Council decides not to sue nursery

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 8

Council decides not to sue nursery

The Paparua County Council has decided not to sue a nursery which had erected a sign contravening the council’s by-laws. This was in spite of a decision made by the town planning committee in November last year to start legal action against the Valley View Nursery.

The offending sign contravened council by-laws on two counts, in exceeding the permitted maximum size and in being too far from the nursery.

Further discussion on the merits of the sign was prompted by the committee’s receipt of a letter from the owner of the Valley View Nursery. The letter outlined alternatives to the removal of the offending directional sign, and emphasised the importance of it to the survival of the business. Cr W. J. Baker said he saw nothing wrong with the sign. He was not aware of any accidents caused by motorists distracted by the sign, and thought the district benefited from the sort of business indicated by the sign.

“This council is too restrictive about roadside signs,” he said.

Most of the councillors however, were of the view that some form of restriction was needed on roadside directional and advertising signs.

The county planner, Mr K. G. Lawn, said there were a lot of directional signs in the district and the council was waiting for the outcome of this particular case before acting on others.

The committee decided to grant dispensation to the owner of Valley View Nursery and allow him to replace the existing sign with

a sign no larger than permitted by council by-laws. Draft plan The Draft Management Plan for the Rakaia River Catchment and Central Plains was also discussed at some length by the town planning committee. The council strongly supports the policy of sharing the waters of the Rakaia River between instream and consumptive uses, in the plan. It emphasised the importance that options remain open for further investigation of the Central Plans Scheme. The committee agreed to make submissions on sections of, the Draft Plan to the North Canterbury Catchment Board concerning management of groundwater and drainage in the coastal plans. Arterial roads The Paparua County Council is applying for $30,000 to cover the costs of beautifying two of Christchurch’s man arterial roads. The funds, being sought from the Ministry of Works and Development, will be used to enhance the Main South Raod between Hornby and Rolleston and the Yaldhurst Road-West Coast Road between Russley Road and West Melton.

The outcome of the application should be known in a month.