84.30(4)(d)1.1. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal or device.
84.30(4)(d)2.
2. Signs shall not be erected or maintained upon trees, or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features, except landmark signs.
84.30(4)(d)3.
3. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are structurally unsafe or in substantial disrepair.
84.30(5)(a)(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.
84.30(5)(b)
(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.
84.30(5)(bm)
(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).
84.30(5)(c)
(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.
84.30(5)(d)
(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.
84.30(6)
(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:
84.30(6)(a)
(a) Signs lawfully in existence on March 18, 1972.
84.30(6)(b)
(b) Signs lawfully in existence on land adjoining any highway made an interstate or primary highway after March 18, 1972.
84.30(6)(c)
(c) Signs lawfully erected on or after March 18, 1972.
84.30(7)
(7) Measure. The just compensation required by
sub. (6) shall be paid for the following:
84.30(7)(a)
(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.
84.30(7)(b)
(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.
84.30(8)
(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.
84.30(9)
(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.
84.30(10)(a)(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.
84.30(10)(b)
(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.
84.30(10)(c)
(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.
84.30(10)(d)
(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.
84.30(10m)
(10m) Annual permit fee requirement. The department may promulgate a rule requiring persons specified in the rule to pay annual permit fees for signs. 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.
84.30(11)
(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.
84.30(12)
(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.
84.30(13)
(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% of the just compensation to be paid to sign owners and owners of real property under
23 USC 131 (g) and this section.
84.30(14)
(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).