(1) In this section: (am) “Invasive species” has the meaning given in s. 23.22 (1) (c) and, in addition, means species not indigenous to Wisconsin including hybrids, cultivars, subspecific taxa, and genetically modified variants whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health, and also includes individual specimens, seeds, propagules, and any other viable life-stages of such species. (b) “Main-traveled way” has the meaning given in s. 84.30 (2) (h). (e) “Sign” has the meaning given in s. 84.30 (2) (j), but also includes any sign that is attached to a building or similar structure, that is within 100 feet of a highway right-of-way, and that advertises activities conducted on the property on which it is located. (h) “Vegetation” means any tree, shrub, hedge, woody plant, or grass. (i) “Viewing zone” means, with respect to a sign, the area commencing at the point on the main-traveled way of the highway nearest the sign for the direction of travel for which the sign face is oriented and extending, in a direction opposite of the direction of travel of the main-traveled way from which the sign face is visible and intended to be viewed, in a line along the highway pavement edge for a distance of 1,000 feet. (2) Notwithstanding ss. 66.1037 and 86.03, and subject to sub. (2m), upon application, the department shall issue permits to sign owners for the trimming or removal of vegetation that is located in the right-of-way of a highway under the jurisdiction of the department for maintenance purposes and that obstructs a sign if, within a distance of 500 continuous feet along any portion of the viewing zone, any portion of the face of the sign is not viewable because of an obstruction to sight by vegetation in the highway right-of-way. (2m) (a) The department may not issue a permit under this section authorizing the trimming or removal of vegetation obstructing the view of a sign if the department first collected a permit fee under s. 84.30 (10m) for that sign within the immediately preceding 5 years. This paragraph does not apply with respect to a sign that is attached to a building or similar structure, that is within 100 feet of a highway right-of-way, and that advertises activities conducted on the property on which it is located. (b) The department may impose on a permit under this section any condition or restriction determined to be necessary or suitable by the department if the permit application seeks authorization for the trimming or removal of vegetation at or with respect to any of the following: 1. An archaeological site or site of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band. 2. A location that is part of a known habitat of endangered species or threatened species under s. 29.604. 3. Vegetation that serves as a junkyard screen, as described in s. 84.31. (c) The department may deny an application under this section for a permit for a sign for which the department has issued a removal order and the removal order was received by the sign owner prior to the department’s receipt of the application. (3) (a) Subject to pars. (d) to (i) and subs. (2m) (b), (4), and (6), a permit issued under this section authorizes the permittee to trim or remove obstructing vegetation to the extent necessary to eliminate the obstruction and provide an unobstructed view of a sign for 500 continuous feet within the viewing zone. A permit issued under this section shall specify the vegetation or the portion of the highway right-of-way to which the permit applies. (b) An application for a permit under this section shall specifically describe the work proposed by the applicant. The department shall grant or deny an application for a permit under this section, and notify the applicant of the department’s decision, within 60 days of receipt of the application. If the department denies an application for a permit under this section, the department shall notify the applicant of reasons for the denial. (d) A permit issued under this section may not authorize trimming or removal of vegetation located within a municipality and within 10 feet of the nearest edge of the highway pavement without prior approval for the trimming or removal from the municipality. (g) A permit issued under this section may not authorize the permittee to clear-cut any highway right-of-way. The permit authorizes the permittee to trim or remove only the vegetation specified in the permit, or only vegetation within the area of the rightof-way specified in the permit, in accordance with the terms of the permit. All trimming of vegetation authorized under a permit shall be performed in compliance with applicable standards of the American National Standards Institute, but if the trimming cannot be accomplished in compliance with these standards, the vegetation may be removed as provided in sub. (5). (h) All trimming and removal of vegetation under a permit issued under sub. (2) shall be conducted within the hours of the day and days of the week specified by the department in the permit. (i) A permit issued under this section may not authorize the permittee to trim or remove vegetation in the median of a divided highway. (4) Each permit issued under this section shall authorize the permittee to employ 3rd-party contractors, including any arborist or landscape contractor, to perform work authorized under the permit. Each permit issued under this section shall require the permittee to retain a certified arborist for the purposes specified in sub. (5) (d). A permittee shall be responsible for any such work performed by a contractor on behalf of the permittee that is not authorized by the permit as if the work were performed directly by the permittee. (5) (a) Each permit issued under this section shall require a permittee that removes any tree with a diameter of 2 inches or more as measured at breast height to compensate the department for all such trees removed, in compliance with the requirements under pars. (d) and (f). (ag) Each permit issued under this section shall require a per- mittee that removes vegetation to also remove the vegetation’s stump, to grade level, and to dispose of all vegetation removed, including the stump, at a location away from the highway right-ofway. (d) 1. For each permit issued under sub. (2), a certified arborist retained by the permittee shall determine the number of trees with a diameter of 2 inches or more, as measured at breast height, that are to be removed. 3. In calculating the total number of trees under subd. 1., a certified arborist shall not include any vegetation that was dead, diseased, or determined to be an invasive species at the time of its removal. 4. In determining whether a tree with multiple leaders has a diameter of 2 inches or more, as measured at breast height, for purposes of calculating the total number of trees under subd. 1., a certified arborist shall consider only the diameter of the tree’s largest leader. (f) 1. A permittee shall compensate the department $200, as adjusted under subd. 2., for each tree removed under a permit, as calculated by the certified arborist retained by the permittee according to the method specified in par. (d). 2. Annually, beginning on July 1, 2015, the department shall adjust the fee under subd. 1. by a percentage that is equal to the percentage change in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the U.S. department of labor, for the 12-month period ending on December 31 of the previous calendar year. However, the department may not adjust the fee under subd. 1. to an amount that is less than $200. (6) (a) The department shall have authority to supervise and determine how the work authorized under a permit issued under this section is carried out. (b) The department may impose any condition or restriction on a permit issued under this section that the department customarily imposes in connection with work performed on highway rights-of-way. (7) Nothing in this section prohibits a sign owner and the department from voluntarily negotiating for, and the department from authorizing without the issuance of a permit under this section, the trimming or removal of any vegetation in a highway right-of-way in order to provide an unobstructed view of a sign, except in situations where sub. (3) (d) would apply if a permit were issued under this section. Nothing in this section restricts the department’s authority with respect to departmental maintenance operations in the rights-of-way of highways under the department’s jurisdiction. (8) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the department under this section, or by the department’s failure to act on an application within the time limits specified in this section, is entitled, upon request, to a contested case hearing before the division of hearings and appeals in the department of administration, and to judicial review thereof, in accordance with ch. 227.
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