North Carolina § 136-18 - 3. Location of garbage collection containers by counties and municipalities.

§ 136-18. 3. Location of garbage collection containers by counties and municipalities.

The Department of Transportation is authorized to issue permits to counties and municipalities for the location of containers on rights-of-way of state-maintained highways for the collection of garbage. Such containers may be located on highway rights-of-way only when authorized in writing by the Chief Engineer in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Transportation. Such rules and regulations shall take into consideration the safety of travelers on the highway and the elimination of unsightly conditions and health hazards. Such containers shall not be located on fully controlled-access highways. The provisions of G.S. 14-399, which make it a misdemeanor to place garbage on highway rights-of-way, shall not apply to persons placing garbage in containers in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Transportation. The written authority granted by the Department of Transportation shall be no guarantee that the State system highway rights-of-way on which the containers are authorized to be located is owned by the Department of Transportation, and the issuance of such written authority shall be granted only when the county or municipality certifies that written permission to locate the refuse container has been obtained from the owner of the underlying fee if the owner can be determined and located. Whenever any municipality or county fails to comply with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Transportation or whenever they fail or refuse to comply with any order of the Department of Transportation for the removal or change in the location of a container, then the permit of such county or municipality shall be revoked. The location of such garbage containers on highway rights-of-way after such order for removal or change is unauthorized and illegal; the Department of Transportation shall have the authority to remove such unauthorized or illegal containers and charge the expense of such removal to the county or municipality failing to comply with the order of the Department of Transportation. History (1973, c. 1381; 1977, c. 464, s. 7.1; 2012-85, s. 5.) Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2012-85, s. 5, effective June 26, 2012, substituted "Chief Engineer" for "State Highway Administrator" in the second sentence in subsection (a).