19A NCAC 02E .0210      REVOCATION OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING PERMIT

The appropriate District Engineer's office shall revoke a permit for a lawful outdoor advertising structure based on any of the following:

(1)           mistake of facts by the issuing District Engineer's office for which had the correct facts been known, he or she would not have issued the outdoor advertising permit;

(2)           misrepresentations of any facts made by the permit holder and on which the District Engineer's office relied in approving the outdoor advertising permit application;

(3)           misrepresentation of facts to any regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the sign by the permit holder, the permit applicant, or the owner of property on which the outdoor advertising structure is located;

(4)           failure to pay annual renewal fees or provide the documentation requested under Rule .0207 of this Section;

(5)           failure to construct the outdoor advertising structure, except all sign faces, within 180 days from the date of issuance of the outdoor advertising permit in accordance with Rule .0208 of this Section;

(6)           a determination upon inspection of an outdoor advertising structure that it fails to comply with the Outdoor Advertising Control Act or the rules in this Section;

(7)           any alteration of an outdoor advertising structure for which a permit has previously been issued which would cause that outdoor advertising structure to fail to comply with the provisions of the Outdoor Advertising Control Act or the rules of this Section;

(8)           alterations to a sign not conforming to State standards other than reasonable repair and maintenance as defined in Rule .0225(c) of this Section. For purposes of this Rule, alterations include:

(a)           enlarging a dimension of the sign facing or raising the height of the sign;

(b)           changing the material of the sign structure's support;

(c)           adding a pole or poles; or

(d)           adding illumination;

(9)           failure to affix the emblem as required by Rule .0208 of this Section or failure to maintain the emblem so that it is visible from the main-traveled way or controlled route;

(10)         failure to affix the name of the person, firm, or corporation owning or maintaining the outdoor advertising sign to the sign structure in sufficient size to be visible as required by Rule .0208 of this Section;

(11)         unlawful destruction or illegal cutting of trees, shrubs or other vegetation within the right-of-way of any State-owned or State-maintained highway as specified in G.S. 136-133.1(i);

(12)         unlawful use of a controlled access facility for purposes of repairing, maintaining, or servicing an outdoor advertising sign where the unlawful violation was conducted actually or by design by the permit holder, the lessee or advertiser employing the sign, the owner of the property upon which the sign is located, or any of their employees, agents, or assigns, including independent contractors hired by any of the above and meets either of the following:

(a)           involved the use of highway right of way for the purpose of repairing, servicing, or maintaining a sign including stopping, parking, or leaving any vehicle whether attended or unattended, on any part or portion of the right of way except as authorized by the Department of Transportation, including activities authorized by the Department for selective vegetation removal pursuant to G.S. 136-131.1, G.S. 136-131.2 and G.S. 136-133.4. Access from the highway main travel way shall be allowed only for surveying or delineation work in preparation for and in the processing of an application for a selective vegetation removal permit; or

(b)           involved crossing the control of access fence to reach the sign structure, except as authorized by the Department, including those activities referenced in Sub-Item (a) of this Item;

(13)         maintaining a blank sign for a period of 12 consecutive months;

(14)         maintaining an abandoned, dilapidated, or discontinued sign;

(15)         a sign that has been destroyed or significantly damaged as determined by Rule .0201(8) and (29) of this Section;

(16)         moving or relocating a sign not conforming to State standards that changes the location of the sign;

(17)         failure to erect, maintain, or alter an outdoor advertising sign structure in accordance with the North Carolina Outdoor Advertising Control Act, codified in G.S. 136, Article 11, or the rules of this Section; and

(18)         failure to comply with all the requirements specified in a vegetation removal permit if such failure meets the standards of G.S. 136-133.1(i).

History Note:        Authority G.S. 136-93; 136-130; 136-133; 136-133.1(i); 136-133.4(e);

Eff. July 1, 1978;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2000; May 1, 1997; November 1, 1993; March 1, 1993; October 1, 1991; December 1, 1990;

Temporary Amendment Eff. March 1, 2012;

Amended Eff. November 1, 2012;

Readopted Eff. January 1, 2021.