State highways: signs for culturally unique and historically significant communities.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of the state highway system and associated property. Existing law authorizes the department to place signs on state highways directing motorists to culturally unique and historically significant communities within the geographic boundaries of a city, county, or city and county under certain conditions. Among these conditions is a requirement for the governing body of the city, county, or city and county in which the community is located to adopt a resolution that designates the name of the community, defines the geographic boundaries of the community, and requests the department to post the signs. This bill would, until January 1, 2014, authorize the department to also post signs under these provisions in the absence of compliance with the above-referenced resolution requirements, if the governing board of the county in which the community is located adopts a resolution conforming with the above-referenced requirements and the city in which the community is located, if any, provides a letter from the director of transportation or the city official in charge of transportation matters indicating that the city is not opposed to the placement of signs. This bill would also authorize the department to continue to display the signs installed under these provisions after the repeal of these provisions.