outside of incorporated villages and cities, no structure may be located adjacent to or within 500 feet of an interchange, intersection at grade, or safety rest area. Said 500 feet shall be measured along the interstate or freeway from the beginning or ending of pavement widening at the exit from or entrance to the main-traveled way.
3. On nonfreeway federal-aid primary highways outside incorporated villages and cities, no 2 structures shall be spaced less than 300 feet apart. Within incorporated villages and cities, no 2 structures shall be spaced less than 100 feet apart.
4. The spacing between structures provisions in subds. 1., 2. and 3. do not apply to structures separated by buildings or other obstructions in such a manner that only one sign-facing located within the spacing distances in subds. 1., 2. and 3. is visible from the highway at any one time.
5.
a. Official and on-premises signs, as defined in 23 USC 131 (c), and structures that are not lawfully maintained shall not be counted nor shall measurements be made from them for purposes of determining compliance with spacing requirements.
b. The minimum distances between structures shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the signs along each side of the highway and shall apply only to structures located on the same side of the highway.
(d)
1. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal or device.
2. Signs shall not be erected or maintained upon trees, or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features, except landmark signs.
3. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are structurally unsafe or in substantial disrepair.
(5) Nonconforming signs.
(a) Signs outside of business areas which are lawfully in existence on March 18, 1972 but which do not conform to the requirements herein are declared nonconforming and shall be removed by the end of the 5th year from said date.
(b) A sign lawfully erected after March 18, 1972 and which subsequently does not conform to this section shall be removed by the end of the 5th year after it becomes nonconforming.
(bm) Signs lawfully erected, but which do not conform to the requirements of sub. (3) (c), are declared nonconforming but are not subject to removal, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph. To allow such signs to exist, to perform customary maintenance thereon or to change the advertising message thereof, does not constitute a violation of sub. (3), but to enlarge, replace or relocate such signs, or to erect additional signs, shall constitute a violation subjecting the sign to removal without compensation, unless upon completion of such work all signs upon the property conform to the requirements of sub. (3).
(br)
1. In this paragraph:
a. “Copy” means the advertising or other information or images on a sign face created to communicate to the public.
b. “Copy change” means the process of substituting copy on a sign face, which may include removing a face and substituting another face or other processes such as painting on wood, metal, or vinyl, affixing printed paper or vinyl to the face, changing the message mechanically, or electronically changing the copy from a remote location.
c. “Customary maintenance” on a sign includes nailing, bolting, fastening, cleaning, and painting; replacing its components with equivalent or similar components; except as provided in this subd. 1. c., replacing structural components, including upright supports; making copy changes; upgrading existing illumination for energy efficiency or worker safety; adding catwalks or handrails to address safety; installing an apron to a sign structure to display identification of the sign owner; or replacing the sign face. “Customary maintenance” does not include repairs that involve, within a period of 36 consecutive months, replacing more than 60 percent of the wooden upright supports of a sign or replacing more than 30 percent of the length above ground of each broken, bent, or twisted upright metal support of a sign.
d. “Destroyed,” with respect to a nonconforming sign, means that upright supports are physically damaged such that, within a period of 36 consecutive months, in the case of a sign structure with wooden upright supports, more than 60 percent of the supports are broken and, under normal repair practices, would need to be replaced or, in the case of a sign structure with metal upright supports, more than 30 percent of the length above ground of each broken, bent, or twisted support would, under normal repair practices, need to be replaced.
e. “Sign face” or “face” means the material components of a sign on which the advertising or other information is displayed including any trim, border, or molding.
f. “Substantial change,” with respect to a nonconforming sign, includes increasing the number of upright supports; changing the physical location; increasing the square footage or area of the sign face; adding changeable message capability; or adding illumination, either attached or unattached, to a sign that was previously not illuminated. “Substantial change” does not include customary maintenance.
g. “Substantially the same,” with respect to a nonconforming sign, means that no substantial change has been made to the sign since it became nonconforming.
2. Notwithstanding par. (a) or (b), signs described in sub. (3) (a), (d), (e), (f), or (h) that were lawfully erected but that no longer conform to applicable requirements are, upon notice by registered mail from the department to the sign owner, declared nonconforming but are not subject to removal, except as provided in subds. 4. and 5.
3. Subject to subd. 4., a sign described in subd. 2. shall remain substantially the same as it was on the date it became nonconforming. To allow a sign described in subd. 2. to exist, to perform customary maintenance on such a sign, or to change the advertising message on such a sign, does not constitute a violation of sub. (3) or (4).
4. Except as provided in this subdivision, to make a substantial change to a sign described in subd. 2. or to erect additional signs shall constitute a violation of subs. (3) and (4). In determining whether a change to a sign constitutes a violation of sub. (3) or (4), the department may not consider any changes to that sign that no longer exist. If the department determines that a change to a sign constitutes a violation of sub. (3) or (4), the department shall notify by registered mail the sign owner and the owner of the property upon which the sign is located of the alleged violation. If the alleged violation is remedied within 60 days of receipt of the notice under this subdivision, the activity does not constitute a violation of sub. (3) or (4).
5.
a. Except as provided in subd. 5. b., and notwithstanding subd. 3., a sign described in subd. 2. that is destroyed is subject to removal without compensation.
b. Notwithstanding subds. 3. and 4., if a nonconforming sign is damaged or destroyed by a criminal or tortious act, the sign may be repaired or replaced. If the sign is replaced, the replacement sign may not incorporate any elements that constitute a substantial change from the sign that was damaged or destroyed. The repair or replacement of a sign under this subdivision is not limited to activities constituting customary maintenance.
6. A sign described in sub. (3) (a) that is declared nonconforming as provided in subd. 2. may not be converted to any sign described in sub. (3) (d), (e), (f), or (h).
(c) Should any commercial or industrial activity, which has been used in defining or delineating an unzoned area, cease to operate, the unzoned area shall be redefined or redelineated based on the remaining activities. Any signs located within the former unzoned area but located outside the unzoned area, based on its new dimensions, shall become nonconforming.
(d) The department shall give highest priority to the removal or relocation of signs advertising products of general availability in commercial channels when such signs fail to conform under this subsection.
(5m) Mars Cheese Castle signs in Kenosha County. Notwithstanding any other provision of law and any local ordinance or other restrictions on signs, the Mars Cheese Castle business in Kenosha County may relocate its on-premises signs located near the intersection of I 94 and STH 142 in Kenosha County and maintain such signs at their new location.
(5r) Signs nonconforming under local ordinances that are realigned because of state highway projects.
(a) In this subsection, “realignment” means relocation on the same site.
(b) If a highway project of the department causes the realignment of a sign that does not conform to a local ordinance, the realignment shall not affect the sign’s nonconforming status under the ordinance.
(c) If in connection with a highway project of the department the department proposes the realignment of a sign that does not conform to a local ordinance, the department shall notify the governing body of the municipality or county where the sign is located and which adopted the ordinance of the sign’s proposed realignment. Upon receiving this notice, the governing body may petition the department to acquire the sign and any real property interest of the sign owner. If the department succeeds in condemning the sign, the governing body that made the petition to the department shall pay to the department an amount equal to the condemnation award, less relocation costs for the sign that would have been paid by the department if the sign had been realigned rather than condemned. Notwithstanding s. 86.30 (2) (a) 1. and (b) 1., 1g., and 1r., if the governing body fails to pay this amount, the department may reduce the municipality’s or county’s general transportation aid payment under s. 86.30 by an equal amount.
(d) This subsection does not permit the alteration or movement of a sign that is nonconforming under this section.
(6) Just compensation. The department shall pay just compensation upon the removal or relocation on or after March 18, 1972, of any of the following signs which are not then in conformity with this section, regardless of whether the sign was removed because of this section:
(a) Signs lawfully in existence on March 18, 1972.
(b) Signs lawfully in existence on land adjoining any highway made an interstate or primary highway after March 18, 1972.
(c) Signs lawfully erected on or after March 18, 1972.
(7) Measure. The just compensation required by sub. (6) shall be paid for the following:
(a) The taking from the owner of such sign, all right, title and interest in and to the sign and the owner’s leasehold relating thereto, including severance damages to the remaining signs which have a unity of use and ownership with the sign taken, shall be included in the amounts paid to the respective owner, excluding any damage to factories involved in manufacturing, erection, maintenance or servicing of any outdoor advertising signs or displays.
(b) The taking of the right to erect and maintain such signs thereon from the owner of the real property on which the sign is located.
(8) Agreed price. Compensation required under subs. (6) and (7) shall be paid to the person entitled thereto. If the department and the owner reach agreement on the amount of compensation payable to such owner in respect to any removal or relocation, the department may pay such compensation to the owner and thereby require or terminate the owner’s rights or interests by purchase. If the department and the owner do not reach agreement as to such amount of compensation, the department or owner may institute an action to have such compensation determined under s. 32.05.
(9) Sign information. On and after March 18, 1972 all signs, or structures on which there are displays, shall have stated thereon the names and addresses of the owner thereof, and the date of its erection; but if the address of the owner is on file with the department it need not be stated thereon.
(10) License requirement.
(a) On or after January 1, 1972, no person shall engage or continue to engage in the business of outdoor advertising in areas subject to this section without first obtaining a license therefor from the department. The fee for the issuance of a license or for the renewal thereof shall be $250 payable in advance. Each license shall remain in force until the next succeeding December 31 and may be renewed annually.
(b) Application for license or a renewal thereof shall be made on forms to be furnished by the department, shall contain such information as the department requires and shall be verified under oath by the applicant or an authorized officer or agent. Renewal applications shall be filed on or before the December 1 preceding the expiration date. Upon receipt of an application containing all required information, in due form and properly executed, together with any bond required by par. (c) and upon payment of the required license fee, the department shall issue a license to the applicant or renew the existing license.
(c) No license to engage or continue to engage in the business of outdoor advertising shall be granted to any applicant who does not reside in this state or, in the case of a foreign corporation or foreign limited liability company not authorized to do business in this state until such applicant files with the department a bond payable to the state and with a surety approved by the attorney general, in the sum of $5,000 conditioned upon the licensee observing and fulfilling all applicable provisions of this section. Upon default thereof the department may enforce the collection of such bond in any court of competent jurisdiction. The bond shall remain in effect so long as any obligation of such licensee to the state remains unsatisfied.
(d) The department may, after a hearing with 30 days’ prior written notice to the licensee, revoke the license if the department finds that the licensee has knowingly made false statements in the application or is violating this section. Such revocation shall not become effective if within 30 days after written notice of the findings has been given to the licensee, he or she corrects such false statement or terminates any such violation.
(10m) Annual permit fee requirement. The department may promulgate a rule requiring persons specified in the rule to pay annual permit fees for signs. The rule shall specify that no permit fee may be charged for an off-premises advertising sign that is owned by a nonprofit organization. If the department establishes an annual permit fee under this subsection, failure to pay the fee within 2 months after the date on which payment is due is evidence that the sign has been abandoned for the purposes of s. Trans 201.10 (2) (f), Wis. Adm. Code.
(11) Department removal. Any sign erected in an adjacent area after March 18, 1972, in violation of this section or the rules promulgated under this section, may be removed by the department upon 60 days’ prior notice by registered mail to the owner thereof and to the owner of the land on which said sign is located, unless such sign is brought into conformance within said 60 days. No notice shall be required to be given to the owner of a sign whose name is not stated on the sign or on the structure on which it is displayed, or whose address is not stated thereon or is not on file with the department.
(12) Federal compliance. The department on behalf of the state is authorized and directed to seek agreement with the secretary of transportation of the United States acting under the provisions of 23 USC 131, as amended, that the provisions of this section are in conformance with that federal law and provide effective control of outdoor advertising signs as set forth therein.
(13) Federal funds. The department may accept any allotment of funds by the United States, or any agency thereof, appropriated to carry out the purposes of 23 USC 131, as amended, from time to time. The department shall take such steps as are necessary from time to time to obtain from the United States, or the appropriate agency thereof, funds allotted and appropriated, under 23 USC 131 for the purposes of paying the federal government’s 75 percent of the just compensation to be paid to sign owners and owners of real property under 23 USC 131 (g) and this section.
(14) Department rules. The department may promulgate rules deemed necessary to implement and enforce this section. The department shall promulgate rules to restrict the erection and maintenance of signs as to their lighting, size, number and spacing when such signs are visible from the highway but outside the adjacent area. The department shall by rule establish a priority system for the removal or relocation of all signs not specified in sub. (5) (d) which fail to conform to the requirements of sub. (5).
(15) Funds required. Despite any contrary provision in this section no sign shall be required to be removed unless at the time of removal there are sufficient funds, from whatever source, appropriated and immediately made available to the department with which to pay the just compensation required and unless at such time the federal funds, required to be contributed to this state under 23 USC 131 have been appropriated and are immediately available to the state for the payment of compensation which is eligible for federal participation.
(16) Severability. If any provision or clause of this section or application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the section which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are declared to be severable. If any portion of this section is found not to comply with federal law and federal billboard removal compensation that portion shall be void without affecting the validity of other provisions of the section.
(17) Transportation fund. All fees collected for the issuance of permits provided for under this section shall be paid into the transportation fund.
(18) Hearings; transcripts. Hearings concerning sign removal notices under sub. (11) or the denial or revocation of a sign permit or license shall be conducted before the division of hearings and appeals as are hearings in contested cases under ch. 227. The decision of the division of hearings and appeals is subject to judicial review under ch. 227. Any person requesting a transcript of the proceedings from the division of hearings and appeals shall pay the amount established by the division of hearings and appeals by rule for the transcript.
