5408. In addition to the advertising displays permitted by Section 5405 to be placed within 660 feet of the edge of the right-of-way of interstate or primary highways, advertising displays conforming to the following standards, and not in violation of any other provision of this chapter, may be placed in those locations if placed in business areas:
(a) Advertising displays may not be placed that exceed 1,200 square feet in area with a maximum height of 25 feet and a maximum length of 60 feet, including border and trim, and excluding base or apron supports and other structural members. This subdivision shall apply to each facing of an advertising display. The area shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, circle, or combination thereof, which will encompass the entire advertisement. Two advertising displays not exceeding 350 square feet each may be erected in a facing. Any advertising display lawfully in existence on August 1, 1967, that exceeds 1,200 square feet in area, and that is permitted by city or county ordinance, may be maintained in existence.
(b) Advertising displays may not be placed that are so illuminated that they interfere with the effectiveness of, or obscure any official traffic sign, device, or signal; nor shall any advertising display include or be illuminated by flashing, intermittent, or moving lights (except that part necessary to give public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather, or similar information); nor shall any advertising display cause beams or rays of light to be directed at the traveled ways if the light is of an intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of any driver, or to interfere with any driver’s operation of a motor vehicle.
(c) Advertising displays may not be placed to obstruct, or otherwise physically interfere with, an official traffic sign, signal, or device or to obstruct, or physically interfere with, the vision of drivers in approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic.
(d) No advertising display shall be placed within 500 feet from another advertising display on the same side of any portion of an interstate highway or a primary highway that is a freeway. No advertising display shall be placed within 500 feet of an interchange, or an intersection at grade, or a safety roadside rest area on any portion of an interstate highway or a primary highway that is a freeway and if the interstate or primary highway is located outside the limits of an incorporated city and outside the limits of an urban area. No advertising display shall be placed within 300 feet from another advertising display on the same side of any portion of a primary highway that is not a freeway if that portion of the primary highway is located outside the limits of an incorporated city and outside the limits of an urban area. No advertising display shall be placed within 100 feet from another advertising display on the same side of any portion of a primary highway that is not a freeway if that portion of the primary highway is located inside the limits of an incorporated city or inside the limits of an urban area.
(e) Subdivision (d) does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Advertising displays that are separated by a building or other obstruction in a manner that only one display located within the minimum spacing distances set forth herein is visible from the highway at any one time.
(2) Double-faced, back-to-back, or V-type advertising display, with a maximum of two signs per facing, as permitted in subdivision (a).
(3) Advertising displays permitted by subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, of Section 5405. The minimum distance between signs shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the signs along each side of the highway.
(4) Any advertising display lawfully in existence on August 1, 1967, which does not conform to this subdivision but that is permitted by city or county ordinances.
(f) “Urban area,” as used in subdivision (d), shall be determined in accordance with Section 101(a) of Title 23 of the United States Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 787, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2001.)
Structure California Code