New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 18 - TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS
Chapter 21 - TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAGE
Part 5 - OUTDOOR ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Section 18.21.5.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Abandoned sign" or "discontinued sign" means any outdoor advertising device that:

B. "Advertisement" means copy, information or content on an outdoor advertising device designed, intended or used to advertise or inform.

C. "Apron support" means paneling on the exterior of an outdoor advertising device which serves as a decorative/ornamental feature; an apron support shall not include advertisements, but may include a sign owner name plate.

D. "Beautification Act" means the New Mexico Highway Beautification Act, Sections 67-12-1 et seq., NMSA 1978.

E. "Bona fide commercial or industrial activity" means a commercial or industrial activity which is carried on for profit and which operates for at least six (6) continuous months of the year and with a valid twelve (12) month business license issued by a city, county, or state whether or not a permanent structure is located where the commercial or industrial activity takes place.

F. "Centerline of highway" means a line equidistant from the edges of the median separating the main-traveled way of a divided interstate, NHS or primary highway or the centerline of the main-traveled way of a non-divided interstate, NHS or primary highway.

G. "Changeable electronic variable message sign" or "CEVMS" means an outdoor advertising device that changes the advertisement on the sign electronically or mechanically, or by remote control, by movement or rotation of panels or slats, light emitting diodes (LED), or an electronic sign that utilizes changeable electronic variable message technology through a programmable display of variable text or symbolic imagery to form multiple advertisements. Changeable electronic variable message signs include, but are not limited to, tri-vision and other rotating slat technology. The use of changeable electronic variable message sign (CEVMS) technology, shall not, in itself, constitute the use of flashing, intermittent or moving light or lights.

H. "Commercial or industrial activity" means those activities generally recognized as commercial or industrial by zoning authorities in New Mexico, except that none of the following shall be considered a commercial or industrial activity:

I. "Commission" means the state transportation commission.

J. "Copy" means an advertisement which depicts activities or advertising which may include gas price, lottery and other add-ons where such add-ons are fully contained within the physical boundaries of the advertising face and reference the static advertisement to which they are attached. Add-ons shall display only numbers, shall remain static for no less than eight (8) seconds in duration, shall achieve a transition to another static display in less than two (2) seconds, and shall not contain or utilize transitional elements or any movement at all between copy changes. Copy may also include self-promotion or public service messages as long as the entire advertising face of the outdoor advertising device is covered.

K. "Customary maintenance" means the usual state of maintaining a sign in order to keep it in a good state of repair while not changing the general structure of the sign significantly. Customary maintenance of a non-conforming sign means maintaining the sign so that it remains substantially the same as it was on the effective date of the Beautification Act. Reasonable repair and maintenance of the sign, including a change in advertising content, is not a change which would terminate non-conforming rights.

L. "Department" means the New Mexico department of transportation.

M. "Directional signs" means signs containing directional information about public places owned or operated by federal, state or local governments or their agencies; publicly or privately owned natural phenomena, historic, cultural, scientific, education, and religious sites; and areas of natural scenic beauty or naturally suited for outdoor recreation, deemed to be in the interest of the traveling public.

N. "Erect" means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw or in any other way establish or bring a sign into being.

O. "Face" means the advertising surface on a sign. Each sign may contain more than one face; each face shall require a separate permit.

P. "Freeway" means a divided arterial highway for through traffic with full control of access.

Q. "Interstate system" means that portion of the national system of interstate and defense highways located within this state as may now or hereafter be officially so designated by the commission and approved pursuant to 23 U.S.C. Section 103.

R. "Legible" means capable of being read without visual aid by a person of normal visual acuity.

S. "Maintain" means to allow to exist.

T. "Main-traveled way" means the traveled way of a highway on which through traffic is carried. In the case of a divided highway, the traveled way of each of the separated roadways for traffic in opposite directions is a main-traveled way. It does not include such facilities as frontage roads, turning roadways or parking areas.

U. "Mobile type sign" means an outdoor advertising device that is attached or placed on mobile vehicles or trailers or other mobile devices or objects outside of the right-of-way, and is not permanently affixed to real property or a sign structure.

V. "National highway system" or "NHS" means the federal aid system which includes the interstate system; the National Highway System consists of the highway routes and connections to transportation facilities that serve major population centers, international border crossings, ports, airports, public transportation facilities, and other intermodal transportation facilities and major travel destinations that meet national defense requirements, and that serve interstate and interregional travel and commerce.

W. "Non-conforming sign" means an outdoor advertising device lawfully in existence on the effective date of the Beautification Act, whose owner obtained a department outdoor advertising permit(s) with permit renewal fees paid current thereafter, which continues to exist and complies with customary maintenance requirements, but which currently does not meet all requirements of 18.21.5 NMAC or the Beautification Act due to state law passed at a later date or due to changed conditions. A non-conforming sign may also include an outdoor advertising device whose owner obtained a department outdoor advertising permit(s) with permit renewal fees paid current thereafter, which continues to exist and complies with customary maintenance requirements, but which currently does not meet all requirements of 18.21.5 NMAC or the Beautification Act. Illegally erected or maintained outdoor advertising devices shall not be considered non-conforming outdoor advertising devices.

X. "Official signs and notices" means signs and notices erected and maintained by public officers or public agencies within their territorial or zoning jurisdiction and pursuant to and in accordance with authorization contained in federal, state or local law for the purpose of carrying out an official duty or responsibility. Historical markers authorized by law and erected by state or local government agencies or non-profit historical societies shall be considered official signs.

Y. "Off-premise sign" means any outdoor advertising device which advertises an activity, service or product not conducted on the property upon which the outdoor advertising device is located.

Z. "On-premise sign" means an outdoor advertising device, which advertises activities, conducted on the property upon which the sign is located, and which is located within the area actually utilized for the purpose of the activity it advertises.

AA. "Outdoor advertising device" means any surface and supporting structure, visible from the main-traveled way of the interstate system, NHS or primary system, and designed, intended, or used to advertise or inform, and includes, but is not limited to, a sign, billboard, changeable electronic variable message sign (CEVMS), device, display, face, surface, light, figure, person, animal, painting, drawing, posting, plaque, poster, banner, graffiti, art, sculpture, statue, building structure, wall, fence, utility system, tower, bridge, motor vehicle, trailer, marine craft, holding tank, natural feature (such as a tree or rock), object, or other thing, whether permanently affixed to the real estate or mobile, portable, or temporary in nature, and regardless of size, which may support multiple faces. Each advertising surface shall be considered a separate face. Any structure used or intended to be used to support such a face shall be considered a part of the outdoor advertising device.

BB. "Primary system" means the federal and primary system in existence on June 1, 1991.

CC. "Public service signs" means signs located on school bus stop shelters, which signs:

DD. "Ranch/farm notices", "service club notices" and "religious notices" mean signs and notices which do not exceed eight (8) square feet, are erected and authorized by law, and relate to the name of ranch/farm, service club, charitable organization or religious services and directions to it.

EE. "Roadway" means an open, generally public way for the passage of vehicles, people and animals.

FF. "Safety rest area" means a site established and maintained by or under public supervision or control for the convenience of the traveling public within or adjacent to the right of way of the interstate system, NHS or primary system.

GG. "Sign" means any outdoor advertising device as defined in 18.21.5.7 NMAC.

HH. "State law" means a state constitutional provision or statute, or an ordinance or rule enacted or adopted by a state agency or political subdivision of a state pursuant to the state constitution or to a state statute.

II. "Unzoned land" means an area which has not been zoned by a properly constituted zoning authority according to legally prescribed procedure.

JJ. "Unzoned commercial or industrial area" means unzoned lands upon which there is located a bona fide commercial or industrial activity and the area along the highway extending outward one thousand (1,000) feet from and beyond the edge of such commercial or industrial activity and extending perpendicular from the centerline of highway to a depth of six hundred sixty (660) feet from the nearest edge of the right-of-way line on the same side of the highway as the commercial or industrial activity.

KK. "Urban area" means an area including and adjacent to a municipality or other urban place having a population of five thousand (5000) or more, as determined by the latest available federal census, within boundaries to be fixed by the commission, subject to any necessary approval by any federal agency, department or personnel.

LL. "Visible" means capable of being seen (whether or not legible) without visual aid by a person of normal visual acuity, except that within urban areas, "visible" means within six hundred sixty (660) feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way line.

MM. "Zoned commercial or industrial area" means an area which is reserved for business, commerce, trade, manufacturing, or industry, pursuant to a validly promulgated state law or regulation or local ordinance whose validity for outdoor advertising purposes is determined by the department pursuant to the provisions of 18.21.5.28 NMAC.