“Haere mai Welcome to Turangi“
“TROUT FISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”
TRM (Tongariro River Motel) is in trouble with the Kremlin – again. Fascinating stuff.
Can you believe SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed manages everything at TRM) had the audacity to refresh our main road signage – see above – without asking God first and even went ahead without formal approval. So they now threaten Her that TRM are liable for infringements as it is non-complying etc. Hilariously unbelievable pedantic nonsense!.
Small town attitudes are always entertaining. The local Chairman of “GoTongariro” – the Turangi offshoot of Taupo Council – warned us he had received three complaints that TRM’s sign did not comply as it had to be over 20 m from the main road.,. She pleaded guilty although it is difficult to believe they are serious? Oh dear.
Not unsurprisingly, they would not show us or explain the complaints or advise who they were from… So the only way to respond to such faceless complainants is by posting TRM’s signage history publicly.
We asked how can anyone, particularly the local council, be offended by TRM’S signage which reads:
“Haere mai Welcome to Turangi
TROUT FISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD & HOME OF NZ’s BEST RAFTING ADVENTURES”
The additional wording might have offended them – “TURN RIGHT INTO TOWN CENTRE” ?
What blatant commercial based advertising? Silly me – SWMBO thought She might even have received their thanks?
When TRM erected the new sign framework last year, before they even knew what was to go on the sign, within 15 minutes of the builder finishing, the Council Compliance officer called in to complain. So efficient…
Someone has it in for TRM…
So these old photographs are to illustrate TRM’s previous history of signage for over 55 years…
We suspect this historic perspective could be very important in creating legal precedents of existing use rights, for when the Taupo Council hold the inevitable formal hearing as SWMBO is certainly not going to apply for permission for signs that have been here for over 55 years.
TRM was in existence before they dreamed up the ‘Resource Management Act’.
TRM was here before Turangi was even thought of.
TRM never needed a Resource Consent as the signs had already been in place on SH1 for over 40 years.
The key planning issue is that the ‘precedent’ has already been set. Since then all TRM have done (with valuable help from RNZ) is replaced old dilapidated obsolete signs as necessary.
The evidence at top is an aerial of the motel in the early 1960’s – note there was no Link (Piri) Road, SH 1 on the western side of the motel/caravan park did not exist.
Next is the original motel 1959 – mainly a caravan park and local shop – when the sign faced the main road – then River Road, now Taupahi Road. So that precedent was set over 55 years ago.
So how dare they threaten that we need to apply for a resource consent for updating signage after so many years…
Then below is the ’new” State Highway 1 being constructed in the 1970’s at TRM’s rear western boundary. SWMBO suggests that if they built it too close to TRM’s boundary to allow signage that is their mistake, then they should move their road over. TRM probably deserve compensation. Simply, TRM was here first.
If they persist then TRM may have a good case to submit a claim for loss of business etc. x 40 years … Wow!
On right is the famous original Taupo Council sign that welcomed visitors and anglers to Turangi for many years.
That sign did so much to promote tourism in Turangi, so Taupo replaced it…
But note how close their sign was to the main road – far less than the 20 m minimum now applicable to TRM signs by their local signage consents representative aka Regulatory Environmental Services Manager and GoTongariro Chairman.. What a load of …
Next is the Council’s replacement sign – even closer to the main SH1 edge – promoting skiing out of the region in the middle of Summer?
Perhaps that best illustrates the present Council’s attitude.
Ruapehu District motels must love it. That skiing sign is also why TRM’s trout fishing sign was even more important.
Other Council signs entering the town centre (CBD) blew over months ago and have never been replaced.
TRM may have unwittingly upset the same objectors when the boundary fence along SH1, Piri Road and Taupahi Road was re-clad as a pumice wall without Council approval. SWMBO cant win.
Now TRM are collecting signatures of support for our signs to match the complaints.
The bureaucrats ensure life never gets boring in Turangi. At least they keep our tourist visitors entertained with their ineptitude.
