City of Whitewater v. Vivid, Inc.

This appeal concerns an outdoor billboard owner’s claim for compensation resulting from the landowner-municipality’s decision not to renew the lease. The argument is that pursuant to sec. 84.30(6), Stats., which is part of Wisconsin’s derivative of the Federal Highway Beautification Act, a governmental entity must pay just compensation any time, and by whatever means, it causes an advertising structure to be removed. We hold, however, that because the municipality is the landowner here, it had a landowner’s right not to renew the lease and therefore it does not have to pay compensation.

Vivid…