256                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                         [CH. 76

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232. Any lease which shall have been executed prior to the
effective date of this Act, for the aforementioned purposes shall be-
come null and void for the purpose for which the lease was made on
June 1,1961, and after said date the continuation of any advertising
structure on the land so leased shall become unlawful, except nothing
herein shall be deemed to prevent a property owner from erecting
advertising signs on his own property advertising the sale or lease
of said property or the sale of produce grown or made thereon or a
service performed thereon or therein, provided the owner shall first
obtain a permit therefor from the State Roads Commission. The State
Roads Commission shall grant such permit upon application, without
charge therefore THEREFOR, however, said Commission shall have
the authority to regulate the location and size of the advertising sign
or signs and said regulations shall be consistent with and in the
interest of the safety and welfare of the traveling public. No permit
shall be required to erect a sign denoting a place of religious worship
or a historical monument or location, provided, however, such sign
shall be located in accordance with rules and regulations of the State
Roads Commission. The Commission is hereby authorized to make
rules and regulations relating to the erection of said signs and
furnish a copy thereof to any interested person upon request. Pro-
vided, further, nothing herein shall prevent the State Roads Com-
mission from erecting such traffic and other signs along said high-
ways as, in its judgment, are required for the safety or convenience
of the persons using said highways, PROVIDED FURTHER,
NOTHING HEREIN SHALL PREVENT THE OWNER OF LAND
ABUTTING A HIGHWAY OTHER THAN AN EXPRESSWAY,
WHICH RUNS PARALLEL OR PARTIALLY PARALLEL TO AN
EXPRESSWAY AND WHICH IS WITHIN SIX HUNDRED (600)
FEET OF AN EXPRESSWAY, FROM USING OR PERMITTING
THE USE OF SAID LAND FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING PUR-
POSES PROVIDED ANY ADVERTISING SIGN ERECTED
THEREON SHALL FACE THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS NOT
CONSTRUCTED AS AN EXPRESSWAY.

185 184 233. In cases where leases for a longer period than three (3)
years have been entered into prior to the effective date of this Act,
the State Roads Commission shall, through negotiation or condemna-
tion, determine the amount so due the lessor and the lessee, if any be
due the lessee, and upon the said determination the State Roads
Commission shall pay the party or parties the amount determined