Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no advertising display shall be placed or maintained within 660 feet from the edge of the right-of-way of, and the copy of which is visible from, any interstate or primary highway, other than any of the following:
(a) Directional or other official signs or notices that are required or authorized by law, including, but not limited to, signs pertaining to natural wonders and scenic and historical attractions, and which comply with regulations adopted by the director relative to their lighting, size, number, spacing, and any other requirements as may be appropriate to implement this chapter which are consistent with national standards adopted by the United States Secretary of Transportation pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 131 of Title 23 of the United States Code.
(b) Advertising displays advertising the sale or lease of the property upon which they are located, if all advertising displays within 660 feet of the edge of the right-of-way of a bonus segment comply with the regulations adopted under Sections 5251 and 5415.
(c) Advertising displays which advertise the business conducted, services rendered, or goods produced or sold upon the property upon which the advertising display is placed, if the display is upon the same side of the highway as the advertised activity; and if all advertising displays within 660 feet of the right-of-way of a bonus segment comply with the regulations adopted under Sections 5251, 5403, and 5415; and except that no advertising display shall be placed after January 1, 1971, if it contains flashing, intermittent, or moving lights (other than that part necessary to give public service information, including, but not limited to, the time, date, temperature, weather, or similar information, or a message center display as defined in subdivision (d)).
(d) (1) Message center displays that comply with all requirements of this chapter. The illumination or the appearance of illumination resulting in a message change of a message center display is not the use of flashing, intermittent, or moving light for purposes of subdivision (b) of Section 5408, except that no message center display may include any illumination or message change that is in motion or appears to be in motion or that changes in intensity or exposes its message for less than four seconds. No message center display may be placed within 1,000 feet of another message center display on the same side of the highway. No message center display may be placed in violation of Section 131 of Title 23 of the United States Code.
(2) Any message center display located beyond 660 feet from the edge of the right-of-way of an interstate or primary highway and permitted by a city, county, or city and county on or before December 31, 1988, is in compliance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 5350) and Article 7 (commencing with Section 5400) for purposes of this section.
(3) Any message center display legally placed on or before December 31, 1996, which does not conform with this section may continue to be maintained under its existing criteria if it advertises only the business conducted, services rendered, or goods produced or sold upon the property upon which the display is placed.
(4) This subdivision does not prohibit the adoption by a city, county, or city and county of restrictions or prohibitions affecting off-premises message center displays which are equal to or greater than those imposed by this subdivision, if that ordinance or regulation does not restrict or prohibit on-premises advertising displays, as defined in Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 5490).
(e) Advertising displays erected or maintained pursuant to regulations of the director, not inconsistent with the national policy set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 131 of Title 23 of the United States Code and the standards promulgated thereunder by the Secretary of Transportation, and designed to give information in the specific interest of the traveling public.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 787, Sec. 10. Effective January 1, 2001.)