1 PURPOSE
To establish guidelines for approval of advertising and sponsorship signage by tenants at West Tamar Council active recreation reserves.
2 SCOPE
These guidelines relates to all Council owned and managed recreation reserves with active playing/sporting surfaces and associated facilities located on those reserves, and used on a formally allocated basis through a seasonal occupancy/tenancy agreement, lease or licence.
These guidelines do not apply to passive recreation reserves with no active sporting facilities which are predominantly used for informal recreation such as parks with playgrounds, walking trails and BBQ/picnic facilities.
Only tenants located within the Municipality of West Tamar are eligible to apply to erect advertising and promotional signage on Council owned and managed recreation reserves.
3 DEFINITIONS
Recreation reserves with active playing/sporting surfaces are reserves characterised bythe provision of sporting ovals, playing fields, tennis, bowls, and other sporting facilities and associated pavilions, halls/courts as well as other buildings/structures such as score boards, coaches boxes, player shelters, ticket boxes, shelters, dug outs, goal posts, light towers and fencing).
Passive recreation reserves are reserves characterised by the provision of informal facilities such playgrounds, BBQ and picnic facilities, walking trails and open space.
Advertising and promotional signage means all permanent, seasonal and temporary notice boards, structure, banner or similar device, containing advertising and promotional information of a commercial nature. Clean Ground Events requires all structures, facilities, and areas being used by the hirer to be free of all commercial trade from tenants for the term of the hire.
Directional signage refers to signage that conveys location and direction to users including vehicles and pedestrians into and within a reserve.
Political advertising signage refers to the advertisement of political parties, political candidates or political issues.
Temporary community event refers to an organised activity involving many people. The activity is provided on a not for profit basis and is non-commercial in nature.
Service Club Signage refers to Service Clubs e.g. Lions, Rotary.
Tenant/s refers to, sporting clubs or any other organisations occupying Council facilities at recreation reserves with active playing/sporting surfaces and associated facilities, and includes hirers for specific events.
Types of signage – signs which are erected on active recreation reserves owned or managed by Council generally fit within on the following categories:
- Permanent – permanently erected at the entrance to the recreation reserves or at sports grounds within the reserve on the main building servicing that reserve or sports ground, including:
– reserve identification signs;
– identification of sporting club signs;
– sports ground identification signs; and
– directional signs.
- Seasonal – advertising or promotional signage around field perimeter fencing, on coach’s boxes or scoreboards. Signage is to face inwards towards the playing surface. Signs may be erected on the outside of the fencing if facing the pavilion or clubrooms only. Signs are to be removed at the end of the playing season, or tenancy.
- Temporary Seasonal – advertising or promotional signage or tenant identification signage erected or displayed on games days throughout the season and removed after the game/event including banners, ‘A’ frame signs, corflute signs and electronic signs, and electronic scoreboard signage.
- Temporary Event and Free Standing Signage – advertising a “one off” community or sporting event e.g. lightning premierships, memberships drives, fundraising activities etc. in designated areas around the municipality or at the entrance to the reserve (Windsor Community Precinct Exempt); for the duration of the specific event.
- Service Club – signage that is placed on a structure acknowledging the contribution made by a service club.
- Ground Decal – adverting/sponsorship signage that is painted on the playing surface of a sports field.
4 GUIDELINE PRINCIPLES
The West Tamar Council, as an Asset Manager of public reserves, has the responsibility to ensure that there is a consistent approach to signage and to ensure that signage is safely erected, appropriate (not offensive), maintained and does not detract from the visual amenity of the reserve.
Advertising and promotional signage will be permitted on Council’s active recreation reserves when it conforms to the criteria set out in these guidelines, and the requirements of the West Tamar Council Interim Planning Scheme 2013.
Principles
The following principles underpin these guidelines:
To allow opportunities, where appropriate, for sporting clubs to generate income that supports their activities:
a) To discourage signage that is visible from beyond the recreation reserve sites other than for identification purposes;
b) To ensure signs are in keeping with the character of the recreation reserves;
c) To discourage the proliferation of signs at recreation reserves;
d) To encourage a coordinated approach to advertising where there are multiple user groups of recreational reserves; and
e) To maintain a high level of co-ordination and public safety for signs within Council road reserves and within active recreation reserves.
5 PROCEDURES
5.1 General Approval Process
a) Written requests for installation of any form of signage at a Council owned or managed reserve are to be forwarded to Council’s Recreation Officer.
b) Recreation Officer reviews the request with reference to the Guidelines and approves/declines request or seeks additional information from the applicant.
c) Community Services Manager endorses the request.
d) Tenant is notified in writing of any further requirements and responsibilities (if any) of Regulatory Approvals
e) Once approved, the tenant arranges the purchase and installation of the signage and liaises with the Recreation Officer to ensure that all Council requirements have been met.
5.2 Criteria for Signs
a) Written permission is to be received from Council’s Community Services Department (Recreation Officer) prior to seeking approval from Council’s Statutory Planning Officers for the installation of any form of signage at a Council owned or managed reserve.
b) The full cost of installation, preparation, maintenance and removal of all signage is to be borne by the tenant.
c) For sports ovals signage placed on oval fencing must not cover more than 70 per cent of the internal circumference and must have gaps to allow access to the oval by passive users of the reserve. Signage on the external circumference of the fence will only be allowed directly in front of social facilities and must not be visible beyond the reserve.
d) Seasonal signage on coaches’ boxes or player shelters will be permitted provided it does not cover more than 25% of the internal surface of the shelter and must not be visible beyond the reserve.
e) Seasonal signage on scoreboards will be permitted provided it does not detract from the main purpose of the structure nor cover more than 25% of the surface of the scoreboard and must not be visible beyond the reserve.
f) Signage on cricket practice nets is limited to two (2) signs per net being no greater than 1 metre x 1 metre per sign. Consideration must be given to the practice net footings as signage increases the wind loading on the fencing.
g) Signage on football nets behind the goals is limited to two (2) signs per net being no greater than the width from one installation pole to the other and must face inward to the field of play, installation to be in consultation with Council.
h) For tennis, netball and other fenced court facilities, signage should face inwards towards the playing area. Signage should be installed so that the top edge of the signage is less than 1.8 metres off the court surface. Signage on tennis court fencing is limited to two (2) signs per court being no greater than 1 metre x 1 metre per sign. Consideration must be given to the fence footings as signage increases the wind loading on the fencing.
i) Tenants must be able to remove all signage on request to deliver a clean venue for hire or Council managed or controlled events.
j) Signs must not be painted directly onto the walls or the roof of any facility, building or structure on the reserve.
k) A copy of the layout (including colour scheme) and the wording of the proposed advertising sign is to be submitted on the approved Request for Installation of Advertising Signage Application Form as part of the approval process, attached as Appendix 1.
l) The signs must be appropriate for a public reserve and not in any way be offensive or discriminatory.
m) Tenants are not entitled to enter into commercial agreements to alter venue names or install signage pertaining to the naming of a reserve.
n) Ground decal will only be authorised with the written consent of the Reserves Supervisor.
o) Political campaign signage will not be permitted at any time. (Federal, State or Local).
p) Political signage (Federal, State or Local), adhering to the remainder of the guidelines may be permitted so long as there is a relevant sponsorship agreement between the party and/or representative and the tenant. Any political signage must be removed at the end of the sponsorship agreement or at the expiration of the representative’s term in government.
q) Service clubs wishing to erect service club signage at recreation reserves for active recreation must adhere to the requirements of these guidelines.
r) Should a tenant erect any signage without written approval from Council, the sign will be removed and impounded. Any cost associated with the removal may be passed on to the tenant.
s) Tenants must not display or authorise external groups to display any sponsorship signage (electronic or otherwise) on or connected to a trailer or other vehicle outside of the leased area unless negotiated with land owner. Any such signage must adhere to the conditions of these guidelines.
5.3 Regulatory Approvals
Tenants are responsible for Planning and Building Permits
a) A Planning Permit is required for a business identification signage.
b) A Planning Permit is not required when signage is:
- Sited around the sports oval/court fencing (on the actual fence itself);
- Orientated toward the playing field/court;
- A sign publicising a local educational, cultural, political, religious, social or recreational event not held for commercial purposes.
5.4 Installation Conditions
a) All requests for new signage must be on the approved Request for Installation of Advertising Signage Application Form (attached as Appendix 1).
b) A Building Permit from an appropriately qualified registered building practitioner is required for all freestanding signs on reserves (where approved).
c) Freestanding signs must be erected by an approved contractor, who has undergone a Council safety induction.
d) Signs are considered assets of the tenant and must be maintained and inspected by the tenant on a regular basis to ensure that they are fit for a public reserve and represent no danger to the public.
e) Sponsorship signage agreements between tenants and their sponsors must be for the playing season only. This is to allow the seasonal user prime siting of their sponsors’ signage.
f) Where there is no shared sponsorship agreement between the seasonal tenants, signs must be taken down by the tenant at the end of the season, otherwise the Council may arrange for removal and associated costs will be charged to the tenant.
g) Business directional and information signs must not carry the logo of associated sponsors.
5.5 Maintenance of Signage
a) The applicant who erected the sign is responsible for maintaining the sign. Tenants are to maintain all advertising signage in an acceptable and safe condition at all times and at their cost. This includes the immediate removal of graffiti, damaged and broken signs.
b) If the signs are considered unsafe, they will be removed at the tenant’s cost and the Council will advise the tenant of its action. The relevant Council officer(s) liaise with the tenant regarding any safety concern prior to the re-installation of the sign.
c) Should damage to a Council asset occur as a result of the installation, maintenance or removal of any signage, the tenant will be charged the full cost of any rectification works required.
5.6 Removal of Signage
a) Tenants are responsible for the removal of signage.
b) Council reserves the right to arrange the removal of any signage at any time, should the tenant not meet the conditions outlined in these guidelines, any cost incurred will be charged to the tenant/organisation. Where practicable, Council staff will provide photographic evidence to the signs condition prior to it being removed.
5.7 Existing Signage
a) Tenants are expected to meet the conditions outlined in these guidelines for signage installed after the date of adoption.
b) Existing signage may not be taken as a precedence for any future applications for signage.
6 LEGISLATION AND REFERENCES
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993
West Tamar Interim Planning Scheme 2013
Windsor Community Precinct Master Plan 2012
7 APPROVAL
Approved by the General Manager on April 27, 2017.