Tennessee § 54-17-205 - Existing outdoor advertising structures.

§ 54-17-205. Existing outdoor advertising structures.

Whenever a road or highway has been designated part of the Tennessee parkway system, it is unlawful for any person to construct, use, operate, or maintain any sign, except as provided in subsection (c) or § 54-17-206, or junkyard within two thousand feet (2,000') of any road or highway that is a designated part of the system and that is located either outside the corporate limits of any city or town or at any place within a tourist resort county, as defined in § 42-1-301. The commissioner is authorized to acquire an outdoor advertising device or junkyard by purchase, gift, or condemnation, and to pay just compensation for the removal of these structures and junkyards. Any outdoor advertising device lawfully in existence prior to the designation of the parkway may be maintained, repaired, or reconstructed according to the original application for the outdoor advertising permit. Acts 1982, ch. 865, § 6; 2020, ch. 706, § 5. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2020, ch. 706, § 11 provided that notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if the department of transportation receives documentation from a federal agency that compliance with a provision of this act jeopardizes federal funding or grant money for the department, then the department shall promulgate emergency rules to address the area of noncompliance with the federal law referenced in the federal agency documentation. The department shall comply with each provision of this act that does not jeopardize the federal funding or grant money. The emergency rules promulgated pursuant to this section may conflict with and take precedence over statutory provisions to effectuate the purposes of this section. The commissioner of transportation shall deliver to the executive secretary of the Tennessee code commission a copy of the documentation from the federal agency. Amendments. The 2020 amendment rewrote this section which read: “(a) All outdoor advertising structures issued a permit prior to April 27, 1982, shall be valid.; “(b) These structures shall be able to be maintained, repaired, reconstructed or constructed according to the original application for the outdoor advertising permit.” Effective Dates. Acts 2020, ch. 706, § 12. June 22, 2020. Attorney General Opinions. State billboard regulations, OAG 04-082 (4/30/04).