Public Act 0980 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5463 Enrolled LRB102 24162 AMQ 33388 b

Public Act 102-0980

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Highway Code is amended by adding Section 9-112.6 as follows:

(605 ILCS 5/9-112.6 new)

Sec. 9-112.6. Vegetation control permit.

(a) The Department may provide for vegetation control on land or a right-of-way under its jurisdiction related to the visibility of a permitted or registered outdoor advertising sign or grant a permit for such work.

(b) The Department may issue rules to provide the standards and procedures for vegetation control, including, but not limited to, permit applications, permits, revocations, and the requirements for the replacement of vegetation and landscaping removal to establish clear visibility zones of signs along highways in the State under its jurisdiction.

(c) The Department shall allow the cutting or trimming of vegetation to clear a visibility zone 250 feet in front of a single-sided sign and 250 feet in front of each side of a double-sided sign. The visibility zone for signs shall also include an additional 250-foot triangular section measured diagonally from the edge of the right-of-way to the edge of pavement. This distance shall be measured from the edge of the sign face closest to the pavement in a direction parallel to the pavement. All cutting or trimming of vegetation shall maintain environmental compliance and in no event shall the cutting or trimming of vegetation violate safety rules of the Department.

(d) The Department shall process a completed vegetation control application within 45 days of receiving such an application.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect 3 months after becoming law.