ORS 377.775: Removal procedure for noncomplying signs; ownership issues at hearing; disposition of removed signs; costs of removal.

(1) Any sign that fails to comply with ORS 377.700 to 377.844 is a public and private nuisance. In addition to the penalties provided by ORS 377.992, such a sign may be removed by the Director of Transportation or the duly authorized representative of the director as provided by this section. The director may enter upon private property and remove the sign without incurring any liability therefor. (2) If a noncomplying sign does not bear the name and address of its owner or if the owner is not readily identified and located, the director may remove it immediately. (3)(a) If a noncomplying sign bears the name and address of its owner or if the owner of the sign is readily identified and located, the director shall notify the owner that the sign is in violation of ORS 377.700 to 377.844 and that the owner has 30 days from the date of the notice within which to make the sign comply, to remove the sign or to request a hearing before the director within the time specified in the notice. (b) If the sign is not made to comply or is not removed and if the owner does not request a hearing within the time required, or if the owner after a hearing fails to comply with the final order in the proceedings, the director or the duly authorized representatives of the director may remove and destroy or otherwise dispose of the sign. (4)(a) If the person who receives notice under subsection (3) of this section intends to raise issues regarding ownership interests in the sign or its appurtenances in a hearing requested under subsection (3) of this section, the request for hearing must include notice that the person intends to raise those issues and must contain the names and addresses of all persons who have ownership interests in the sign or its appurtenances. (b) If the person requesting the hearing under subsection (3) of this section fails to include notice of intent to raise issues regarding ownership interests, the person may not raise the issues in the hearing. In addition, the person who requested the hearing may not raise issues regarding ownership interests of any person whose name and address the person who requested the hearing has failed to provide as required by paragraph (a) of this subsection. (c) For purposes of this subsection, an ownership interest includes, but is not limited to: (A) An interest in the land on which the sign is located, in the sign structure and in the display surface; and (B) A right to operate the sign, whether the right is created by lease, operating agreement or otherwise. (5)(a) The director shall, after removing a sign in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, place the sign in storage for 30 days while the director makes a further effort to find its owner. (b) If the owner cannot be found within 30 days, the director may, without incurring any liability therefor, destroy or otherwise dispose of the sign. (c) If the owner is found within 30 days, the owner may be required to remove the sign from storage. (d) If the owner is found at any time, the director may recover from the owner the cost of storage. The cost of storage is in addition to the cost of removal payable under subsection (6) of this section. (6) The owner is liable for, and the director shall collect, the costs of removing a sign. Costs shall be determined by the director on the basis of actual costs of removal or on a square-foot flat fee basis. (7) A hearing under this section shall be conducted as a contested case hearing under ORS chapter 183. [1971 c.770 §17; 1973 c.790 §13; 1977 c.265 §5; 1993 c.741 §61; 2001 c.508 §2; 2007 c.199 §18]