§ 136-140.8. Exemption procedures.
§136‑140.8. Exemption procedures.
The North Carolina Departmentof Transportation shall upon receipt of a declaration, petition, resolution,certified copy of an ordinance, or other clear direction from a board of countycommissioners, municipality, county, city, provided that such resolution is notin conflict with existing statute or ordinance, that removal of motoristservices directional signs would cause an economic hardship in a defined area,shall forward such declaration, resolution, or finding to the Secretary of theNorth Carolina Department of Transportation for inclusion as a defined hardshiparea qualifying for exemption pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 131 (O). Any suchdeclaration or resolution submitted to the North Carolina Department ofTransportation shall further find that such motorist service signs provideddirectional information about goods and services in the interest of thetraveling public and shall request the retention by the State of saiddirectional motorist services signs as defined herein. The North CarolinaDepartment of Transportation shall thereupon comply with all regulations issuedboth now and hereafter by the Federal Highway Administration necessary forapplication for the exemption provided in 23 U.S.C. 131 (O), provided such motoristservices directional signs were lawfully erected under State law at the time oftheir erection and were in existence on May 5, 1976. The petitioner seekingexemption of those signs defined in G.S. 136‑140.7 shall furnish theinformation required by the United States Department of Transportation to theNorth Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Departmentof Transportation shall request exemption from the United States Department ofTransportation. (1977, c. 639.)