328 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

We have received a response from the City of Victoria about the large "Stomp" sign installed by the Royal Theater facing onto Blanshard Street.

The City was not aware of the sign and confirms the installation is outside of the City's Sign Bylaw. City staff will now work with the Royal McPherson Society to obtain compliance. The City also says that the "Sign Bylaw is designed to balance the needs of the community to promote business and events, while regulating the number, type, form and appearance of signs in Victoria," so while the Telus sign installed along Yates was ultimately removed it appears that the Royal Theater's signs will likely receive approval.

[VicHockeyFan]

We have received a response from the City of Victoria about the large "Stomp" sign installed by the Royal Theater facing onto Blanshard Street.

The City was not aware of the sign and confirms the installation is outside of the City's Sign Bylaw.

How come? I don't much care one way or the other, but I know the provincial buildings were outside the bylaw (the museum) how does the Royal fall outside?

Oh, do you mean "outside..." is mean not in compliance?

[Mike K.]

The word in the email from Michelle Harris of the communications department was "outside." Specifically it was written "the sign was noted to be outside of the City’s Sign Bylaw."

I too take it to mean not in compliance with the Sign Bylaw as Harris continued to say City staff will work with the RT to obtain compliance.

[aastra]

The City was not aware of the sign...

[Fairbanks]

Victoria needs to lighten up.

[Benezet]

We have received a response from the City of Victoria about the large "Stomp" sign installed by the Royal Theater facing onto Blanshard Street.

The City was not aware of the sign and confirms the installation is outside of the City's Sign Bylaw. City staff will now work with the Royal McPherson Society to obtain compliance. The City also says that the "Sign Bylaw is designed to balance the needs of the community to promote business and events, while regulating the number, type, form and appearance of signs in Victoria," so while the Telus sign installed along Yates was ultimately removed it appears that the Royal Theater's signs will likely receive approval.

The 'STOMP' sign was removed this morning. According to the contractor involved, a good number of similar banners around town don't comply with the by-law either, so the work of reporting them to the authorities is not done — perhaps the Janion sign deserves your attention next.

[VicHockeyFan]

The 'STOMP' sign was removed this morning. According to the contractor involved, a good number of similar banners around town don't comply with the by-law either, so the work of reporting them to the authorities is not done — perhaps the Janion sign deserves your attention next.

Most bylaw infractions are just complaint-driven. Just because others do it, does not mean they should, esp. on property that gets a huge grant from the City each year.

[Baro]

I hate signs, I wish everything was a blank wall.

[D.L.]

The new Jubilee hospital building has a large banner type sign on it.

[Benezet]

Most bylaw infractions are just complaint-driven. Just because others do it, does not mean they should, esp. on property that gets a huge grant from the City each year.

What grant are you referring to, please?

[VicHockeyFan]

What grant are you referring to, please?

Ah, we've had this conversation before.

https://www.bconline.gov.bc.ca/

OK, let's start with the property and improvements that are assessed at $8,607,000. Do they pay property tax on that? If not, that's a massive subsidy in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, compared to what the City would make if it was other commercial property.

[Benezet]

Ah, we've had this conversation before.

https://www.bconline.gov.bc.ca/

OK, let's start with the property and improvements that are assessed at $8,607,000. Do they pay property tax on that? If not, that's a massive subsidy in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, compared to what the City would make if it was other commercial property.

True enough, and this is the same for a whole bunch of athletic facilities, churches, schools, charities, group homes, libraries, etc. Here is the city's policy:

http://www.victoria....e-exemption.pdf

Without meaning to get too far off-topic, apparently you can get out of paying property taxes by building a ferry terminal or airport, and somehow convincing the assessment authority to report that such things have no value at all. Cool, huh?

Back to the sign bylaws. I find it vaguely reassuring that the sign bylaw is being applied across the board... sorta kinda... and if someone complains...

[VicHockeyFan]

True enough, and this is the same for a whole bunch of athletic facilities, churches, schools, charities, group homes, libraries, etc. Here is the city's policy:

http://www.victoria....e-exemption.pdf

Right, but if I put on concerts, at, say, the Victoria Events Centre, or Club 919, or Sugar or Upstairs Cabaret, I pay full property taxes. Actually full, plus some, as the liquor venues pay extra taxes per seat. But music concerts at the Royal are property-tax free.

[Benezet]

Right, but if I put on concerts, at, say, the Victoria Events Centre, or Club 919, or Sugar or Upstairs Cabaret, I pay full property taxes. Actually full, plus some, as the liquor venues pay extra taxes per seat. But music concerts at the Royal are property-tax free.

Do you put on concerts?

[Baro]

You can also get out of paying taxes by declaring your brand new big-box store obsolete and a lot of places will buy it.

[VicHockeyFan]

Do you put on concerts?

I did for 7 years, until Dec 2011.

[Mike K.]

The 'STOMP' sign was removed this morning. According to the contractor involved, a good number of similar banners around town don't comply with the by-law either, so the work of reporting them to the authorities is not done — perhaps the Janion sign deserves your attention next.

There is nothing stopping the theater society from going through the proper channels and acquiring the necessary permits from the City to erect advertising. Stomp is a for-profit theatrical show, after all.

When we sent an inquiry to the City is was merely a question of why they allowed the Stomp sign to go through but requested the Telus sign be removed. The response from the City was that no approvals had been granted.

[HB]

With talk on the City Banning newspaper boxes on city propoerty how can the businesses in the Hudson get away with blocking all but a small portion of the sidewalk on Douglas and on Fisgard?
there are so many

[VicHockeyFan]

^ The city is also looking into those. Years ago they relaxed the rules a bit, but now they are thinking they might have to be a little more restrictive.

Hard to compare that with newspaper boxes, each one of those sign owners pay thousands of dollars of property tax each year.

[Baro]

Yeah I walk by there quite often, it can get really jammed. I've seen people knock them over running for buses.

Shine's sign on Blanshard is the worst though, very busy sidewalk and it creates a really awkward pinch point.