The owner of a sign that is not licensed under this chapter and that is not a legal on-premises or exempt sign meeting the requirements set forth in this chapter, other than a sign that was lawfully erected and maintained prior to March 23, 1968, shall be in violation of this chapter until it is removed. The Travel Information Council, or the Secretary of Transportation or designee pursuant to authority delegated by the Council, may, upon failure of the owner to remove such sign, order its removal by the Agency of Transportation, and the Agency of Transportation shall thereupon remove the sign without notice or further proceeding, at the expense of the owner. The expense may be recovered by the State in an action on this statute, that shall be instituted in the Superior Court in the unit for the area in which the sign is located. A copy of the notice of removal shall be sent by certified mail to the owner at the last known address. If an illegal sign is re-erected after the initial removal notice is executed, the Agency of Transportation shall have the authority to remove that illegal sign without additional prior notice to the owner. The Agency of Transportation or the legislative body of a municipality shall have the authority to remove or relocate, or both, without prior notice, any sign, device, or display that is temporary in nature and not affixed to a substantive structure that is erected within 24.75 feet of the actual centerline of any highway under its jurisdiction and within the public highway right-of-way. (Added 1967, No. 333 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. March 23, 1968; amended 1969, No. 92, § 12, eff. April 19, 1969; 1983, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 1993, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 61.)