Council community and planning group manager Nicola Pinfold confirmed yesterday Russell Lund was issued infringement and abatement notices for non-compliant election signage on his Loan and Mercantile building, at 33 Thomas Burns St, and signage at 186 Main South Rd, Green Island.
"While we appreciate the desire of election candidates to promote their candidacy, the district plan places restrictions on election signage in order to protect the amenity and character of the city, as well as to ensure that signs don't cause safety issues for road users," she said.
The council first raised the issue with Mr Lund on September 13 and again on Friday last week.
He was written to and called again on Wednesday, and the infringement and abatement notices were issued on Thursday.
Last month, the Otago Daily Times reported the Dunedin businessman said he and the council disagreed over whether the signs advertising the benefits of living in
his building resembled hiselection signs, which had "similar themes".
Mr Lund said he would remove the signs this weekend.
"While I can say with complete accuracy that the large 'Lund 2019 Heritage Housing Trails Less Debt' building signs are not campaign signage, but are about the specific qualities of my apartments, equally the DCC can make the argument that they are.
"It's not worth going to the Environment Court to argue about. The city has bigger issues to focus on than my building signs."
Last month, a boat carrying signage for Mr Lund, Hilary Calvert and Cr Lee Vandervis, which the Otago Regional Council called non-compliant, was driven into a sea wall by high winds.
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Comments
The swamp is alive and well in Dunedin, it seems.
Why does Lund's ownership of the building feature in the headline? If the ODT is suggesting this confers a right to breach the District Plan, that is mistaken. A more useful story would have identified that one election sign per candidate is permitted per property at a maximum height of 2 metres. It might even have informed us whether the signs were put up before election season. The District Plan is a legal document that sets out certain property rights. Having created it, the City Council is bound to uphold it. Not sure I'd cast my vote for those who would flaunt it.
@PB, that is a call based on nothing factual. Mr Lund is clearly breaking the law with those signs as any reasonable person would view them as part of his election campaign. He has had a history of signs on this building i.e Araki Harriers Club etc without a resource consent. The Council rightly followed up a complaint (as they are obliged to do) and then I would assume ask Mr Lund to remove them. The DCC is a political beast and they would not simply infringe Mr Lund without talking a lot first as it is not in their interest to upset a potentially new councilor. Your position is simply wrong.