Tenn. Code Ann. § 54-21-116
Vegetation control permits and fees
Redline — September 1, 2020 → current.View current text →
Current — September 30, 2020
As of September 1, 2020
(1) The commissioner is authorized and directed to enter into agreements with the secretary of transportation of the United States regarding the definition of unzoned industrial and commercial areas; and regarding the size, lighting and spacing of outdoor advertising that may be erected and maintained within six hundred sixty feet (660') of the nearest edge of the right-of-way within the areas adjacent to the interstate and primary systems that are zoned industrial or commercial under the authority of state or local law, or in unzoned industrial or commercial areas that may be permitted in accordance with the terms of the agreement between the commissioner and the secretary of transportation of the United States. In any agreement entered into with the secretary of transportation, the commissioner shall reserve the right to renegotiate or make whatever modifications are necessary to conform to any subsequent amendments to the federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965, compiled in 23 U.S.C. §§ 131, 136, and 319. The agreement with the department of transportation that the commissioner signed on or about November 11, 1971, and that is to become effective upon passage of this chapter is authorized and approved, and the commissioner is directed, if required by the department to re-sign this agreement after passage of this chapter. Any modification of this agreement or any subsequent agreement shall become effective only upon passage of an act authorizing the modification by the general assembly.
(2) The commissioner is authorized to execute a modification of the agreement signed on or about November 11, 1971, to change the maximum area for any one (1) sign from one thousand two hundred square feet (1,200 sq. ft.) to seven hundred seventy-five square feet (775 sq. ft.); to reduce the optional maximum square footage of signs authorized in counties having a population greater than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) from three thousand square feet (3,000 sq. ft.) to one thousand two hundred square feet (1,200 sq. ft.); to modify the agreement to change the minimum spacing of signs on the interstate system and controlled access highways on the primary system from five hundred feet (500') to one thousand feet (1,000') where the same are not separated by buildings or other obstructions, so that only one (1) sign is visible from the highway at any one (1) time; to change the minimum spacing on noncontrolled access highways on the primary system outside the corporate limits of a municipality from three hundred feet (300') to five hundred feet (500'); and to change the minimum distance from an interchange, or intersection at grade, on the interstate system or controlled access highways on the primary system, outside incorporated cities, from five hundred feet (500') to one thousand feet (1,000'). Inside the corporate limits of a municipality, the distance between signs shall remain one hundred feet (100'). Permits issued prior to any change authorized for outdoor advertising or for outdoor advertising subsequently erected pursuant to the permit, that meet size, lighting, spacing and zoning criteria shall be unaffected thereby. Whenever any existing outdoor advertising or outdoor advertising erected pursuant to permit issued as mentioned in this subsection (b) is removed within the corporate limits of Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville or Chattanooga, the location of the outdoor advertising shall be subject to the issuance of a permit for a period of eighteen (18) months following the date of its removal. Thereafter, no further outdoor advertising development may occur.
(3) The commissioner is further authorized to change the definition of an unzoned commercial or industrial area to provide that only those areas on which there is located one (1) or more permanent structures within which a commercial or an industrial business is actively conducted, and that are equipped with all customary utilities facilities and open to the public regularly or regularly used by employees of the business as their principal work station, or that, due to the nature of the business, are equipped, staffed and accessible to the public as is customary, may be so defined.
(4) The commissioner is authorized to execute a modification of the agreement signed on or about November 11, 1971, to change the minimum distance from an interchange, or intersection, at grade, on the interstate system or controlled access highway on the primary system, outside incorporated cities, to five hundred feet (500') when the interchange or intersection is within two thousand five hundred feet (2,500') of an interchange or intersection, at grade, of a welcome station. This distance may be measured from that side of the interstate or controlled access highway on which the outdoor advertising is to be located if a determination is made by the commissioner that there exists a geographical feature or foliage in the median of the highway that would substantially block visibility of such outdoor advertising from any lane of highway on the opposite side of the median. If the commissioner is formally notified by the appropriate federal offices of the United States department of transportation that as a result of any provision of this subsection (d), the state will lose federal funds or if a loss of federal funds occurs, then the provision shall be void and inoperative.
(5) If subsection (d) is found to be void and inoperative, or if notice is received from the United States department of transportation as provided in subdivision (d)(1), then any outdoor advertising placed pursuant to this subsection (d) shall be removed immediately by and at the expense of the owner. Failure to remove the outdoor advertising shall render the sign a public nuisance and § 54-21-105 shall apply. Nothing in this subsection (d) shall be construed to grant an absolute right in the placement of an outdoor advertising sign or make the state in any way liable under this subsection (d), if this subsection (d) is found in violation of any federal regulations as provided in subdivision (d)(1).
(1) The commissioner shall issue to the owners or holders of lawfully issued outdoor advertising device permits, which definition includes those described as legal conforming, grandfathered, and nonconforming outdoor advertising devices in federal regulations, when the face of the outdoor advertising device is generally visible to occupants of vehicles from the main traveled ways of the system on the date of erection, permits to remove, block cut, or trim vegetation located on the right-of-way adjacent to the outdoor advertising device and replace the vegetation as directed, whenever the vegetation prevents clear visibility for a distance not to exceed five hundred yards (500 yds.) to occupants of vehicles using the main traveled ways of the controlled systems. Notwithstanding this chapter to the contrary, vegetation that, on the date of erection of the outdoor advertising device, blocks the view of the outdoor advertising device, in whole or in any part, for a distance not to exceed five hundred yards (500 yds.), to occupants of vehicles using the main traveled ways, is not eligible for removal under a vegetation control permit. The maximum area to be controlled shall not exceed five hundred feet (500'). The regional engineering director for the department shall issue a vegetation control permit where all criteria are met, following submission of information specified and a nonrefundable fee of one hundred dollars ($100) for each face involved. Vegetation control permits will be issued upon payment of a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per face for supervision of the work. All fees received by the commissioner under this section shall be deposited to the highway fund for the administration of this part. Each subsequent year a maintenance permit may be purchased for fifty dollars ($50.00) to provide annual maintenance at any one (1) location that is consistent with the original vegetation control permit. Vegetation permits issued pursuant to the Billboard Regulation and Control Act of 1972, compiled in this chapter as it existed prior to June 22, 2020, shall be reinstated under chapter 706 of the Public Acts of 2020. Alternatively, the owner of the device may apply for a new vegetation control permit, and the department shall issue the permit.
(2) No later than thirty (30) days from June 22, 2020, the commissioner shall develop and make available any forms necessary to apply for a permit and shall begin accepting and considering such applications. The commissioner shall use best efforts to process an application for a permit, in accordance with the rules of the department, within no greater than thirty (30) days after a completed application is received. If the application is incomplete or defective on its face, the commissioner shall notify an applicant in writing no later than fifteen (15) days of receipt of the filed application of its incomplete or defective status, and indicate the information or documentation that is needed to complete or correct the application. If a decision to approve or deny the application cannot be made within thirty (30) days after receipt of the completed or corrected application, the commissioner shall contact the applicant prior to the expiration of the thirty (30) days to provide an explanation of the reasons why additional time is needed to process the application. If the application is approved, the applicant shall notify the commissioner of the date on which the applicant wishes the permit to be issued. The applicant shall complete the authorized vegetation control within the time period specified in the permit, and in any event, the applicant shall complete the vegetation control within one (1) year after the date on which the application was approved or the application approval and permit is void.
(3) One (1) vegetation control permit fee must be waived for those owners who voluntarily remove a nonconforming outdoor advertising device. If the nonconforming outdoor advertising device to be removed is not at least one hundred fifty square feet (150 sq. ft.) in size, two (2) nonconforming outdoor advertising devices must be removed to authorize waiver. The latter applies only when the outdoor advertising device around which control is to occur is larger than three hundred square feet (300 sq. ft.).
(4) This waiver shall not be used as evidence in any future eminent domain proceeding relating to nonconforming outdoor advertising devices.
(5) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, it is the legislative intent that issuance of permits and carrying out of the work pursuant to the permits are lawful activities and shall not be construed as violating any provision of law.
(6) The commissioner may revoke, suspend, or modify any vegetation control permit for cause, including violation of any terms or conditions of the permit.
Current official text: Tennessee Code (LexisNexis). Digitized from the UniCourt Code Improvement Commission public-domain capture. Reproduced from public-domain Tennessee statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.