Community signs and billboards

Nelson City Council owns notice boards around the city that are available for hire to community groups or organisations promoting community activities.

Make a Booking The community sign boards are located at Bishopdale Hill, Miyazu and Saxton Field. They have been installed by the Nelson City Council to enable community groups and organisations to advertise events and community messages that add to the vitality and social well being of Nelson in a controlled and orderly manner that is convenient, cost effective and safe.

There are a total of twelve signboards available for hire: six at Bishopdale Hill, three at Saxton, and three at Miyazu Park.

Conditions of Use

The council has resource consent for the permanent frames and the temporary signs they contain. However the conditions set down by Council and New Zealand Transport Agency below must be complied with. Council retains the right to confiscate and dispose of signs that contravene conditions, or have not been officially booked, or have not been removed by due date.

For safety reasons access to the Bishopdale signboards must be from Scotia Street only.

The Saxton Signboards are for events held at the Saxton Fields complex.

Fee

$35 including GST per week per sign. This is non-refundable.

Message

The signs must advertise a community event or public message. Commercial products and services cannot be advertised. The message must focus on the event or community message without advertising for other goods or services. The messages must not be offensive in any way.

Sign size and design

  • The signs must be a standard size. This is 2400mm wide by 1200mm high by 12 to 18 mm thick  (based on a standard sheet of signboard). The frames have been designed to hold this size.
  • The sign writing must be neat and easily read from the road, and comply with the minimum letter size of 160mm.
  • Bishopdale and Saxton: The number of words (including logos) must not exceed 12, or 70 characters. Logos count as one word for each logo. Logos are limited to 4 max.
  • Miyazu: The number of words (including logos) must not exceed 8, or 40 characters. Logos count as one word for each logo. Logos are limited to 4 max.
  • Sign colours should not mimic or be confused with standard traffic signs.
  • Signs should not be reflectorised nor be illuminated, or animated in any way.
  • On receipt of an application that meets the requirements a board number will be allocated, along with a map showing the location of the allocated board.

Applying for a site

Your group must complete an application form and pay the fee before the sign is put up on the board. Applications can be made using the My Nelson online service.

Maximum display period for any one booking

The maximum time a sign can be displayed is two weeks. Signs advertising one event or one series of events cannot be placed more than six times per year.

Timeframe for bookings

Bookings times are from noon on Sundays to noon on Sundays. It is important that signs are removed on time at noon on Sundays to allow the next applicant to put their sign up.

Enforcement

  • It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure signs are placed in the allocated sign board. The community notice boards are checked regularly by a Council officer who has the authority to remove and dispose of any sign that does not meet the criteria set out in the application.
  • Council is not responsible for any damage to or loss of applicant’s sign.
  • The site cannot be hired to a third party.

Community posters

Council has eight poster bollards around the city for anyone in the community to advertise events. There have been some issues, include covering up other posters and dominating the space available.

Council will be utilising the services of Phantom Billstickers to act as our agent and improve the delivery of poster services in Nelson. Phantom Billstickers have partnerships with many other local authorities around New Zealand. They are a neutral third party to ensure posters are placed fairly. Their responsibilities include:

  • Removing graffiti, inappropriate displays and repairing any damage
  • Managing poster displays promoting arts, events, not-for-profit and public good
  • Offering equal access to the bollards
  • Daily visits to check all poster sites

There will be no cost to the ratepayers as the system is self-funding. However, to ensure access for musical bands, art organisations and not-for-profit causes who have limited resources to meet these costs, the first 10 A3-sized posters per organisation per event will be free.

  • 10 x A3 posters for free
  • $1.20 (plus GST) for an A3 poster
  • $3.00 (plus GST) for an A2 poster
  • $6.00 (plus GST) for an A1 poster

Poster bollard locations

  1. North side of Bridge Street, east of Haven Road
  2. Montgomery Car Park, northeast corner toilet block
  3. Outside 101 Hardy Street
  4. On '1903 Square', corner Trafalgar Street/Selwyn Place
  5. Outside 209 Hardy (south of Old Bank Reserve)
  6. Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, “B Block” (outside) 333 Hardy Street
  7. Wakatu Square Car Park, near Wakatu Lane entrance
  8. Alma Lane, Hardy Street end

Those interested in placing posters on Council bollards can call Phantom Billstickers on freephone 0800 PHANTOM (0800 742 686).

Contact

For additional information, call Council on +64 3 546 0200.