2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 13a - Highways and Bridges › Chapter 238 - Highway Construction and Maintenance › Section 13a-123. - Restriction of outdoor advertising structures, signs, displays or devices on state property or interstate, federal-aid and other limited access highways. Signs upon or within buildings or personal property. Exceptions. License or permit. Information centers at safety rest areas. Removal. Penalty.

(a)(1) The erection of outdoor advertising structures, signs, displays or devices within six hundred sixty feet of the edge of the right-of-way, the advertising message of which is visible from the main traveled way of any portion of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, hereinafter referred to as interstate highways, the primary system of federal-aid highways or other limited access state highways, is prohibited except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this section, and except that those outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices which are more than six hundred sixty feet off the nearest edge of the right-of-way, located outside of urban areas, visible from the main traveled way of the system and erected with the purpose of their message being read from such main traveled way are prohibited.
(2) The erection of advertising signs, displays or devices on real property owned or in the custody or control of the state, except such signs, displays or devices described in subdivision (6) of subsection (e) of this section, is prohibited. Nothing in this subsection shall restrict the right of the Commissioner of Transportation to issue permits for the maintenance of existing advertising signs, displays or devices, to renew existing permits or to issue new permits for the replacement of existing advertising signs, displays or devices on real property owned or in the custody or control of the state.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the erection or maintenance of advertising signs, displays or devices upon or within personal property, including, but not limited to, vehicular property owned or in the custody or control of the state.
(b) The Commissioner of Transportation may enter into agreements with the Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the state or any of its agencies to comply with Title I of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 and do such things as are necessary to enable the state to be eligible for the bonus payments as set forth in an agreement between the state and the Secretary of Commerce dated June 23, 1961.
(c) The commissioner may promulgate regulations for the control of outdoor advertising structures, signs, displays and devices along interstate highways, the primary system of federal-aid highways and other limited access state highways. Such regulations shall be as, but not more, restrictive than the controls required by Title I of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 and any amendments thereto with respect to the interstate and primary systems of federal-aid highways or the national standards of the Secretary of Commerce in respect to the interstate highways, in effect November 13, 1958, and any amendments thereto.
(d) The regulations promulgated by the commissioner shall, in the case of such other limited access state highways, exclude any area along either side of such highways which is zoned for industrial or commercial use under local ordinance or zoning regulation and which, upon application, is determined by the commissioner to be in actual use as an industrial or commercial area at the time of application, provided such exclusion shall remain operative only as long as such area remains so zoned.
(e) The following types of signs, displays and devices may, with the approval of and subject to regulations adopted by the commissioner, be permitted within the six-hundred-sixty-foot area of interstate, primary and other limited access state highways, except as prohibited by state statute, local ordinance or zoning regulation: (1) Directional and other official signs or notices, which signs and notices shall include, but not be limited to, signs and notices pertaining to natural wonders and scenic and historical attractions which are required or authorized by law; (2) signs, displays and devices advertising the sale or lease of the property upon which they are located; (3) signs, displays and devices advertising activities conducted on the property on which they are located; (4) signs, displays or advertising devices which are in place for sixty days or less; and (5) advertising signs, displays or devices (A) located or erected on real property or abutting real property within areas owned, leased or managed by a public authority for the purpose of (i) railway or rail infrastructure facilities, including, but not limited to, associated structures located within areas zoned solely or predominantly for the development of a railway or rail infrastructure facilities, (ii) bus rapid transit corridors, including, but not limited to, the Hartford-New Britain busway project authorized in section 13b-15a, and any shelter, structure or other facility associated with the operation of such bus rapid transit corridor, (iii) airport development zones designated in section 32-75d, or (iv) any other similar transit or freight purpose, or (B) upon or within buildings, structures or other venues in the custody or control of the state and designed, operated or intended to be operated for the purpose of presenting athletic, artistic, musical or other entertainment events. Subject to regulations adopted by the commissioner and except as prohibited by state statute, local ordinance or zoning regulation signs, displays and devices may be erected and maintained within six hundred sixty feet of primary and other limited access state highways in areas which are zoned for industrial or commercial use under authority of law or located in unzoned commercial or industrial areas which areas shall be determined from actual land uses and defined by regulations of the commissioner. The regulations of the commissioner in regard to size, spacing and lighting shall apply to any segments of the interstate system which traverse commercial or industrial zones wherein the use of real property adjacent to the interstate system is subject to municipal regulation or control, or which traverse other areas where the land use, as of September 21, 1959, was clearly established under state law as industrial or commercial.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (e) of this section, signage that may be changed at intervals by electronic or mechanical process or by remote control shall be permitted within six hundred sixty feet of the edge of the right-of-way of any interstate, federal-aid primary or other limited access state highway, except as prohibited by state statute, local ordinance or zoning regulation, provided such signage (1) has a static display lasting no less than eight seconds, (2) achieves a message change with all moving parts or illumination moving or changing simultaneously over a period of three seconds or less, and (3) does not display any illumination that moves, appears to move or changes in intensity during the static display period.
(g) (1) Whenever the commissioner deems it in the best interest of the state, the commissioner may acquire by purchase, gift or condemnation, in accordance with part IV of this chapter, the right to advertise or regulate advertising in an area adjacent to the right-of-way of a project on the interstate or primary system or any limited access state highway. (2) The commissioner may also acquire by purchase, gift or condemnation, and shall pay just compensation upon the removal of the following outdoor advertising structures, signs, displays and devices adjacent to interstate and federal-aid primary highways which (A) were lawfully in existence on October 22, 1965, (B) were lawfully on a highway made part of the interstate or primary system on or after October 22, 1965, and before January 1, 1968, and (C) were lawfully erected on or after January 1, 1968. Just compensation for the removal of structures, signs, displays and devices along the interstate and primary systems shall be paid only for the following: (i) The taking from the owner of such sign, display or device of all right, title, leasehold and interest in such structure, sign, display or device; and (ii) the taking, from the owner of the real property on which the structure, sign, display or device is located, of the right to erect and maintain such structures, signs, displays and devices thereon.
(h) Licenses or permits for outdoor structures, signs, displays or devices adjacent to interstate, primary federal-aid or other limited access state highways issued by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection in accordance with chapter 411 shall be consistent with regulations and standards adopted under this section.
(i) In order to provide information in the specific interest of the traveling public the Commissioner of Transportation may maintain maps and may permit informational directories and advertising pamphlets to be made available at safety areas, and, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, may establish information centers at safety rest areas for the purpose of informing the public of places of interest within the state and providing such other information as the commissioner may consider desirable. In addition to being subject to the provisions of this section, all outdoor advertising structures, signs, displays or devices shall continue to be subject to the provisions of any municipal ordinance or regulation.
(j) The commissioner may order the removal of any advertising structure, sign, display or device along any interstate, federal-aid primary, or other limited access state highway erected in violation of this section. Any advertising structure, sign, display or device in existence on September 1, 1965, within six hundred and sixty feet of the right-of-way of any interstate, federal-aid primary, or other limited access state highway may continue to be maintained until July 1, 1970, but may not be replaced or relocated on such highway except (1) in areas where otherwise allowed by statute or regulations adopted thereunder, or (2) if such sign is removed from a building to which it is attached for purposes of repair or reconstruction of the building, the identical sign may be returned to its original position. Any advertising structure, sign, display or device lawfully erected since September 1, 1965, within six hundred sixty feet of the right-of-way of any interstate, federal-aid primary, or other limited access state highway and before June 21, 1967, may continue to be maintained until the end of the fifth year after it becomes nonconforming, but may not be replaced or relocated on such highway except in areas where otherwise allowed by statute or regulations adopted thereunder. If the person, firm or corporation in control of or owning a structure, sign, display or device or whose name appears thereon does not remove it within fourteen days after an order of removal has been sent to such person, firm or corporation by registered or certified mail, said commissioner may cause such structure, sign, display or device to be removed and the expense of such removal may be collected from the person, firm or corporation owning or controlling the same in an action based on the provisions of this section, or from the sureties on the bond filed by a nonresident person, firm or corporation pursuant to section 21-54.
(k) Any person violating any provision of this section or of any regulation, license, permit or order adopted or issued pursuant to this section shall be subject to a civil penalty in the amount of one hundred dollars for each day on which the violation occurs. Prior to imposing a penalty under this section, the commissioner shall send such person a written notice of the violation by certified mail, return receipt requested. If such person terminates or corrects the violation by the fifteenth day following such person's receipt of such notice, the commissioner shall not impose such penalty on such person for such violation. Any such violation that continues for more than sixty consecutive days shall be cause for revocation of the permit granted pursuant to this chapter with which the violation is associated.
(1959, P.A. 526, S. 1–7, 9–11; 1963, P.A. 226, S. 123; 1967, P.A. 632, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 92; P.A. 76-146; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 94-188, S. 25, 30; P.A. 03-115, S. 32; P.A. 05-210, S. 36; P.A. 06-196, S. 195; P.A. 08-101, S. 12; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-227, S. 1; P.A. 13-277, S. 13, 56, 57; P.A. 14-199, S. 12.)
History: 1963 act replaced previous provisions: See title history; 1967 act included primary system federal-aid highways in applicability provision and specified applicability to other limited access state highways in Subsec. (a), revised applicable federal law references in Subsec. (b), amended Subsec. (c) for clarity and stated that regulations shall be neither more restrictive nor less restrictive than controls required by Highway Beautification Act, removed interstate highways from regulation under Subsec. (d), revised provisions of Subsec. (e) to specifically include signs pertaining to natural wonders and scenic and historical attractions, replacing previous provision re “information in the specific interest of the traveling public” and to add provision re signs in areas zoned for industrial or commercial use, added Subsec. (f)(2) re removal of signs etc., added provision re information centers in Subsec. (h) and clarified time limits for nonconforming signs, etc. in Subsec. (i); 1969 act substituted commissioner of transportation for highway commissioner; P.A. 76-146 amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit overly large signs erected beyond six-hundred-sixty-foot limit outside of urban areas; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of public safety for state police commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 94-188 amended Subsec. (i) to add provision re return of identical sign to building which was repaired or reconstructed and inserted Subdiv. indicators, effective June 2, 1994; P.A. 03-115 added new Subsec. (f) allowing electronic message signs within 660 feet of the edge of the right-of-way of any interstate, federal-aid primary or other limited access state highway and specifying requirements for such signage, redesignated existing Subsecs. (f) to (j) as Subsecs. (g) to (k) and made a technical change for the purpose of gender neutrality in Subsec. (g); P.A. 05-210 amended Subsec. (k) by deleting maximum fine of $100 per violation and providing that commissioner shall impose civil penalty of $100 for each day on which violation occurs and, before imposing penalty, shall send notice of violation and further providing that if person corrects or terminates violation within 15 days, commissioner shall not impose penalty, and if violation continues for more than 60 days permit may be revoked, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 08-101 amended Subsec. (e) to add Subdiv. (4) re signs, displays or advertising devices which are in place for 60 days or less, and make technical changes; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection” in Subsec. (h), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-227 amended Subsec. (e) by adding new Subdiv. (4) re directional and other official signs or notices pertaining to facilities in the state where Connecticut-made beer is manufactured or sold and redesignating existing Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (5), effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 13-277 amended Subsec. (a) by redesignating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (2) re restriction of advertising on state real property and adding Subdiv. (3) re advertising upon or within personal property, amended Subsec. (e) by adding Subdiv. (6) re permitted signs on or abutting real property used by a public authority for rail infrastructure facilities, bus rapid transit corridors, airport development zones or other similar transit or freight purposes and re permitted signs upon or within state buildings used for athletic, artistic, musical or other entertainment events, and amended Subsec. (f)(1) to increase minimum allowable duration of static display from 6 seconds to 8 seconds; P.A. 14-199 amended Subsec. (e) by deleting former Subdiv. (4) re directional and other official signs or notices pertaining to facilities in the state where Connecticut-made beer is manufactured or sold and redesignating existing Subdivs. (5) and (6) as Subdivs. (4) and (5), effective June 12, 2014.
Cited. 212 C. 176.
Cited. 41 CS 66.