Mississippi § 65-41-7 - Advisory committee; corridor management plan.

§ 65-41-7. Advisory committee; corridor management plan.

There is created a Scenic Byways Advisory Committee to assist the department in the development and administration of the Mississippi Scenic Byways Program, the adoption of a corridor management plan, the review of scenic byway applications and the selection and nomination of highways, roads and streets as scenic byways. The committee shall consist of: Two (2) members from each of the following entities, with one (1) member from each entity being the executive director of that entity, or his or her designee, and the other member being a member of that entity selected by its executive director: The Mississippi Department of Transportation; The Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism Development; The Keep Mississippi Beautiful/People Against Litter Association; The Mississippi Association of Supervisors; The Mississippi Outdoor Advertising Association; The Mississippi Retail Association; The Mississippi Tourism Association; and The Mississippi Municipal League; and Three (3) members to be selected by the Mississippi Transportation Commission, one (1) from each commissioner’s district. The corridor management plan adopted by the committee shall use best management practices to maintain the intrinsic qualities of highways, roads and streets designated as scenic byways while ensuring the rights of landowners, including riparian owners, to continue existing agriculture, forestry, water supply, recreational, residential, commercial and industrial uses, and any other uses of land and water, identified in the plan. The department may enter into agreements for the mutual management of scenic byways with counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state, state and federal agencies and private landowners or businesses. The plan shall ensure that landowners have input into management practices of any land or water that is designated as a scenic byway or that is included within a scenic byway corridor. Land placed in the program shall not be obtained by eminent domain. A landowner’s decision to participate in the program shall be entirely voluntary and a participating landowner may terminate his participation at any time without liability, criminally or civilly, for his subsequent failure to participate. Counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state may participate in the program as landowners in the same manner as private landowners. For the purposes of carrying out the intent of this chapter, counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state, in addition to and supplemental to any other powers authorized by law for the acquisition of real property, may acquire by donation or purchase, but not by eminent domain, interests in real property. The plan adopted under this chapter shall be in compliance with all applicable Federal Highway Administration rules, regulations and policies regarding outdoor advertising on or along a highway, road or street designated as a scenic byway. Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as amending or limiting any county or municipal zoning or land use ordinance unless the county or municipality has authorized the amendment according to the procedure provided for in its ordinance. A corridor management plan may not become effective until a draft of the plan has been submitted for review and recommendation to the Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives and the Highways and Transportation Committee of the Senate.