The acquisition of commercial sign interests consists of the acquisition of 1) the sign structure and 2) any compensable underlying interest in the land (sign site), whether it be fee ownership (sign owned by fee owner), a sign site easement or a leased sign site (if more than month-to-month). For this chapter, a commercial sign is an “off-premise advertising sign”.

Ownership of any impacted sign structure must be determined early in the negotiation process. If a sign is owned by a person or entity other than the fee owner, have the fee owner sign , so that the sign structure may be acquired separately. In lieu of this form, the sign owner may produce a lease evidencing ownership of the sign structure.

The appraiser should be instructed to consider the sign structure itself to be real property and include the value of the structure in the appraisal of the real property. Sign valuations are made in accordance with procedures outlined in the

ROW Appraisal and Review Manual

.

Relocation information should be provided to the owner of the sign structure. However, relocation assistance will NOT include the cost of moving the structure, as the structure is considered to be part of the real property. The sign structure owner is eligible for reimbursement of searching expenses in accordance with the Uniform Act.

When the owner of the sign structure is not the fee owner,

negotiate advertising sign interests directly with sign owners using and for offers and handle them separately from fee or other property interests. Use forms and for offers to the fee owner.

If the sign structure and the fee are owned by the same person or entity

, use and for offers.

Remove signs erected without property owner permission, or abandoned signs, after parcel acquisition.