2010 Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 252 - HIGHWAYS
Act 106 of 1972 - HIGHWAY ADVERTISING ACT OF 1972 (252.301 - 252.325)
Section 252.302 - Definitions.

HIGHWAY ADVERTISING ACT OF 1972 (EXCERPT)
Act 106 of 1972

252.302 Definitions.

Sec. 2.

As used in this act:

(a) "Business area" means an adjacent area which is zoned under authority of state, county, township, or municipal zoning authority for industrial or commercial purposes, customarily referred to as "b" or business, "c" or commercial, "i" or industrial, "m" or manufacturing, and "s" or service, and all other similar classifications and which is within a city, village, or charter township or is within 1 mile of the corporate limits of a city, village, or charter township or is beyond 1 mile of the corporate limits of a city, village, or charter township and contains 1 or more permanent structures devoted to the industrial or commercial purposes described in this subdivision and which extends along the highway a distance of 800 feet beyond each edge of the activity. Each side of the highway is considered separately in applying this definition except where it is not topographically feasible for a sign or sign structure to be erected or maintained on the same side of the highway as the permanent structure devoted to industrial or commercial purposes, a business area may be established on the opposite side of a primary highway in an area zoned commercial or industrial or in an unzoned area with the approval of the state highway commission. A permanent structure devoted to industrial or commercial purposes does not result in the establishment of a business area on both sides of the highway. All measurements shall be from the outer edge of the regularly used building, parking lot or storage or processing area of the commercial or industrial activity and not from the property lines of the activities and shall be along or parallel to the edge or pavement of the highway. Commercial or industrial purposes are those activities generally restricted to commercial or industrial zones in jurisdictions that have zoning. In addition, the following activities shall not be considered commercial or industrial:

(i) Agricultural, animal husbandry, forestry, grazing, farming, and related activities, including, but not limited to, wayside fresh produce stands.

(ii) Transient or temporary activities.

(iii) Activities not visible from the main-traveled way.

(iv) Activities conducted in a building principally used as a residence, or in a building located on property that is used principally for residential purposes or for activities recited in subparagraph (i).

(v) Railroad tracks and minor sidings.

(vi) Outdoor advertising.

(vii) Activities more than 660 feet from the main-traveled way.

(viii) Activities that have not been in continuous operation of a business or commercial nature for at least 2 years.

(ix) Public utility facilities, whether regularly staffed or not.

(x) Structures associated with on-site outdoor recreational activities such as riding stables, golf course shops, and campground offices.

(xi) Activities conducted in a structure for which an occupancy permit has not been issued or which is not a fully enclosed building, having all necessary utility service and sanitary facilities required for its intended commercial or industrial use.

(xii) A storage facility for a business or other activity not located on the same property, except a storage building having at least 10 separate units that are available to be rented by the public.

(xiii) A temporary business solely established to qualify as commercial or industrial activity under this act.

(b) "Unzoned commercial or industrial area" means an area which is within an adjacent area, which is not zoned by state or local law, regulation or ordinance, which contains 1 or more permanent structures devoted to the industrial or commercial purposes described in subdivision (a), and which extends along the highway a distance of 800 feet beyond each edge of the activity. Each side of the highway is considered separately in applying this definition except where it is not topographically feasible for a sign or sign structure to be erected or maintained on the same side of the highway as the permanent structure devoted to industrial or commercial purposes, an unzoned commercial or industrial area may be established on the opposite side of a primary highway in an area zoned commercial or industrial or in an unzoned area with the approval of the state highway commission. A permanent structure devoted to industrial or commercial purposes does not result in the establishment of an unzoned commercial or industrial area on both sides of the highway. All measurements shall be from the outer edge of the regularly used building, parking lot or storage or processing area of the commercial or industrial activity and not from the property lines of the activities and shall be along or parallel to the edge or pavement of the highway. Commercial or industrial purposes are those activities generally restricted to commercial or industrial zones in jurisdictions that have zoning. In addition, the following activities shall not be considered commercial or industrial:

(i) Agricultural, animal husbandry, forestry, grazing, farming and related activities, including, but not limited to, wayside fresh produce stands.

(ii) Transient or temporary activities.

(iii) Activities not visible from the main-traveled way.

(iv) Activities conducted in a building principally used as a residence, or in a building located on property that is used principally for residential purposes or for activities recited in subparagraph (i).

(v) Railroad tracks and minor sidings.

(vi) Outdoor advertising.

(vii) Activities more than 660 feet from the main-traveled way.

(viii) Activities that have not been in continuous operation of a business or commercial nature for at least 2 years.

(ix) Public utility facilities, whether regularly staffed or not.

(x) Structures associated with on-site outdoor recreational activities such as riding stables, golf course shops, and campground offices.

(xi) Activities conducted in a structure for which an occupancy permit has not been issued or which is not a fully enclosed building, having all necessary utility service and sanitary facilities required for its intended commercial or industrial use.

(xii) A storage facility for a business or other activity not located on the same property, except a storage building having at least 10 separate units that are available to be rented by the public.

(xiii) A temporary business solely established to qualify as commercial or industrial activity under this act.

(c) "Erect" means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish.

(d) "Interstate highway" means a highway officially designated as a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways by the department and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government.

(e) "Freeway" means a divided highway of not less than 2 lanes in each direction to which owners or occupants of abutting property or the public do not have a right of ingress or egress to, from or across the highway, except at points determined by or as otherwise provided by the authorities responsible therefor.

(f) "Primary highway" means a highway, other than an interstate highway or freeway, officially designated as a part of the primary system as defined in section 131 of title 23 of the United States Code, 23 USC 131, by the department and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government.

(g) "Main-traveled way" means the traveled way of a highway on which through traffic is carried. The traveled way of each of the separate roadways for traffic in opposite directions is a main-traveled way of a divided highway. It does not include facilities as frontage roads, turning roadways or parking areas.

(h) "Sign" means any outdoor sign, display, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing, whether placed individually or on a T-type, V-type, back to back or double-faced display, designed, intended or used to advertise or inform.

(i) "Sign structure" means the assembled components which make up an outdoor advertising display, including, but not limited to, uprights, supports, facings and trim. Such sign structure may contain 1 or 2 signs per facing and may be double-faced, back to back, T-type or V-type.

(j) "Visible" means a sign that has a message that is capable of being seen and read by a person of normal visual acuity when traveling in a motor vehicle.

(k) "Location" means a place where there is located a single, double-faced, back to back, T-type, or V-type sign structure.

(l) "Maintain" means to allow to exist and includes the periodic changing of advertising messages, customary maintenance and repair of signs and sign structures.

(m) "Abandoned sign or sign structure" means a sign or sign structure subject to the provisions of this act, the owner of which has failed to secure a permit, has failed to identify the sign or sign structure or has failed to respond to notice.

(n) "Department" means the state transportation department.

(o) "Adjacent area" means the area measured from the nearest edge of the right of way of an interstate highway, freeway, or primary highway and extending 3,000 feet perpendicularly and then along a line parallel to the right-of-way line.

(p) "Person" means any individual, partnership, private association, or corporation, state, county, city, village, township, charter township, or other public or municipal association or corporation.

(q) "On-premises sign" means a sign advertising activities conducted or maintained on the property on which it is located. The boundary of the property shall be as determined by tax rolls, deed registrations, and apparent land use delineations. When a sign consists principally of brand name or trade name advertising and the product or service advertised is only incidental to the principal activity, or if it brings rental income to the property owner or sign owner, it shall be considered the business of outdoor advertising and not an on-premises sign. Signs on narrow strips of land contiguous to the advertised activity, or signs on easements on adjacent property, when the purpose is clearly to circumvent the intent of this act, shall not be considered on-premises signs.

(r) "Billboard" means a sign separate from a premises erected for the purpose of advertising a product, event, person, or subject not related to the premises on which the sign is located. Off-premises directional signs as permitted in this act shall not be considered billboards for the purposes of this section.

(s) "Secondary highway" means a state secondary road or county primary road.

(t) "Tobacco product" means any tobacco product sold to the general public and includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, tobacco snuff, and chewing tobacco.

(u) "Religious organization sign" means a sign, not larger than 8 square feet, that gives notice of religious services.

(v) "Service club sign" means a sign, not larger than 8 square feet, that gives notice about nonprofit service clubs or charitable associations.

History: 1972, Act 106, Imd. Eff. Mar. 31, 1972 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 265, Imd. Eff. Oct. 1, 1976 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 533, Eff. Mar. 23, 1999 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 448, Eff. Jan. 1, 2007 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 86, Imd. Eff. Sept. 3, 2009