North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 19A - TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 02 - DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS › Subchapter E - MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS › Section .0600 - SELECTIVE VEGETATION REMOVAL POLICY › Section 02E .0608 - REQUESTS FOR SELECTIVE VEGETATION REMOVAL PERMITS FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) Applications for selective vegetation
				  cutting, thinning, pruning, or removal (exclusive of grasses) shall be made by
				  the owner of an outdoor advertising sign permitted under
				  G.S.
				  136-129(4) or (5), to the
				  Division Engineer of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT),
				  Division of Highways. Applications shall be submitted in both printed and
				  electronic form. Application submittal information for each county is found on
				  the NCDOT Selective Vegetation Removal website:
https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/roadside/Pages/Selective-Vegetation-Removal-Permits.aspx
.
				  For sites within the corporate limits of a municipality that has previously
				  advised the Department in writing that it seeks to review such applications,
				  the applicant shall deliver the application to the municipality at least 30
				  days prior to submitting the application to the Department. Applications for
				  selective vegetation removal permits shall include the following information
				  consistent with
				  G.S.
				  136-133.1:
(1) the applicant contact
				  information;
(2) the outdoor
				  advertising permit tag number and location of the sign;
(3) if the sign is located on a ramp, the
				  application shall indicate whether cut zone is modified or normal;
(4) if an application is eligible for
				  municipal review, and as a prerequisite to municipal review submittal, the
				  application shall indicate the year the sign was erected. Upon request, the
				  Department shall furnish the year of sign erection to the applicant. The
				  Department may require additional proof if the year of the sign erection
				  remains in question;
(5) an
				  indication of appropriate maximum cutting distance;
(6) the applicant's desire to remove existing
				  trees, if present. If existing trees are to be removed, such trees require
				  compensation by either monetary reimbursement, removal of two nonconforming
				  outdoor advertising signs, or a beautification and replanting plan as set out
				  in Rule .0611 of this Section, and by submitting the Existing Tree Compensation
				  Agreement form found on the NCDOT Selective Vegetation Removal
				  website;
(7) the site plan, if
				  existing trees are to be cut, thinned, pruned, or removed;
(8) if existing trees are to be cut, thinned,
				  pruned, or removed, the additional required form includes applicant contact
				  information, permit tag number, sign location, the number, caliper inches, and
				  monetary value of existing trees to be cut, thinned, pruned, or removed, as
				  determined by
				  G.S.
				  136-93.2, and indication of compensatory
				  choice;
(9) the additional form for
				  existing tree removal, based on the compensatory choice made, also requires
				  submittal of either a payment check in the amount of the tree loss monetary
				  value, indication of the two nonconforming outdoor advertising signs to be
				  surrendered, or agreement to submit a beautification replanting plan to the
				  Department. Compliance with the compensatory choice shall be required before
				  the selective vegetation removal permit can be approved;
(10) a municipal review indication, if
				  applicable;
(11) the requested use
				  of and site access for power-driven equipment in accordance with Rule .0610(23)
				  of this Section;
(12) the
				  performance bond or certified check or cashier's check pursuant to
				  G.S.
				  136-93;
(13) if using a contractor for vegetation
				  removal work, identify the contractor and his or her qualifications if the
				  contractor is not listed on the Department's website directory of qualified
				  transportation firms;
(14) a
				  payment of the non-refundable two hundred dollar ($200.00) permit fee, pursuant
				  to G.S.
				  136-18.7;
(15) the certificate of liability, proof of
				  workers' compensation, and vehicle liability insurance coverage;
(16) the geographic information system
				  document, property tax identification number to verify location of sign in
				  relation to municipal limits, and territorial jurisdiction boundary;
(17) a verification of on-site marking and
				  tree-tagging requirements;
(18) if
				  the cutting request is for a modified cut zone along a highway ramp, a diagram
				  of the cut zone is required unless the diagram is included on a site plan, and
				  calculations are required comparing the modified cut zone to the normal cut
				  zone;
(19) if the Department
				  disputes the site plan, the Department may request additional information
				  pursuant to
				  G.S.
				  136-133.1(c);
(20) if applicable, certification that the
				  applicant has permission from the adjoining landowner(s) to access their
				  private property for the purpose of conducting selective vegetation removal
				  permit activities; and
(21) the
				  applicant's notarized signature.