Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §1912-C is enacted to read:

§1912-C.__Municipal authority for off-premises business

advertising signs

Upon receipt of an application from a business located in that municipality, a municipality may issue a permit allowing that business to place an off-premises business advertising sign on private property within that municipality.__A business may not have more than one sign permitted under this section at any one time. Such signs may be located only on private land and only with the written permission of the landowner.__ The sign may not be placed within the right-of-way of any public way, outside the boundary of the municipality granting the permit or outside a circle centered on the business with a radius of 5 miles.__A municipality may not grant a permit for any sign larger than 16 square feet or any illuminated or changeable sign as described under section 1914, subsection 6, paragraphs C, D and E or section 1914, subsection 11-A.__Not more than one sign permitted under this section may be erected on any one parcel of land.__A municipality may establish a permit fee and may impose other limitations on such signs as determined necessary by the municipality.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes municipalities to issue permits for off-site business advertising signs. The bill limits each business to one sign. The bill prohibits municipalities from permitting signs larger than 16 square feet or that are illuminated or changeable signs. A sign may be placed only on private land in the municipalities granting the permit and only with the permission of the landowner. Not more than one permitted sign may be erected on any one parcel of land. The bill allows municipalities to place other limitations on such signs, such as charging a fee for the permit.