Title 32

(a) Any law enforcement officer or employee of the Department of Public Safety to whom law enforcement authority has been designated who observes a motor vehicle being operated upon a public road of the state and who has reason to believe that: (1) Any provision of this article i…

The provisions of Code Sections 32-1-10, 32-6-26, 32-6-27, and 32-6-29 shall not, and shall not be construed to, modify, change, or diminish any power or duty held by any other law enforcement unit, enforcement officer, or peace officer. History. — Ga. L. 1978, p. 1989, § 5; Ga. …

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Nudity’’ means the displaying of any portion of the human female breast below the top of the areola or the displaying of any portion of any human’s pubic hair, anus, vulva, or genitals. (2) ‘‘Outdoor advertising’’ means any commer…

(a) The General Assembly declares it to be the policy of this state that the erection or maintenance of outdoor advertising in areas adjacent to the rights of way of roads of the state highway system, which roads are also a part of the interstate and primary systems of highways w…

As used in this part, the term: (1) ‘‘Defined area’’ means any area or areas within the state defined by the board, upon request made by the State Department of Transportation and approved by the United States Secretary of Transportation, to be an area where the removal of direct…

No outdoor advertising shall be erected or maintained within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right of way and visible from the main traveled way of the interstate or primary highways in this state, except the following: (1) Directional and other official signs and notices; (2…

No outdoor advertising shall be erected or maintained beyond 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right of way of the interstate or primary highways in this state outside of urban areas so as to be visible and intended to be read from the main traveled way, except the following: (…

(a) Applications for permits authorized by subsections (a) through (d) of Code Section 32-6-79 shall be made to the department upon forms prescribed by the department. The applications shall contain the signature of the applicant and such other information as may be required by t…

(a) No sign authorized by paragraphs (4) through (6) of Code Section 32-6-72 and paragraph (4) of Code Section 32-6-73 shall be erected or maintained which: (1) Advertises an activity that is illegal under Georgia or federal laws or regulations in effect at the location of such s…

(a)(1) The Governor shall appoint a Roadside Enhancement and Beautification Council composed of 12 members. The council shall include the chairperson of the Senate Transportation Committee; the chairperson of the House Transportation Committee; a member from the Georgia Conservan…

There is established a special fund to be known as the ‘‘Roadside Enhancement and Beautification Fund.’’ This fund shall consist of all moneys collected under Code Section 32-6-75.3, any appropriations by the General Assembly to the fund, revenues derived from the sale of any spe…

(a)(1) For purposes of this Code section, the term: (A) ‘‘Removal’’ or ‘‘removed’’ means the elimination of trees or other vegetation from a viewing zone. (B) ‘‘Target view zone’’ means an area of the viewing zone extending from the sign to the roadway to which the sign is permit…

Paragraphs (1) through (7), (9), (10), (13) through (17), (19), and (20) of subsection (a) of Code Section 32-6-75 are applicable to directional signs authorized by paragraph (1) of Code Section 32-6-72 and paragraph (1) of Code Section 32-6-73; and, in addition thereto, no direc…

Signs which are authorized by and erected or maintained pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of Code Section 32-6-72 or paragraph (2) or (3) of Code Section 32-6-73 or which are official signs or notices, as defined in paragraph (13) of Code Section 32-6-71, and signs which are not l…

No public service sign authorized by paragraph (1) of Code Section 32-6-72 or paragraph (1) of Code Section 32-6-73 shall be erected or maintained which: (1) Is attached to a school bus shelter, the construction of which is not authorized by state law or local ordinance; (2) Is a…

(a) On and after October 6, 1971, no person, firm, or corporation shall erect or maintain a sign authorized by paragraph (1), (4), or (5) of Code Section 32-6-72 without a permit issued by the department. (b) On and after January 1, 1972, no person, firm, or corporation shall mai…

(a) After March 24, 1980, renewal of permits for nonconforming signs as defined in paragraph (12) of Code Section 32-6-71 and as authorized in subsection (e) of Code Section 32-6-79 shall be made to the department upon forms prescribed by the department; shall contain the signatu…

(a) It shall be cause for the department to revoke a sign permit or refuse to issue a sign permit if any of the department’s property on the rights of way, including but not limited to trees, vegetation, or fences, is destroyed, damaged, converted, or altered by or on behalf of a…

The department is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation and to pay just compensation for any property rights in outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices which were lawfully erected in compliance with the applicable laws in effect at the time of erection…

Any municipal corporation or county is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation and to pay just compensation for any property rights in outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices which were lawfully erected but which do not conform with the provisions of any…

The compensation provided for in Code Sections 32-6-82 and 32-6-83 is authorized to be paid only for the following: (1) The taking from the owner of such sign, display, or device of all right, title, leasehold, and interest in such sign, display, or device; (2) The taking from th…

Whenever it is necessary, in the judgment of the commissioner, to acquire those interests specified in Code Section 32-6-84, the department may exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided in Article 1 of Chapter 3 of this title for the acquisition of real property…

§ 95A-925, enacted by Ga. L. 1973, p. 947, § 1. contingent upon federal matching The department shall not acquire any sign by purchase or condemnation, any portion of the cost of which is eligible for federal participation, until such time as federal matching funds have been appo…

Subject to the provisions of this part, the department is authorized, on behalf of the state, to enter into agreements with the United States Secretary of Transportation (as provided in Section 131 of Title 23 of the United States Code) relating to the control of outdoor advertis…

(a) Subject to the prior approval of the Federal Highway Administration, the department is directed to incorporate the use of ‘‘RV friendly’’ markers on specific service signs for business establishments that cater to the needs of persons driving recreational vehicles. A business…

Upon written request made by any county, city, corporation, partnership, association, person, or persons, the board is authorized to consider and to designate a specific area or areas as a defined area or areas, upon a showing having been made that the area in question contains d…

Upon designation made by the board of an area or areas as a defined area or areas for purposes of requesting the approval of the United States Secretary of Transportation for the retention of directional signs, displays, and devices in the specific interest of the traveling publi…

The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations governing the issuance and revocation of permits for the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising which is authorized by Code Sections 32-6-72 and 32-6-73 and which is not prohibited by this part. The departm…

Any person who erects or maintains any sign for which a permit is required by this part without a valid permit or renewal of such permit issued by the department shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day or fraction thereof during which a sign is unlawfully maintained shall cons…

Any person who maintains any sign not authorized by this part and which was not lawfully in existence on October 6, 1971, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day or fraction thereof during which a sign is unlawfully maintained shall constitute a separate offense. The commissio…

The erection or maintenance by any person, firm, or corporation of any sign for which a permit is required by this part without a valid permit or renewal thereof issued by the department is declared to be a public nuisance. In addition to the remedies provided for in this part or…

The maintenance by any person, firm, or corporation of any sign which is not authorized by this part and which was not lawfully in existence on October 6, 1971, is declared to be a public nuisance. In addition to the remedies provided for in this part or which may otherwise exist…

(a) In addition to the procedures and remedies afforded by this part, any person, firm, or corporation who owns, uses, leases, or subleases any outdoor advertising sign which is controlled by this part or who owns property on which a sign is located shall be subject to Chapter 13…

(a) After notifying the landowner by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, in cases where an administrative order has been issued by the commissioner or his designee, hearing officer, or others requiring the removal of an illegal outdoor advertising sign a…

Nothing in this part shall be construed to abrogate or affect any lawful ordinance, regulation, or resolution which is more restrictive than this part. History. — Ga. L. 1971, Ex. Sess., p. 5, § 20; Code 1933, § 95A-932, enacted by Ga. L. 1973, p. 947, § 1.

As used in this article, the term ‘‘local service road’’ means any public road, whether existing at the time of the designation of a limited-access road or established thereafter, which serves the owner or occupant of any land or improvements abutting a limited-access road and wh…

(a) The department or a county or a municipality in this state, acting alone or in cooperation with each other or with any federal, state, or local agency, is authorized and empowered to plan, designate, establish, regulate, abandon, alter, improve, maintain, and provide limited-…

The department, a county, or a municipality may acquire private property and property rights for limited-access facilities and service roads, including rights of access, of view, of air, and of light through gift, devise, purchase, or condemnation in the same manner as such gover…

Limited-access roads may be so designed as to regulate, restrict, or prohibit access thereto so as to best serve the traffic for which such facility is intended. The authority designating and establishing any limited-access road is authorized to divide and separate such highway i…

The department, a county, or a municipality may designate and establish limited-access roads as new or additional facilities or may designate or establish existing public roads to be limited-access roads. The department or the counties or municipalities shall have authority to pr…

Except as otherwise provided in this Code section and Code Section 32-6-116, no commercial enterprise or activities shall be authorized or conducted by the department or any other agency or by a county or municipality of the state, within or on the property on which have been con…

The department is authorized to install or provide for the installation of and to operate or provide for the operation of vending machines in safety rest areas constructed on or located on the rights of way of the state highway system. The vending machines may dispense nonalcohol…

The department is authorized to lease by negotiation air rights over existing or proposed limited-access highways for development as commercial enterprises or activities. Prior to entering into any negotiations for the lease of such air rights, the department shall advertise its …

In connection with the development of any limited-access facility, the department, a county, or a municipality is authorized to plan, designate, establish, use, regulate, alter, improve, maintain, abandon, and dispose of local service roads or streets or to designate as local ser…

It shall be unlawful for any person to construct a new commercial driveway or to reconstruct, alter, or improve any existing commercial driveway without first obtaining a permit from the department therefor and complying with the department regulations authorized by Code Section …

Any commercial driveway constructed prior to July 1, 1973, and adjudged by the department to be unsafe for the traveling public or in violation of department regulations promulgated pursuant to Code Section 32-6-133 may be changed or caused to be changed by the department so as t…