(a) Control of outdoor advertising devices, as provided in §§ 54-21-103 and 54-21-104, is extended to outdoor advertising devices located beyond six hundred sixty feet (660′) of the edge of the right-of-way of the federal-aid interstate or primary systems outside of urban areas erected with the purpose of their message being read from the main traveled ways of the systems. Such outdoor advertising devices are prohibited, regardless of whether located in commercial or industrial areas, unless they are of a class or type allowed under existing law within six hundred sixty feet (660′) of the edge of the right-of-way of the systems outside of commercial or industrial areas.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 54-21-108

  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of transportation or the commissioner's designee. See Tennessee Code 54-21-102
  • Compensation: means the exchange of anything of value, including money, securities, real property interests, personal property interests, goods or services, promise of future payment, or forbearance of debt. See Tennessee Code 54-21-102
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Those outdoor advertising devices lawfully erected prior to July 1, 1976, but prohibited as of July 1, 1976, by subsection (a) shall be removed upon the payment of just compensation in the same manner and subject to the same limitations as outdoor advertising devices lawfully erected within six hundred sixty feet (660′) of the edge of the right-of-way of the federal-aid interstate and primary systems outside of commercial and industrial areas.
(c) Signs lawfully in existence on October 22, 1965, determined by the commissioner, subject to the concurrence of the secretary of transportation of the United States, to be landmark signs, including signs on farm structures or natural surfaces, of historic or artistic significance, the preservation of which would be consistent with the purposes of this section, are not required to be removed.