84.305 (1) (cm) "Natural snow fence" means vegetation in a highway right-of-way that functions as a berm or barrier to inhibit the accumulation of snow on the highway during the winter season.

84.305 (1) (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.

84.305 (1) (h) "Vegetation" means any tree, shrub, hedge, or other woody plant, and includes planted vegetation, natural vegetation, and specimen trees. "Vegetation" does not include or grass.

84.305 (2) Notwithstanding ss. 66.1037 and 86.03, and subject to sub. (2m), upon application, the department may shall issue permits to sign owners for the trimming, or removal, or relocation 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 any of the following applies: 3. Subject to par. (b), 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 natural vegetation in the highway right-of-way.

84.305 (2m) (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.

84.305 (3) (a) Subject to pars. (d) to (g) (h) and sub. subs. (2m) (b), (4), and (6), a permit issued under this section authorizes the permittee to trim obstructing vegetation or remove or relocate obstructing individual plants vegetation to the extent necessary to eliminate the obstruction and remedy any condition specified under sub. (2) (a) 1. to 4 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.

84.305 (3) (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. Within 30 days of receipt of the application, the department shall determine whether the application is complete and, if not, the department shall return the application to the applicant and inform the applicant of what information, specifically described, must be provided by the applicant to complete the application. The department may not deny an application for a permit under this section based solely upon receipt by the department of an objection or complaint from a property owner or municipality receiving notice under par. (c), but the department may consider the objection or complaint in determining whether to grant or deny the application for a permit. If the department denies an application for a permit under this section, the department shall notify the applicant of reasons for the denial.

84.305 (3) (d) A permit issued under this section may not authorize trimming, or removal , or relocation 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, or relocation from the municipality.

84.305 (2m) (a) A permit issued under this section may not authorize the permittee to trim, remove, or relocate vegetation in existence prior to the erection of the sign obstructed by the vegetation. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits the The department from issuing may not issue a permit under this section authorizing the trimming, or removal, or relocation of vegetation that, at the time the sign was erected, did not obstruct obstructing the view of the 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.

84.305 (3) (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, or relocate only the vegetation specified in the permit, or only vegetation within the area of the right-of-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 and replaced as provided in sub. (5).

84.305 (3) (h) All trimming and removal of vegetation under a permit issued under sub. (2), and all planting of vegetation under sub. (5), shall be conducted within the hours of the day and days of the week specified by the department in the permit.

84.305 (5) (a) Each Subject to par. (ar), each permit issued under this section shall require a permittee that removes planted vegetation to either relocate the planted vegetation or reimburse the department for the value of the planted vegetation. The department shall present to the permittee the department's calculation of the value of the planted vegetation, and the permittee may elect to relocate the planted vegetation or to reimburse the department for the value of the planted vegetation as determined by the department any tree with a diameter of 4 inches or more as measured at 3 feet from the ground, or any other vegetation with a diameter of 4 inches or more, to plant comparable replacement vegetation to compensate for all such vegetation removed, in compliance with the requirements under pars. (d) and (e).

84.305 (5) (ag) Each permit issued under this section shall require a permittee 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-of-way.

(ar) The department may require that, if vegetation that serves as a natural snow fence cannot be trimmed in compliance with the standards specified in sub. (3) (g) and is removed, this vegetation shall be replaced with an equally effective, substitute means of controlling blowing and drifting snow, which means may be synthetic or artificial.

84.305 (5) (d) 1. In planting replacement vegetation under par. (a), the permittee shall determine the diameters of all trees with a diameter of 4 inches or more, as measured at 3 feet from the ground, and of all other vegetation with a diameter of 4 inches or more, that was removed and shall calculate the sum total of these diameters for each category of vegetation, such as for trees, for shrubs, and for hedges. In calculating the sum total of these diameters, the permittee shall not include in the calculation the diameter of any vegetation that was dead, diseased, or determined to be an invasive species at the time of its removal.

2. The permittee shall plant sufficient replacement vegetation with a diameter of at least 2 inches so that the sum total of the diameters of the replacement vegetation, for each category of vegetation, at least equals the sum total of the diameters as calculated under subd. 1. for that category.

84.305 (5) (e) 1. Subject to subd. 2., the department shall determine where replacement vegetation required under this subsection is to be planted.

2. Replacement vegetation required under this subsection shall be planted in the highway right-of-way not farther than 10 miles from the location of the removed vegetation being replaced. Replacement vegetation may not be planted in front of a sign.

84.305 (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 require as a impose any condition or restriction under any on a permit issued under this section that the work authorized under the permit meet standards established by the department customarily imposes in connection with work performed on highway rights-of-way.

84.305 (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, or relocation 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.