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

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