Ballina Town Council will be putting new draft signage bye-laws out to public consultation in the next few weeks. Town architect, Kevin Keegan gave a presentation to the members of the council on the issue of poor and unattractive signage in the town and its surrounds and the impression it gives. Mr Keegan told the meeting that the council had problems in trying to get certain businesses to comply with the council’s requests to remove or replace poor signage as there were no bye-laws in place.
Keegan said that he hoped that these new bye-laws which would limit the size and placing of signs would create a level playing field for all businesses in the town. Under the new bye-laws, signs that don’t comply with the bye-laws will see the council use a three step process, starting with a verbal warning. Then a fixed fine of €70 would be issued and if it’s not removed in 21 days the there would be a fine of €125 per day up to €1,900.
Town manager Paul Benson told the meeting that the bye-laws can’t be applied retrospectively and the council would have to carry out a photographic survey before they come into effect so they can have a record of the existing signage. The elected members welcomed the introduction of the bye-laws and asked for the council to hold off on the publication of the draft for two weeks so they could consider them properly, before they went out to the public, which Mr Benson agreed to do.
