§ 23-1-274 — Erection or Maintenance of Signs - Controls; Criteria

Alabama § 23-1-274

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 23: Highways, Roads, Bridges and Ferries
• Ch. 1: Alabama Highways
• Art. 9: Highway Beautification
• Div. 3: Outdoor Advertising

Text

The director shall effectively control, or cause to be controlled, the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices in all business areas that are erected subsequent to February 10, 1971. Whenever a bona fide state, county, or local zoning authority has made a determination of customary use as to size, lighting, and spacing, such determination may be accepted in lieu of controls by agreement in the zoned commercial and industrial area within the geographical jurisdiction of such authority. In all other controlled commercial and industrial areas, the criteria set forth below shall apply:
(1) SIZE OF SIGNS.
a. For sign structures erected after July 15, 1995, the maximum area for any one sign shall be 672 square feet with a maximum height of 14 feet and a maximum length of 48 feet, inclusive of any border and trim on the sign face, but excluding any embellishment on and cut-out extension of the sign face, the base or apron, supports, and other structural members. For sign structures lawfully in existence on or before July 15, 1995, the maximum area for any one sign shall be 1,200 square feet with a maximum height of 30 feet and a maximum length of 60 feet, inclusive of any border and trim, but excluding the base or apron, supports, and other structural members.
b. The area shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, or circle or combination thereof which will encompass the entire sign.
c. Sign structures erected after July 15, 1995, may contain one or two signs per facing and may use only a side-by-side, back-to-back, or V-type configuration, and may use no other configuration; provided, that if two signs are used facing the same direction, the aggregate total area shall not exceed 672 square feet. Sign structures lawfully in existence on or before July 15, 1995, may contain one or two signs per facing and may be placed double-faced, back-to-back, or V-type; provided, that if two signs are used facing the same direction, the aggregate total area shall not exceed 1,200 square feet.
(2) LIGHTING.
a. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which contain, include, or are illuminated by any flashing, intermittent, or moving lights, except those giving public service information such as, but not limited to, time, date, temperature, weather, or news.
b. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of traveled way of any interstate or primary highway and are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle.
c. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which shall be so illuminated that they obscure or interfere with any official traffic sign, device, or signal.
(3) SPACING.
a. Signs shall not be erected or maintained in such a manner as to obscure, or otherwise physically interfere with, an official traffic sign, signal, or device or which obstructs or physically interferes with the driver’s view of approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic.
b. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which do not comply with all applicable county or municipal codes and ordinances, including, but not limited to, zoning, buildings, and sign codes, as locally interpreted, applied, and enforced.
c. Signs shall not be erected or maintained closer to another sign other than a sign described in subdivisions (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of Section 23-1-273 than the following prescribed distances. These spacing provisions do not apply to signs separated by buildings or other obstructions in such manner that only one sign located within the above spacing distance is visible from the highway at any one time. The minimum distance between signs shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the signs along each side of the highway.
1. On all interstate highways and freeway primary highways, there must be at least 500 feet between sign structures on the same side of the highway.
2. On interstate highways and freeway primary highways located outside the zoning authority of incorporated cities, no sign structure is permitted adjacent to or within 500 feet of an interchange or intersection at grade or safety roadside rest areas. Such distances shall be measured along the highway to the nearest point of beginning or ending of pavement widening at the exit from or entrance to the main-traveled way.
3. On primary highways located outside the zoning authority of incorporated cities, for sign structures erected after July 15, 1995, there must be at least 500 feet between sign structures on the same side of such highway, and for sign structures lawfully in existence on or before July 15, 1995, there must be at least 300 feet between sign structures on the same side of such highway.
4. On primary highways located within the zoning authority of incorporated cities, for sign structures erected after July 15, 1995, there must be at least 500 feet between sign structures on the same side of such highway, and for sign structures lawfully in existence on or before July 15, 1995, there must be at least 100 feet between sign structures on the same side of such highway.
(4) GENERAL.
a. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal, or device.
b. Signs shall not be erected or maintained upon trees, or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features.
c. Signs shall not be erected or maintained which are structurally unsafe or in substantial disrepair.
d. Signs which are obsolete shall be removed.

Legislative History

(Acts 1971, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 276, p. 4544, §5; Acts 1995, No. 95-566, p. 1182, §§2-5; Act 2016-301, §1.)