A new joint Auckland Council and Auckland Transport Signs Bylaw has been approved today by Auckland Council’s Governing Body and the Board of Auckland Transport.
Councillor Linda Cooper, Chair of the council’s Regulatory Committee, says the new bylaw will help better manage the problems signs can cause in relation to public safety, nuisance, misuse of public places, and the Auckland transport system.
“Aucklanders use signs every day to advertise goods and services and to communicate information, but sometimes signs can cause problems.
“We worked closely with Auckland Transport to develop a new bylaw that retains the intent of most current rules in a way that is easier to understand and comply with. The new bylaw continues to control the number, size and location of signs which can affect traffic safety, obstruct pedestrians and cause visual clutter.
“We heard feedback from 76 individuals and 30 organisations on the draft bylaw during our public consultation late last year, with the majority supporting our proposals.
“We’re pleased to have approved this new bylaw today, which will provide better outcomes for Aucklanders,” says Councillor Cooper
Auckland Transport’s General Manager Investment, Planning and Policy, Hamish Bunn says new streamlined approach has helped simplify the bylaw.
“Aucklanders will find the new bylaw a lot easier to work with, as the rules around signs have been consolidated into a single bylaw, rather than the previous two.”
The new Signs Bylaw 2022 comes into effect today, combining the existing joint Signage Bylaw 2015 and the Auckland Transport Election Signs Bylaw 2013 into a single bylaw.
The council will continue its current approach to bylaw enforcement, including talking to affected sign users, to increase awareness about the new rules and support voluntary compliance.
What’s new
The new Signs Bylaw 2022 makes several key changes to the current rules, including to:
- enable the display of election signs for up to nine weeks prior to an election or referendum, to support election advertising in places they would not otherwise be allowed.
- clarify that election signs may not be displayed on any side boundary fence with an Open Space Zone, to protect the amenity of parks and reserves.
- allow all energy trusts in Auckland (for example Entrust and Counties Power Consumer Trust) to display election signs, to recognise that trustees are elected to act for the benefit of Aucklanders.
- clarify that a community event sign on private property must relate solely to the event and be displayed in the area local to the event, to allow signs that support communities while reducing potential for proliferation, clutter, and distraction risks.
- increase the area where portable signs are prohibited on council-controlled public places to cover the entire City Centre Zone, including Karangahape Road, to prioritise the area for pedestrians, remove potential safety risks and improve accessibility for mobility and vision-impaired pedestrians.
- increase the maximum area of flat wall-mounted signs in Heavy Industry Zones, to allow more visible display of information in areas with larger buildings and lower priority on amenity values.
- add rules about signs that advertise temporary sales of goods (for example ‘garage sales’), to provide certainty while reducing potential for nuisance and clutter.
- clarify the rules so they are easier to understand, reflect current practice and are more aligned to the Auckland Unitary Plan.
The new Signs Bylaw does not include rules for alcohol advertising. However, during the review of the current signage bylaw, Aucklanders also shared their views with us about alcohol advertising at off-licence alcohol outlets, like liquor stores. This feedback will help inform a separate investigation on how the council can minimise harm from this type of signage.
Read our bylaws at our website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/bylaws
