9-462.02. Nonconformance to regulations; outdoor advertising change; enforcement

A. The municipality may acquire by purchase or condemnation private property for the removal of nonconforming uses and structures. The elimination of such nonconforming uses and structures in a zoned district is for a public purpose. Nothing in an ordinance or regulation authorized by this article shall affect existing property or the right to its continued use for the purpose used at the time the ordinance or regulation takes effect, nor to any reasonable repairs or alterations in buildings or property used for such existing purpose.

B. A municipality shall not require as a condition for a permit or for any approval, or otherwise cause, an owner or possessor of property to waive the right to continue an existing nonconforming outdoor advertising use or structure without acquiring the use or structure by purchase or condemnation and paying just compensation unless the municipality, at its option, allows the use or structure to be relocated to a comparable site in the municipality with the same or a similar zoning classification, or to another site in the municipality acceptable to both the municipality and the owner of the use or structure, and the use or structure is relocated to the other site. The municipality shall pay for relocating the outdoor advertising use or structure including the cost of removing and constructing the new use or structure that is at least the same size and height. This subsection does not apply to municipal rezoning of property at the request of the property owner.

C. A municipality must issue a citation and file an action involving an outdoor advertising use or structure zoning or sign code violation within two years after discovering the violation. Such an action shall initially be filed with a court having jurisdiction to impose all penalties sought by the action and that jurisdiction is necessary for effective filing. Only the superior court has jurisdiction to order removal, abatement, reconfiguration or relocation of an outdoor advertising use or structure. Notwithstanding any other law, a municipality shall not consider each day that an outdoor advertising use or structure is illegally erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered or maintained as a separate offense unless the violation constitutes an immediate threat to the health and safety of the general public.