St. John’s councillor ‘shocked’ by utility pole signs that violate bylaw
It’s like a line from that song by Les Emmerson: “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.”
St. John’s Coun. Deanne Stapleton said she was driving down Torbay Road on Tuesday and saw posters for a pop-up sale on every utility pole on both sides of the street from Newfoundland Drive to Pearson Street.
“I was shocked. There’s no need this day and age with so much social media, other advertising ways – you don’t need to stick it on a pole,” she said at the regular meeting of council Tuesday evening.
She said the posters advertised an event on Aug. 29.
“I mean, here it is the third of September … they took the time to put them up, they could have taken the time to take them down.”
As per the Sign Bylaw, St. John’s residents are not permitted to put signs on utility poles.
“If you drive around, you can see different signs from different companies offering roofing, (for example),” said Stapleton.
“They’re not supposed to be there. It’s against our regulations, our bylaws, and we’re really asking our business owners especially – and residents – do not put any signs, posters, anything on our utility poles.”
However, she said, if people do go against the bylaw and erect posters, they should “at least have the decency to remove them.”
Stapleton said city staff will contact whoever put up the posters and tell them to take them down, and failing that, city staff will remove the signs.
“And that’s taking time from something else that’s more important.”
Section 11 of the Sign Bylaw says, “No sign shall … interfere with any utility poles, towers or wires or related apparatus or equipment.”
The bylaw says the sign shall be removed upon receipt of written notification from the inspector, failing which, the inspector may remove the sign at the expense of the owner.
People who erect signs against the bylaw “shall be guilty of an offence and liable upon summary conviction to a penalty.”
Stapleton said there is currently an exception for posters in the downtown area, but she said council is considering making changes downtown.
She said discussions are in the early stages, but they are looking at ways people can put up posters so they can be more easily removed.