Advertising signs, devices and Real Estate signs

Any signage that is to be displayed is to comply with the prescribed criteria (dependant on sign type) and the general criteria. If unable to comply with any of the general conditions, an approval is to be sought.

• Current public liability insurance policy which provides indemnity for each individual occurrence in an amount not less than $10,000,000.00 and insurance against property damage.
• Be able to produce a copy of public liability insurance to an authorised person upon request.
• The advertising device must:
• not cause a nuisance; and
• be kept and maintained at all times in good order and condition and free of graffiti.
• The activity being advertised on the advertising device must be able to be lawfully conducted on the relevant premises.
• The advertising device must be structurally sound.
• The display of the advertising device must not cause obstruction of, or distraction to, pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
• The advertising device must be of high design quality.
• The face area of the advertising device must be appropriate for the location.
• The height of the advertising device must be appropriate for the location.
• The advertising device must not cause damage to public infrastructure.
• The advertising device must be consistent with applicable environmental standards.
• An illuminated advertising device must not be positioned so as to create glare or a nuisance to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
• The advertising device must not be positioned within 3 metres of a power pole or any other device.
• The advertising device must not contain words bearing offensive or threatening messages or images.
• The size and scale of the advertising device, whether attached to a building or free-standing, must be appropriate to the size and scale of the building (if any) and of the premises where it is erected or to be erected and the advertising device must not be oversized so as to detract from or dominate the building, premises or adjacent uses of the land on which it is to be displayed.
• Where numerous small advertising devices are located adjacent to one another, the number, size, position and height of each advertising device must be limited to avoid visual clutter.
• To avoid visual clutter, where more than 1 tenant or business occupies a building or attached premises, advertising devices located on the building, or free-standing signs, must be harmonious and co-ordinated in size and height
• The face area and size of an advertising device must be compatible with predominant land uses, the built environment and the orientation of the premises with respect to adjacent roads and buildings.
• An advertising device mounted over a road or other place where vehicles are able to pass, must provide a clearance of not less than 5.7m from ground level directly adjacent to the advertising device.
• The advertising device must be harmonious with the architectural style and character of the location.
• The advertising device must blend with landscaping and street features of the location.
• The advertising device may be displayed no more than 14 days prior to the event and must be taken down no more than 2 days after the event.

If you are unable to comply with all of the general criteria above, the following criteria will be considered when deciding whether to approve the display of a free-standing sign by reference to the size of the advertising device.

• The face area of any advertising device is generally the area bounded by the framework of a manufactured panel, hoarding or illuminated sign case and is calculated by multiplying the sign face area height and width parameters.
• However, in the case of lettering, logos or designs applied to a lesser area than the panel parameters, or individual lettering applied to a wall or awning face, the area is calculated by drawing a rectangle around the advertising device lettering.
• In the case of irregular shaped advertising devices, including words with ascending or descending upper or lower case letter strokes, or replicas or shapes, the face area is calculated by not more than 2 abutting and non-overlapping rectangles added together.
• Decorative lines, stripes and architectural trims of an advertising device, whether illuminated or not, form part of the face area of the advertising device
• In calculating the size of an advertising device, v-shaped advertising devices are classed as 2 advertising devices unless otherwise determined by this subordinate local law.

Bunting sign

A bunting sign includes decorative flags, pennants and streamers. This does not include banners.

Prescribed criteria

• The advertising device must be affixed to a structure that will accommodate wind loadings in the area
• The advertising device must not be affixed to a tree, lighting standard or power pole on a local government controlled area or a road
• The advertising device must not be placed on premises more than 6m above ground level directly adjacent to the advertising device
• If requested by an authorised person, the advertiser must provide an engineer’s certification for any structure dedicated for the support of the advertising device
• The advertising device must not be placed on premises beyond the street front boundary of the premises.

Community organisation sign

A community organisation sign is a temporary, non-illuminated advertising device which advertises a non-profit short term event such as a fete, fair, festival or similar event organised by a charitable, religious, educational, childcare or sporting organisation or a community service organisation.

Prescribed criteria

• A community organisation sign must not be displayed for more than 14 days prior to the event advertised on the advertising device and must be removed within 1 day of the event

Site community organisation sign

A site community organisation sign is a community organisation sign which is displayed at the site of a fete, fair, festival or other similar event for the primary purpose of advertising the fete, fair, festival or other similar event.

Prescribed criteria

• A site community organisation sign must not be displayed longer than 30 days prior to the event advertised on the advertising device and must be removed within 1 day of the event

Garage sale sign

A garage sale sign is an advertising device of a temporary nature which advertises a garage sale and is displayed for directional purposes.

Prescribed criteria

• The advertising device may only be placed on rateable land other than a public place
• The advertising device must not have a face area in excess of 0.6m2
• The advertising device must be located in the vicinity of the garage sale
• The advertising device must be limited to a number reasonably necessary to identify the route to the garage sale
• The advertising device may only be displayed on the day of the garage sale
• The advertising device must not be located so as to cause a pedestrian or vehicular hazard

Mobile sign

A mobile sign is a temporary portable self-supporting sign which is free-standing and may be mounted on wheels to facilitate movement. This includes an A-frame sign and sandwich board, but excludes free standing and real estate signs.

Prescribed criteria

• The face area of the advertising device must not exceed 2.5m2 on either side of the advertising device
• The display of mobile signs must not exceed 1 advertising device for each shop or business fronting a road
• Where the advertising device advertises a particular shop or business, the advertising device must identify the shop or business
• The advertising device may only be placed on the premises of the shop or business it is advertising or promoting on a local government controlled area or a road if:
• no part of the advertising device protrudes more than 1m from the street front boundary of the premises
• the advertising device is not a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic
• the advertiser takes out and maintains public liability insurance cover in an amount not less than $10,000,000.00 against claims for personal injury and property damage resulting from the display of the advertising device
• The advertising device must be:
• placed so as to minimise visual clutter
• kept erect and maintained in a good state of repair at all times
• secured so as to prevent danger to pedestrian and vehicular traffic in windy conditions
• The number of face areas of the advertising device must not exceed 2
• The advertising device must not be illuminated

Statutory sign

A statutory sign is an advertising device exhibited pursuant to the authority or requirements of an Act.

Prescribed criteria

• The advertising device must be exhibited in accordance with the requirements of the Act which requires the exhibition of the advertising device.

Examples:

• The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 requires the exhibition of signs regarding safety.
• The Sustainable Planning Act 2009 requires the exhibition of signs regarding town planning issues.

Trade sign

A trade sign is a temporary advertising device which displays a trade person’s activity on premises, for example, the activities of a painter or a tiler.

Prescribed criteria

• A maximum of 1 trade sign may be displayed on any premises
• The face area of the advertising device must not exceed 0.6m2

Display home sign

A display home sign is an advertising device which advertises a display home in conjunction with the sale, auction or leasing of a group of dwellings or building sites.

Prescribed criteria

• Not be displayed on any premises for a period in excess of 12 months
• Not have a face area in excess of 2.4m2
• Only be located on the premises of the display home advertised on the advertising device

Real estate signs

A real estate sign is a temporary, non-illuminated advertising device which promotes the sale, auction, lease or letting of premises. Real estate signs encompasses both the ‘for sale signs’ and ‘directional signs’ which agents display on a private property. There are different prescribed criteria for these.

Prescribed criteria for real estate signs

• The advertising device must not:
• interfere with the safe and convenient passage of pedestrians; or
• detract from the amenity of the area in which it is situated or unreasonably obstruct existing views
• The advertising device may be double sided
• The advertising device must not have a face area in excess of 0.6m2
• The number of real estate signs displayed at premises must not exceed 1 sign for each agent marketing the premises up to a maximum of 3 signs
• As an alternative, an advertiser may display 1 sign having a maximum face area of 2.4m2 at the premises
• the advertising device must not be displayed for:
• more than 14 days after the sale of the premises identified in the advertising device; or
• more than 6 months in any 12 month period
• The advertising device must be kept erect and maintained in a good state of repair at all times
• If a high fence, foliage or the like obscures the advertising device, it must be located as close as practicable to the street front boundary of the premises.

Prescribed criteria for real estate directional signs

• If the advertising device is displayed on land which is not a public place:
• maximum of 3 advertising devices may be displayed
• the face area of each advertising device must not exceed 0.6m2
• the advertising device:
• must only be displayed on the day on which the premises offered for sale are open for public inspection or offered for sale by auction
• must be located in close proximity to the premises
• the advertising device must not be displayed on a road except subject to approval of an authorised person.

Estate sale sign

An estate sales sign is an advertising device displayed for the primary purpose of the promotion or sale of land within an industrial or residential estate or development.

Prescribed criteria

• If the advertising device is double sided – the advertising device must not have a face area in excess of 6m2 on either side
• If the advertising device is single sided – the advertising device must not have a face area in excess of 12m2
• If the advertising device is displayed on premises in an area used for residential purposes – the premises must be vacant and in close proximity to the estate or development advertised on the advertising device
• The advertising device must not face adjoining premises unless it is more than 3m from each boundary of the premises
• The advertising device may only be displayed on premises for, whichever is the lesser of:
• 12 calendar months
• 14 days after the last lot comprising part of the estate or development is sold

Inflatable sign

An inflatable sign is a fixed or captive balloon, including a tethered lighter than air device which is displayed in conjunction with a special event such as a fete, fair, circus, sales promotion or the like.

Prescribed criteria

• The advertising device must not be displayed for more than 14 days in any 90 day period
• The method of securing the advertising device must be certified as to standard by an accredited engineer prior to the display of the advertising device
• The location of the advertising device must be such that the display of the advertising device will not interfere with any power lines or other public services
• The advertiser must take out and maintain public liability insurance cover in an amount not less than $10,000,000.00 against claims for personal injury and property damage resulting from the display of the advertising device
• The advertiser must produce to the local government on request evidence of the existence of the insurance specified above

Sporting field sign

A sporting field fence sign is an advertising device which is painted or otherwise affixed to a fence marking the boundaries of a sporting field.

Prescribed criteria

• The advertising device must acknowledge sponsors associated with the club which has the right to occupy the sporting field on which it is displayed
• The advertising device must be displayed on a fence surrounding the sporting field
• The advertising device must not be visible from any road, public place (other than the sporting field) or premises used for residential purposes
• The advertising device must be contained within the boundaries of the fence on which it is to be displayed
• The advertising device must not cause a danger to the public
• If the advertiser is a sporting club or association, the advertiser must erect or display the advertising device immediately adjacent to the area allocated to the advertiser for conduct of the advertiser’s sporting activity.

Motor vehicle sign

A motor vehicle sign is an advertising device affixed to, placed upon, or beside, a vehicle, caravan or trailer apparently stopped on rateable land for the primary purpose of displaying the advertising device.

Prescribed criteria

• Not have a face area in excess of 2.4m2
• Not extend beyond the dimensions of, as the case may be, the vehicle, caravan or trailer
• Not cause a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic
• Be static
• Not be constructed from illuminated or reflective material