Wis. Admin. Code Department of Transportation § Trans 201.035 - Annual sign fees
(1) SIGN IDENTIFIER. The department shall
assign a unique identifier to each off-property sign in the state of Wisconsin.
The identifier shall be assigned to a sign upon any of the following
occurrences:
(a) Approval of a permit to
erect the sign.
(b) First payment
of an annual fee for a sign erected before May 1, 2001.
(c) Addition of the sign to the sign database
of signs maintained by the department.
(2) DATABASE OF SIGN OWNERS. The department
shall maintain a sign database to track the name and address of the owner of
each sign, and such other information related to the sign as the department
considers appropriate.
Note: The department shall use the address of record in this database for correspondence with a sign owner.
(3) CHANGE OF SIGN OWNERSHIP. Any person who
acquires a sign shall provide the department with a notice containing all of
the following information for the sign:
(a)
The unique identifier assigned to the sign by the department.
(b) The name, address and telephone number of
the person from whom the sign was acquired and the name of the person acquiring
the sign.
(c) The location of the
sign, listing the name of the primary or interstate highway to which it is
adjacent, the county and town in which the sign stands, the section number of
the township in which the sign is located, the name, address and telephone
number of the person owning the real property upon which the sign is located,
and the distance of the sign from the centerline of the nearest crossroad or
intersection.
(d) The size of the
sign measured in accordance with s.
84.30(4)
(a) 2, Stats. If the sign shape is not
rectangular, a drawing showing the dimensions of the various triangles,
circles, rectangles, and squares encompassing the entire sign shall be
provided.
(e) The height above
ground level of the bottom edge of the sign face or any border or trim to the
sign face.
(4) ANNUAL
FEE NOTICE. The department shall mail an annual fee notice to the owner of
record with the department of every off-premises sign within the state of
Wisconsin that is subject to the requirement of paying a fee under sub. (9).
All annual fee notices shall be considered delivered upon mailing to the owner
of record indicated in the department's database of sign owners as of the first
day of the month in which the notices are mailed. Annual fee notices may
include a summary of information related to one or more signs and require
owners to update or correct information at the time of paying any required fee.
The department may require owners of signs not subject to the fee requirement
of sub. (9) to update or correct information from a summary of information with
respect to any sign.
(5) DUE DATE.
Payment of annual permit fees and responses to information requests are due 60
days from the date of mailing of notices by the department, or on such other
date as indicated in the fee notice.
(6) NONCONFORMING SIGNS. Nonconforming signs
for which the annual fee is not paid within 60 days of the due date shall be
removed as abandoned signs. Payment of an annual fee may not be considered in
determining whether a sign is subject to removal under the federal highway
beautification act, the regulations promulgated thereunder, or s.
Trans
201.10.
Note: See s. 84.30(10m), Stats.
(7) PERMITTED SIGNS.
The permit for a sign shall expire upon the due date for payment unless the
annual fee for the sign has been paid. Signs with expired permits are subject
to removal 60 days from the due date specified in the notice. The department
shall notify a sign owner that a sign is subject to removal under this section
in accordance with s.
84.30(11),
Stats. The department may not issue a permit within any minimum required
spacing limitations under ss.
84.30(4)
(c), Stats., s.
Trans 201.05(2)
(d) or
201.06, of a sign with an expired
permit until and unless that sign is removed.
(8) REFUNDS. Permit fees are non-refundable
and may not be prorated.
(9) FEE
SCHEDULE. Permit fees shall be assessed as follows:
(a) Except as provided in par. (b), no annual
fee may be assessed for any of the following:
1. On-premises signs.
2. Official signs and notices as defined in
s.
Trans 201.05(1)
(d).
3. Public utility signs as defined in s.
Trans 201.05(1)
(e).
4. Public service signs as defined in s.
Trans 201.05(1)
(g).
5. Political signs as defined in s.
Trans
201.16(1), if exempt from permit
requirements under s.
Trans
201.16(2).
6. Real estate signs as defined in s.
Trans
201.17(1) if exempt from permit
requirements under s.
Trans
201.17(3).
7. Farm signs as defined in s.
Trans
201.18(1) (b) if exempt from permit
requirements under s.
Trans
201.18(2).
8. Agricultural test plot signs as defined in
s.
Trans
201.18(1) (a) if exempt from permit
requirements under s.
Trans
201.18(3).
9. Signs of 8 square feet or less in area.
Note: Service club and religious notices are limited to 8 square feet or less by s. Trans 201.05(1) (f).
(b) Nonconforming, grandfathered and
directional signs as defined in s.
Trans 201.05(1)
(c), shall be assessed an annual fee of $50
per sign.
(c) Except as provided in
pars. (a) and (b), all off-property signs shall be assessed an annual fee of
$35 per sign.
(10)
APPEAL OF ANNUAL ASSESSMENT FEE.
(a) Any
person may appeal the assessment of an annual fee under sub. (9) by mailing a
notice of appeal to the address provided on the notice of fee assessment within
15 days of the date the assessment is mailed.
(b) A notice of appeal shall particularly
state all of the following:
1. The error or
mistake alleged by appellant in the fee calculation made by the
department.
2. Whether appellant
contends the sign is an on-premises sign, official sign or notice, religious
notice, service club notice, public utility sign, public service sign, farm
sign, agricultural test plot sign, real estate sign, directional sign,
nonconforming sign , grandfathered sign or other category of sign.
3. The exact size of the sign, measured in
accordance with sub. (3) (d).
(c) Payment in the amount of the annual fee
assessed by the department shall be included with a notice of appeal. The
department shall hold the payment in trust pending the outcome of the
appeal.
(d) Upon receipt of a
notice of appeal with the required fee, the department shall investigate the
matter and, if appropriate, amend the annual fee assessment for the sign and
return any balance due appellant from the fees deposited under par. (c) or
impose any additional assessment required.
(e) Appeals of decisions issued under par.
(d) may be made to the department of administration, division of hearings and
appeals within 15 days of the date the decision is mailed to the
appellant.
Notes
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