Laws a bad sign for Glengarry

Erik Sine · February 20, 2007

By TIM HUNTER - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 18 February 2007

A BAD SIGN: Glengarry chairman Jack Jekicevich with signage the company has spent around $200,000 on that will soon fall foul of proposed council bylaws.

Jack Jekicevic, executive director of family firm Glengarry Wines, is a frustrated man.

Faced with intense competition from supermarkets and big rivals such as Liquorland, Glengarry has had to work hard to carve out a niche in the market.

Part of that effort was a radical facelift for all its stores - 13 in Auckland and North Shore City, three in Wellington.

The last store has just been finished.

"The investment was to the tune of $200,000," said Jakicevich.

"The process was taken very seriously, we consulted widely to ensure it's something that will last us 10 years or more.

"All of our signs had to comply with (existing) bylaws and we worked with the council on that. Resource management consents were required for some of them, which we have."

But although it complies with existing council rules, Glengarry's investment will have its lifespan cut to less than two years if Auckland City Council carries out plans to change its bylaws on signage, due to be adopted in May.

Criticism of the council's proposal, announced last month, focused initially on its ban on CBD advertising billboards, but anger has grown among city businesses as its implications for signage sink in.

Mark Castle, chairman of Ponsonby Main Street retailers group, said at least 65% of signs on Ponsonby Rd, a fashionable shopping street in Auckland, would fail to comply with the new bylaws.

"The strength of feeling out there is quite intense," he said. "People are very angry."

Auckland deputy mayor Bruce Hucker said the aim of the new bylaws was to improve the city's environment.

"There's been a major shift in thinking on urban design in this council," he said.

"We want to create a policy that celebrates good urban design and reflects our goals to be a 21st century international Pacific city.

"What's being talked about reduces visual clutter and gives pedestrians a chance to enjoy the character of the city and its heritage buildings."

The new bylaws are highly specific on the permitted size and placement of signs, and allow much less signage than current rules. They also demand that all signs comply with the new bylaws within 18 months.

Jakicevich described the plan as "draconian".

"These new rules are essentially banning signs. A 300mm facade (the limit on under- verandah signs) is just a joke.

"I fully understand there have to be limits and controls, but there has to be common sense as well."

Hucker said the 18 month cut-off was just a proposal.

"If evidence is presented of having a longer sunset clause the commissioner will listen to it."

Last week, the council decided to include an urban design expert on the panel of councillors, all of whom support the bylaw proposal, who will hear submissions on the plan.

Jakicevich said design was not the only issue to consider.

"One of the major features of our brand is the word 'wine' - it's painted across the whole facade of our building. It's working for us as well. Good signage works. It's been the single biggest thing we've done to improve our profitability this year. And we're going to lose it."

Strict council controls on signage are common, but Auckland is taking a more aggressive approach than some other councils. In Wellington, for example, there are no plans to review signage bylaws and if signs comply with the law they can stay up indefinitely.

Christchurch has particular problems, said council policy planner Miranda Charles.

"We do have a bit of an advertising explosion here and that is because we haven't been enforcing our bylaws," she said.

Charles said Christchurch was watching Auckland's process closely.

"The rationale of Auckland City Council is relevant to Christchurch. We will look to follow a similar path as we review our bylaws."

If it does, the city's small businesses, just like Glengarry's, will be worried.

Submissions on Auckland's bylaw proposal close on March 2.