When it comes to the enforcement of council bylaws concerning advertising signs, I am reminded of a well known Shakespeare quote (from the play Hamlet)...."more honoured in the breach than in the observance."
During the last 20 years I've been guilty of erecting dozens of illegal signs to promote concerts, including billboards for my radio show. But I've never got away with it in Stratford.
My most spectacular sign rejection by the Stratford District Council enforcement officer, ironically was a sign promoting the Stratford District Council.
In 2009 the Radio Network (now NZME) at no cost to the council paid for the erection of a billboard advertising council news (on Coast Radio) every Tuesday with Michael Freeman, the then chief executive. The sign was professionally erected by a sign company on the highway as you enter the Stratford District (next to the Stratford Speedway sign).
Just a few kilometres before this location in the South Taranaki District (along SH3) I had similar signs erected, and there were no objections from either the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) or the South Taranaki District Council. But it was a different story for Stratford. My sign, though well-meaning, would require a permit and approval from NZTA. The estimated cost then was $600. Unsurprisingly the sign was removed.