A. After April 1, 1970, outdoor advertising placed in business areas, and after April 1, 1972, outdoor advertising placed in unzoned commercial or industrial areas outside municipal limits, shall comply with this article and the following standards:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 28-7905

  • Freeway: means a divided arterial highway on the interstate or primary system with full control of access and with grade separations at intersections. See Arizona Laws 28-7901
  • highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way if a part of the way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See Arizona Laws 28-101
  • including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Outdoor advertising: means any outdoor sign, display, light, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, plaque, poster, billboard or other thing that is designed, intended or used to advertise or inform and the message of which is visible from any place on the main traveled way of the interstate, secondary or primary systems. See Arizona Laws 28-7901
  • Primary system: means that portion of connected main highways located in this state that are officially designated by the board and approved by the United States secretary of transportation pursuant to 23 United States Code. See Arizona Laws 28-7901

1. The size of outdoor advertising shall not exceed one thousand two hundred square feet in area with a maximum vertical facing dimension of twenty-five feet and a maximum horizontal facing dimension of sixty feet, including border and trim and excluding base or apron supports and other structural members. These size limitations apply to each facing of outdoor advertising. The area shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, circle or combination of the smallest square, rectangle, triangle or circle that will encompass the entire advertisement. Two advertising displays not exceeding three hundred fifty square feet each may be placed in a facing. Back to back or V-type signs may be placed, with the maximum area allowed for each facing.

2. Spacing of outdoor advertising shall not be:

(a) Within five hundred feet of other outdoor advertising on the same side of a freeway.

(b) Within five hundred feet of the beginning or ending of pavement widening at the exit from or entrance to the main traveled way at a scenic overlook or safety roadside rest area on any portion of a freeway.

(c) Within three hundred feet of other outdoor advertising on the same side of any portion of the primary system that is not a freeway.

3. Minimum spacing distances from other outdoor advertising do not apply to outdoor advertising that is separated by any building or other obstruction in such a manner that only one display located within the minimum distances set forth in this subsection is visible from the highway at any one time. Spacing distances shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement to a point directly opposite the outdoor advertising.

4. Outdoor advertising authorized under section 28-7902, subsection A, paragraphs 2 and 3 shall not be counted and measured from in determining compliance with the spacing requirements of this subsection.

B. After July 1, 1974, outdoor advertising placed in zoned or unzoned commercial or industrial areas inside municipal limits shall comply with the following standards:

1. The size of outdoor advertising shall not exceed the limits provided in subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section.

2. Spacing of outdoor advertising shall not be:

(a) Within five hundred feet of other outdoor advertising on the same side of a freeway.

(b) Within one hundred feet of other outdoor advertising on the same side of any portion of the primary system that is not a freeway.

3. It shall meet the standards prescribed in subsection A, paragraphs 3 and 4 of this section.