Auckland City's billboards war brings one holy battle. Candice Reed reports.
It's supposed to be a sign of God - but a worldly power has all but silenced Pt Chevalier Baptist Church. An Auckland City Council panel stacked with anti-billboard campaigners this week began hearings into a ban on hoardings in the central city.
The little suburban church panel has found it's broken the council's current commandments.
When the church moved its billboard a year ago to be ``less obstructive to traffic'', a neghbour's complaint to the council kicked off a legal battle.
The complaint was withdrawn, both in person and over the phone, but the council refuses to back down on its claim the wooden frame violates its 1998 bylaws.
If the sign is not removed, the church faces a maximum $20,000 fine, plus removal costs. Pastor Douglas Vause says, ``All we did was change the orientation of the sign and shift it back to be less obstructive to traffic.
``We were told our sign was too big. You are only allowed half a square metre, but that relates to a 1998 bylaw. This property was given permission to have a sign when the consents were put through the council in 1993. The signs were marked on the plans and approved.''
A council representative says the original sign fell under the a bylaw covering signs before 1998 provided they aren't significantly altered.
``In moving the sign, the church effectively altered the sign, meaning it was no longer covered,'' says the representative.
The council recommends the church remove the sign or apply for a dispensation.
``Under this scenario, the council's planning fixtures committee would make a decision on whether the sign could remain or not,'' the council representative adds.
Despite support from the Western Bays Community Board and other council members, Pastor Vause isn't confident of gaining a dispensation.
``In previous face-to-face meetings we've been told we won't get it. I believe they've already made a decision that we won't qualify.''
He doesn't want to ``use church funds to fight a court case''.
He says he's arguing on grounds common to other chuches and to businesses.
``All the churches far and wide break the half a square metre rule, as do your average real estate signs, but you don't see them being persecuted.''
The council says an enforcement officer will be in contact with the church ``soon'' to clarify the current situation.
Meanwhile, a city council hearing to consider new billboard and sign bylaws started on Monday. More than 1700 submissions were received, forcing the council to hold separate hearings for billboards and signs.
Nearly 1000 submissions were lodged opposing the billboards bylaw, while around 250 opposed the signs bylaw and a further 270 opposed both. Around 110 submissions support the proposed billboards bylaw, 70 for the proposed signs bylaw and around 30 for both.
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