Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 672 - STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 672-6 - GRANTING, RENEWAL, AND REVOCATION OF PERMITS FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING › Rule 672-6-.05 - Conditions for Issuance of Approved Permit

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) An applicant agrees that an approved
			 permit is subject to the following conditions:
(a) Signs shall be erected, maintained and
			 operational within 12 months of issuance of the permit or prior to the
			 expiration of any extension granted in accordance with O.C.G.A. §
									32-6 74.
(b) The permit holder shall
			 provide notice of completion to the Department within ten (10) days of
			 completion of construction or revision of a permitted sign, including revisions
			 made under O.C.G.A. §
									32-6-75(c).
			 The notice shall include an electronic photograph of the sign as viewed from
			 the main travelled way of the roadway from which the sign is permitted, and an
			 electronic photograph showing the permit identification tag and where it is
			 affixed to the structure.
(c)
			 Maintenance of Illegal Signs. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. §
									32-6-79(f), the Department has the right to refuse to issue a permit to any person, firm or
			 corporation whom the Department determines is maintaining or is allowing to be
			 maintained an illegal sign or signs as defined by O.C.G.A. §
									32-6-71(6);
(d) Liability of the Department, its
			 officials, agents or employees. Any permit issued by the Department is subject
			 to the following conditions: The applicant agrees by accepting any permit
			 issued by the Department to indemnify and save harmless the Department, its
			 officials, employees or agents, the State of Georgia and any political
			 subdivision thereof from responsibility for any damages or liability arising
			 from the erection or maintenance of any structure approved under the permit.
			 Permits will only be issued to the landowner where the sign is located or
			 someone with written proof of the landowner's consent to the erection of the
			 sign as specified in
			  672-6-.04(1)(e).
(e) Conforming Signs:
1. A maximum of one outdoor advertising sign
			 will be allowed per location and a maximum of two displays will be allowed per
			 facing.
(i) Outdoor advertising structures
			 which contain more than one display and are not classified as a double-faced,
			 back-to-back, or V-type sign shall be considered two signs. For the purposes of
			 these Rules, the following limitations are placed on the use of the terms
			 "single-faced","double-faced","back-to-back", and "V-type" signs:
(A) "Single-faced signs" shall be one
			 continuous physically connected structure constructed in a straight line with
			 one display facing one direction of travel;
(B) "Double-faced signs" shall be one
			 continuous physically connected structure constructed in a straight line with
			 two abutting displays facing one direction of travel;
(C) "Back-to-back signs" shall be considered
			 a single sign where two double-faced or single-faced signs or a combination
			 thereof are placed parallel to each other facing two directions of travel and
			 being constructed so that the signs are behind one another and that if one is
			 smaller it shall not project laterally beyond either edge of the larger sign
			 and being separated by no more than 15 feet, if separated;
(D) "V-type signs" shall be considered a
			 single sign when two double-faced or single
-
faced
			 signs or a combination thereof are placed facing two directions of travel in a
			 "V formation" with the angle formed by the intersection of each being no
			 greater than 90 degrees and if not actually intersected, that each shall be
			 located no further apart at their nearest points than 15 feet.
2. Permit
			 identification tag. A permit identification tag shall be attached to the sign
			 support nearest to the main traveled way before attachment of any outdoor
			 advertising display and must be visible from the main traveled way.
3. Spacing requirements. A sign may not be so
			 located that when considered in light of any permit previously granted to the
			 applicant or any other person, the spacing requirements, set forth in O.C.G.A.
			 §§
										32-6-75 and 
			  32-6-76, would be violated. The following methods of measurement will be used by the
			 Department:
(i) Sign Spacing. The minimum
			 distances between sign structures shall be measured along the nearest edge of
			 pavement between points directly opposite the closest points of the signs as
			 applied to sign structures located on the same side of the highway;
(ii) Interchange Spacing. If the sign is
			 located outside of the corporate limits of a municipality and adjacent to an
			 interstate highway within 500 feet of an interchange, intersection at grade, or
			 safety rest area, the foregoing 500 foot zone shall be measured along the
			 interstate highway from the furthermost point at which the pavement commences
			 or ceases on either side to widen at exits from or entrances to the main
			 traveled way;
(iii) All spacing
			 measurements shall be measured perpendicular to and along the nearest edge of
			 the pavement;
(iv) The following
			 signs within controlled areas are not counted when determining spacing
			 requirements:
(A) Official signs and notices,
			 public utility signs, service club and religious notices and public utility
			 signs as defined by O.C.G.A. §
												32-6-71(13),(18),(19), and
			 (22);
(B) Signs advertising the sale or lease of
			 the property upon which they are located;
(C) "On premise" signs as defined
			 herein;
(D) "Illegal signs" as
			 defined by O.C.G.A. §
												32-6-71(6), except illegal signs on the same property, or other property owned by the
			 applicant or landowner for which application is being made for a permit for a
			 sign;
(f) Nonconforming Signs:
1. The following restrictions are placed on
			 the maintenance of any nonconforming sign:
(i) There must be existing property rights in
			 the sign;
(ii) The right to
			 continue a nonconforming sign is confined to the sign owner or his transferee;
(iii) A nonconforming sign removed
			 for any reason may be moved to a conforming area, but cannot be reestablished
			 at a new location as a nonconforming use.
(iv) Routine maintenance may be performed,
			 but the sign must remain substantially the same as it was on the effective date
			 of the State law or regulations which rendered the sign nonconforming.
			 Extension, enlargement, replacement, rebuilding, adding lights either to the
			 sign or in any manner which results in the illumination of a sign that did not
			 previously have lights, or re-erection of a fallen or damaged face, or
			 rebuilding or replacement of the foundation or poles are not routine
			 maintenance and shall be considered a substantial change. Routine maintenance
			 will be limited to:
(A) replacement of nuts
			 and bolts;
(B) additional nailing,
			 riveting or welding;
(C) cleaning
			 and painting;
(D) manipulating the
			 level or plumb of the device, but not to the extent of adding guys, struts for
			 stabilization of the sign structure; and
(E) a change of the advertising message,
			 including changing the faces, as long as similar materials are used and the
			 sign face is not enlarged.
(v) At no time may changes be made in a
			 nonconforming sign which would increase the value of the sign;
(vi) A nonconforming sign may continue as
			 long as it is not abandoned, destroyed, discontinued, or purchased by any
			 governmental agency. Any sign suffering damage in excess of normal wear may be
			 repaired after:
(A) notifying the Department
			 in writing of the extent of the damage, the reason the damage is in excess of
			 normal wear, and providing a description of the repair work to be undertaken;
			 and
(B) receiving written notice
			 from the Department authorizing the repair work as described above. If said
			 work authorization is granted, it shall be mailed to the applicant within 30
			 days of receipt of the information described in (1) above.