Authority: IC
8-23-2-6;
IC
8-23-20-25
Affected: IC 4-21.5; IC 8-23-20
Sec. 3.
(a) A
separate application for a permit shall be made for each sign on a form
furnished by the department or through the electronic permitting system. The
application must be verified and include, at a minimum, the following
information:
(1) The complete name and
address of the applicant.
(2) The
original signature of the applicant, unless the applicant is using the
electronic permitting system.
(3)
The proposed location of the sign.
(4) The complete legal name and address of
the property owner, as well as an accurate and complete description of the
specific property interest held by the property owner in that real estate (for
example, fee simple, lessee, or easement holder).
(5) A statement of whether the sign is
located within an incorporated municipality or within the municipality's
extraterritorial jurisdiction.
(6)
The original signature of the property owner or its authorized representative
on the accompanying affidavit in form and substance satisfactory to the
department, demonstrating a consent to:
(A)
the erection of the sign; and
(B)
the right of entry from time to time by employees or authorized agents of the
department on the real estate where the sign is located for purposes of
inspection or removal of the sign; and in lieu of the affidavit signed by the
property owner contemplated by this subdivision, the applicant may execute and
submit an affidavit in form and substance satisfactory to the department,
representing to the department:
(i) that the
applicant made a reasonable request to obtain the executed affidavit from the
property owner, but the applicant's request was refused;
(ii) that the applicant has the legal right
to erect the sign, based upon its contractual documentation with the property
owner;
(iii) that the applicant
notified the property owner of the right of entry from time to time by
employees or authorized agents of the department on the real estate where the
sign is located for purposes of inspection or removal of the sign;
and
(iv) the correct name, mailing
address, and electronic mail address of the property owner. Upon receipt of the
affidavit executed by the applicant under this subdivision, the department may
require the applicant to provide additional information or documentation
verifying the representations therein.
(7) A letter or other document signed by an
authorized representative of the local governmental entity that provides the
current zoning applicable to the sign's location. In lieu of the letter or
other document from the local governmental entity contemplated by this
subdivision, the applicant may execute and submit an affidavit in form and
substance satisfactory to the department, representing to the department that:
(A) the applicant made a reasonable request
to obtain the executed letter or other document on behalf of the local
governmental entity, but the applicant's request was refused; and
(B) the applicant has verified that the
zoning is appropriate for the erection of the sign, and is also representing to
the department what the current zoning classification is for the real estate
upon which the sign would be located.
Upon receipt of a letter or other document signed by an
authorized representative of the local governmental entity or the affidavit
executed by the applicant under this subdivision, the department may require
the applicant to provide additional information or documentation verifying the
information or representations therein.
(8) Information that details how and the
specific location on such real estate at which the sign will be erected and
maintained.
(9) Any other
information or documentation reasonably related to the application that is
required by the department. The application shall be completed accurately by
the applicant, or by a representative duly authorized in writing to act for the
applicant, and shall also describe and set forth the size, shape, and the
nature of the proposed sign.
(b) An incomplete application will not be
considered by the department, but minor deficiencies may be cured promptly
after the department requires the applicant to provide additional information
or documentation. Otherwise, all documents included with an incomplete
application shall be returned to the applicant (but not sooner than fifteen
(15) days after the date upon which it was submitted) without being processed,
along with a written explanation of the reason for its return, and the
application fee shall be returned by the department. The return of an
incomplete application and any accompanying materials without processing in
accordance with this rule is not a final administrative action subject to
appeal. If an application is withdrawn or returned for any reason, and the
applicant chooses to resubmit the application, the subsequently filed
application shall be processed as a new application as of the date it is
received by the department with a new application number and it shall be
subject to the payment of another application fee.
(c) The department shall review each
application on the basis of its qualifications as of the date received by the
department. For example, any qualifying commercial or industrial activity and
appropriate zoning that is required for approval must exist on the date the
application is received. If the permit is approved by the department, written
notice of this fact and the permit tag shall be sent to the applicant. Any
denial of a permit by the department shall be in writing, accompanied by an
explanation of the rationale for the denial, and shall be sent to the applicant
by U.S. certified mail. If the permit is denied, the applicant may appeal this
denial by delivering a written notice of the appeal to the department in
accordance with the applicable time period set forth in IC 4-21.5 and in
compliance with the requirements of section 12(c) of this rule. After an appeal
is delivered, the applicant shall be afforded the opportunity for a hearing
under IC 4-21.5 and IC 8-23-20.
(d)
The permittee or its authorized representative shall have the right to change
the advertising copy on the sign for which the permit was issued without
payment of any additional fee to the department and no approval by the
department is required for any such change.
(e) The department shall have authority,
thirty (30) days after notice in writing to the permittee, to revoke any permit
issued under this rule where the application for the permit contains false or
misleading information or where the permittee has violated any provision of
this rule.
(f) The department may
subsequently refuse to issue any sign permits to an applicant for a period not
to exceed two (2) years from the date of its decision, if:
(1) the applicant or any owner, shareholder,
officer, representative, or employee thereof intentionally provided false or
misleading information on a permit application or modification request for an
addendum within the previous two (2) years; or
(2) there are repeated substantive violations
by the permittee of the general provisions and special provisions that are
attached to the permits held by the permittee.
Before taking any action under this subsection, the
department will afford the applicant or permittee an opportunity to meet and
explain why this particular information had been provided to the department or
to explain the circumstances that resulted in the repeated violation of these
provisions.
(g)
The issuance of the permit shall in no way imply the department's approval of,
or be intended to influence any action pending before a local board,
commission, or agency.
(h) All
modification requests for an addendum to an existing permit for a sign shall
comply with section 13(5) or 14(a) of this rule.