Illegal Signs In Council's Sights

The increasing number of illegal signs popping-up around the district is the focus of a compliance campaign currently being undertaken by Ruapehu District Council (RDC).

RDC Compliance Team Leader, Brenda Ralph, said that all signage must comply with the District Plan and the Resource Management Act or if on a State Highway with NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) rules as well.

“While council has no desire to limit commercial activity the signage rules are designed to protect Ruapehu’s landscapes and township aesthetics which many of our businesses rely on.”

“NZTA rules are all about enhancing highway safety.”

Mrs Ralph said that many people do not also understand that it is the owner of the land or building on which the sign is placed who is responsible for ensuring the sign is legal.

“Building and land owners have the responsibility to ensure that all signs on their land or building comply with relevant legislation even if they are just renting the space to another business owner for their sign,” she said.

“Ideally we want to avoid the need to take any enforcement action and so are providing an amnesty period until 9 January 2015 to allow sign owners to get their signs up to code.”

“Council is writing to the owners of all signs that we have identified as being non-compliant asking the owner to contact us to discuss how to make their sign legal.”

“Signs that have been identified as non-complaint will also be plastered with a removable sticker.”

“We are hoping that as well as advising the sign owner that they need to take action on making the sign compliant it will help educate the wider public around this issue.”

“In support of educating sign owner’s we will also be holding two public meetings in our Chambers on sign compliance rules.”

“The first is in Taumarunui on Tuesday 25 November from 10.00am and the second in Ohakune on Thursday 27 November from 2.00pm.”

“The rules around signage vary depending on their characteristics such as location, temporary or permanent, size, etc, and as such the meetings will be a good way to inform sign owners of what rules they need to comply with and to answer any questions they may have”

“Sign owners who have received a letter from us in relation to the signage campaign, have any questions or concerns, or who just want to confirm the legal status of their sign should come along to one of the meetings.”
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