§1

C. 27:7-21.12

§2

C. 27:5-9.1

P.L. 1997, CHAPTER 144, approved June 27, 1997

Assembly, No. 3089

An Act concerning signs on Department of Transportation property and supplementing Chapters 5 and 7 of Title 27 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. The Commissioner of Transportation may lease, license or contract the use, management or operation of any State right-of-way or any real property of the department for the purpose of placing motorist service signs and tourist-oriented directional signs in such manner as to produce revenue for the support of the State.

    b. In entering into a lease, license or contract pursuant to this section, the Commissioner shall either set a fee for the lease, license or contract which shall yield at least a fair rental value for the use of the right-of-way or real property, or award the lease, license or contract on the basis of competitive public bids or proposals to the responsible bidder or proposer whose bid or proposal is determined to be in the best interest of the State, price and other factors considered.

    c. Any sign placed on departmental property pursuant to a lease, license or contract entered into pursuant to this section shall conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices issued by the Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of Transportation.

    2. Any billboard or outdoor advertising sign licensed and permitted pursuant to the "Roadside Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act," P.L.1991, c.413, (C.27:5-5 et seq.), and proposed to be erected on or above any State right-of-way or any real property of the department shall be subject to local government zoning ordinances, applicable local government building permit requirements, and in the pinelands area, shall be subject to the provisions of the comprehensive management plan prepared and adopted by the Pinelands Commission pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-8).

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This legislation would codify the authority of the Commissioner of Transportation to produce revenue for the State from leasing, licensing or contracting Department of Transportation property used for the placement of motorist service signs and tourist-oriented directional signs. Motorist service signs are widely called LOGO signs and currently in use in at least 45 states. LOGO signs and tourist oriented directional signs are nationally standardized directional signs which have been authorized by the Federal Highway Administration and are intended to provide directional information to motorists on the location of key services such as food, fuel and lodging or the direction and distance to places of particular interest to tourists. The commissioner would either set a fee for the lease, license or contract equal to at least a fair rental value for the use of the property, or award a lease, license or contract on the basis of competitive public bids or competitive proposals. A lease, license or contract let after bidding or competitive proposal would be awarded to the responsible bidder or proposer whose bid or proposal is determined to be in the best interest of the State, price and other factors considered.

    This bill would also require that any billboard or outdoor advertising sign licensed and permitted pursuant to the "Roadside Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act" for erection on State property shall be subject to local government zoning ordinances, applicable local government building permit requirements, and in the pinelands area, shall be subject to the provisions of the comprehensive management plan prepared and adopted by the Pinelands Commission.

Permits Commissioner of Transportation to lease, license or contract the use of departmental property for the placement of motorist service and directional signs.