Signing off on a clutter on streets despite an objection

Council set to refuse extra sign and lighting

SIGN OF DIFFERENCE: Illumindationg debate about counci's fight against too much signage. Picture: Contributed

IN ANOTHER sign that Noosa likes to light its own way when doing business, councillors were last night set to reject an application to allow extra signage at Noosa Village Shopping Centre.

The ordinary meeting should have refused a request for a second Woolworths wall sign near the south entrance facing the roundabout and for the illumination of another pylon sign.

The application for the shopping centre back in March had restricted signage to only one Woolworths/BWS wall sign near the west entrance facing Dan Murphy and three pylon signs, with only two illuminated.

Both Mayor Tony Wellington and Councillor Brian Stockwell argued the applicant had not provided any new grounds for council to consider changing its previous majority decision.

"Noosa Council's strong and restrictive policy on signage is an essential element of what makes Noosa different,” Cr Stockwell said after Monday's general committee meeting.

"Keeping our major arterial road corridors uncluttered by signage is an essential ingredient in the Noosa economy and the resident and visitor experience.

"I argued, as did Tony, that we must always be aware of the potential of inflicting death by a thousand cuts, whereby the tyranny of many small decisions leads to a loss of what is valued by the community,” he said.

Cr Stockwell suggested that a drive from Maroochydore to Bokarina would help enlighten residents as to what many small decisions on signage can do to clutter a streetscape.

Equally illuminating was Cr Ingrid Jackson's view that council was being too restrictive in this case. She failed to win support for an alternative signage approval motion.

Cr Jackson said: "I consider the request perfectly reasonable to have a Woolworths wall sign at the south entrance and to illuminate the Gibson St pylon sign. The Noosa Village Shopping Centre has two entrances and people approach it from different directions so it makes sense to have signage on more than one side.

"The signs help with way finding and the illumination of signs is logical after sunset.”

Cr Jackson said the owners had been cooperative and respectful in agreeing to remove various shop signs from the external walls.