15 January 2007

Have Your Say On The Draft Signs And Billboards Bylaws

Auckland City is inviting all interested parties to participate in the consultation process on its new draft signs and billboards bylaws.

The council is accepting submissions on the proposed bylaws from today through until 2 March 2007.

The Planning and Regulatory Committee chairperson Councillor Glenda Fryer is urging everyone who has a view to participate.

“This is an important policy shift that will influence how our city looks and feels in the years to come.

“The aim is to promote and celebrate Auckland’s unique environment so that residents and tourists alike appreciate and enjoy the city’s character and want to spend time here.

“We want a city we can be proud of and we want to show off our natural and built environment to its best advantage so that it’s not swamped by advertising hoardings.

“The draft bylaws recognise that signage has an important community and commercial value, and they allow for appropriate signage while reducing visual pollution and clutter.”

Ms Fryer says the bylaws propose tighter controls on billboards and signs in areas that have significant heritage and character values. She says there will still be opportunity for signage throughout the city.

She says areas like the Britomart precinct, High Street and some of our more traditional town centres will benefit from the proposed new controls.

Ms Fryer says the draft bylaws will mean significant changes for the signs and billboards industry and she encourages those in the industry to let the council know their thoughts.

The council has directly notified those in both sectors of the proposed changes and invited them to participate in the submissions process.

It has also notified business and Mainstreet associations so that they can inform their members, many of whom have signs advertising retail premises.

In addition, council officers are meeting with representatives of the signs and billboards industry this month for further discussions on the draft bylaws.

The two proposed bylaws include the following provisions and restrictions.

Signs bylaw:

• new controls for signs above verandas

• signage for each business to be limited to an area based on the street frontage that the business occupies and a selection of specified sign types

• requirement for all signs to comply within 18 months of the bylaw coming into effect.

Billboards bylaw:

• rules to limit free-standing billboards to certain areas in the central business district

• controls to exclude billboards from some areas of the central business district which have high character and pedestrian amenity, eg Queen Street Valley

• requirement for all billboards to comply with the new bylaw within 18 months of it coming into effect or 12 months in high amenity areas covered by centre plans or character overlays.

All submissions will be taken into account by a hearings panel, which will consider the draft bylaws later in the year before making a recommendation to full council.

Those wanting more information on the proposed bylaws and how to make a submission should visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/bylaws

ENDS

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