Section 43-1-406 - Bonus areas(1) No person shall erect or maintain or allow to be erected or maintained any advertising device within bonus areas.(2) As used in this section: (a) "Acquired for right-of-way" means acquired for right-of-way for any public road by the state, a county, a city, or any other political subdivision of the state by donation, dedication, purchase, condemnation, use, or any other means. The date of acquisition shall be the date upon which title, whether fee title or a lesser interest, vested in the public for right-of-way purposes under applicable state law.(b) "Bonus areas" means any portion of the area within six hundred sixty feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of any portion of the federal interstate system of highways which is constructed upon any part of right-of-way, the entire width of which is acquired for right-of-way after July 1, 1956. A portion shall be deemed so constructed if, within such portion, no line normal or perpendicular to the center line of the highway and extending to both edges of the right-of-way will intersect any right-of-way acquired for right-of-way on or before July 1, 1956. Bonus areas do not include:(I) Kerr areas, which are segments of the interstate system which traverse commercial or industrial zones within the boundaries of incorporated municipalities, as such boundaries existed on September 21, 1959, wherein the use of real property adjacent to the interstate system is subject to municipal regulation or control, or which traverse other areas where the use of land as of September 21, 1959, was clearly established by state law as industrial or commercial. Signs in Kerr areas are subject to size, lighting, and spacing requirements.(II) Cotton areas, which are areas adjacent to the interstate system where any part of the highway right-of-way was acquired prior to July 1, 1956. Signs in Cotton areas are prohibited unless such areas are zoned commercial or industrial. Signs in Cotton areas are subject to size, lighting, and spacing requirements.(c) "Center line of the highway" means a line equidistant from the edges of the median separating the main-traveled ways of a divided interstate highway or the center line of the main-traveled way of a nondivided interstate highway.(3) A map illustrating the bonus areas shall be maintained for public inspection at reasonable hours in the offices of the department.(4) The department may remove all advertising devices within bonus areas and may acquire with state funds all real and personal property rights pertaining to advertising devices by gift, purchase, agreement, exchange, or eminent domain. Just compensation shall be paid to the owner of the advertising device for the taking of all right, title, leasehold, and interest in the advertising device and to the owner of the real property on which the advertising device is located for the taking of the right to erect and maintain the device if the advertising device was lawfully erected.(5) The following are exempt from the provisions of this section but must in all respects comply with applicable rules issued by the department: (a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2021.)(b) Advertising devices located in a Kerr area; and(c) Advertising devices located in a Cotton area.(d) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2021.)Amended by 2021 Ch. 388, §3, eff. 6/30/2021.L. 81: Entire part R&RE, p. 2010, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2006: (5)(a) amended, p. 79, § 3, effective August 7. L. 2021: (5) amended, (SB 21-263), ch. 2590, p. 2590, § 3, effective June 30.This section is similar to former § 43-1-413 as it existed prior to 1981.