AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE
17 May 2006
Dominion Road focus on signs continues
Dominion Road business owners still have time to comply with Auckland City’s signs bylaw before council starts to remove
illegal signs.
Council officers visited all Dominion Rd business owners late last year to outline the signs bylaw, point out any
non-complying signs and request their removal or relocation.
Auckland City urges those who have not yet complied to do so and to contact the council for advice on this if needed,
says Auckland City’s service requests manager, Jackie Wilkinson.
“Officers have been in repeated contact with Dominion Rd business owners in past months, with visits, letters and a
public workshop being held. We’re pleased that many have responded and amended their signs, resulting in a real
improvement in the appearance of the area,” she says.
“Those who have not yet made any changes still have time to do so. Council officers are happy to provide advice to
individual owners on how to amend their signs to ensure they follow the bylaw guidelines, so we urge people to call
Auckland City if they are unsure how to proceed.”
The initial survey of 385 businesses along Dominion Road found 445 bylaw breaches by 215 businesses. A follow-up survey
carried out in February found the number of breaches had reduced to 347 (a decrease of 98) and the number of
non-complying businesses to 177 (a decrease of 38).
Following the February survey, bylaw notices were sent to all businesses still not complying, requiring that the signs
be altered or amended within 30 days or a dispensation from the bylaw be applied for. Business owners were also invited
to a public workshop held on 14 March, which included presentations to explain the signage bylaw and the dispensation
process.
In early April, all businesses were reassessed to determine the extent of voluntary compliance. Of the 177 businesses
sent bylaw notices:
- 81 had complied by either altering or removing signage
- 17 businesses had applied for a dispensation
- 4 businesses were found to have a previous consent or dispensation for signage
- 75 had not yet complied, although some of these have since applied for dispensations or have agreed to move or remove
signs.
Auckland City will now request an estimate from a contractor for the removal of the remaining non-complying signs.
Letters will be sent to the owners of the businesses displaying these signs next Friday to inform them of the cost and
that they will be required to repay this amount to council. Removal of any remaining non-complying signs will begin
three weeks after the letters are sent.
ENDS