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Urban Services Ordinance, 1960 the Urban Council has been empowered to make regulations restricting, regulating or prohibiting the exhibition of advertisements, decorations or signs of any kind in urban areas.
Will the Chairman inform the Council what new regulations (if any) are being made or contemplated? (14) Except in cases where the amenities or the natural scenery of a place are injuriously affected or where a certain advertisement sign or hoarding is certified to be dangerous by the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services, the Urban Council has no control over such advertisement signs or hoardings. As 3 out of the 5 casualties during Typhoon "Ida" were caused by advertisement signs, is it not time that new by-laws be enacted giving the Council proper control over advertisement signs and hoardings in urban areas?
(15) Under Section 105(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960 upon a certificate from the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services the Urban Council may require a dangerous advertisement sign or hoarding to be removed or repaired.
Will the Chairman inform the Council the number of instances (if any) during, say, the last two years, when the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services so made use of the offices of the Urban Council?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
On the first and second questions, Members are, I think, aware that replacement of the existing Advertisements By-laws has been under consideration for a considerable time. Discussions in 1963 reached the stage where new by-laws were drafted and referred to the Urban Amenities Select Committee, but it was pointed out then that certain provisions in them would involve considerable administrative commitments requiring much extra staff which might not be justifiable. The Department was asked to review the whole matter.
Work has now reached the stage of an outline summary of provisions to be included. These provisions have as their main aim the establishment of the minimum of control required to ensure that rural and residential areas are not disfigured by uncontrolled advertising. To this end they envisage the establishment of special areas within which control would be strict, the remaining areas being subject to general provisions embodied in the by-laws, covering such matters as fire hazard, the general appearance of a locality, prohibition or restriction as to specific types of advertisement and places of display, etc. Work on these by-laws continues and it is proposed to consult further with the Advertising Associations before referring them to the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
There are already powers under the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance to take action when the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services certifies that an advertisement sign is dangerous or a fire hazard. This provides a machinery for dealing with dangerous advertisements which is, I am inclined to think, in many respects an appropriate one, but the point will certainly be taken into account when considering the new draft by-laws.
As regards the third question, over the past 2 years action has been taken under Section 105(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance on 10 occasions, 3 of which have related to danger and 7 to fire hazard.
MR. CHEUNG:-Mr. Chairman, are you aware that the new funeral parlour at King's Road has, in their plans, a huge sign as tall as the building itself and stretching 5 feet out onto King's Road?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I have seen the plans of the new funeral parlour and I agree with what you have said, that a substantial sign is proposed for the building.
MR. CHEUNG:-Do you think it is the kind of advertisement which needs to be controlled?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I cannot express an opinion on this matter, but I see no reason why, if you feel that this sign will disfigure the natural beauty of the scenery or the amenities of the locality, (Laughter) it should not be considered by the appropriate Select Committee of the Urban Council.
MR. CHEUNG:-Mr. Chairman, it is the opinion of my particular Select Committee that we cannot find any reason for not allowing this sign, but we think that this kind of sign should be controlled.
DR. Woo:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Director of Public Works to confirm whether this sign has been approved by the Public Works Department as shown on the drawings of the building?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, the Public Works Department only approves the structural calculations of the sign, but
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Page 134 of 312
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Urban Services Ordinance, 1960 the Urban Council has been empowered to make regulations restricting, regulating or prohibiting the exhibition of advertisements, decorations or signs of any kind in urban areas.
Will the Chairman inform the Council what new regulations (if any) are being made or contemplated? (14) Except in cases where the amenities or the natural scenery of a place are injuriously affected or where a certain advertise- ment sign or hoarding is certified to be dangerous by the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services, the Urban Council has no control over such advertisement signs or hoardings. As 3 out of the 5 casualties during Typhoon "Ida" were caused by advertisement signs, is it not time that new by-laws be enacted giving the Council proper control over advertisement signs and hoardings in urban areas?
(15) Under Section 105(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960 upon a certificate from the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services the Urban Council may require a dangerous advertisement sign or hoarding to be removed or repaired.
Will the Chairman inform the Council the number of instances (if any) during, say, the last two years, when the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services so made use of the offices of the Urban Council?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
On the first and second questions, Members are, I think, aware that replacement of the existing Advertisements By-laws has been under consideration for a considerable time. Discussions in 1963 reached the stage where new by-laws were drafted and referred to the Urban Amenities Select Committee, but it was pointed out then that certain pro- visions in them would involve considerable administrative commitments requiring much extra staff which might not be justifiable. The Department was asked to review the whole matter.
Work has now reached the stage of an outline summary of provisions to be included. These provisions have as their main aim the establishment of the minimum of control required to ensure that rural and residential areas are not disfigured by uncontrolled advertising. To this end they envisage the establishment of special areas within which control would be strict, the remaining areas being subject
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to general provisions embodied in the by-laws, covering such matters as fire hazard, the general appearance of a locality, prohibition or restriction as to specific types of advertisement and places of display, etc. Work on these by-laws continues and it is proposed to consult further with the Advertising Associations before referring them to the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
There are already powers under the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance to take action when the Building Authority or the Director of Fire Services certifies that an advertisement sign is dangerous or a fire hazard. This provides a machinery for dealing with dangerous adver- tisements which is, I am inclined to think, in many res- pects an appropriate one, but the point will certainly be taken into account when considering the new draft by- laws.
As regards the third question, over the past 2 years action has been taken under Section 105(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance on 10 occasions, 3 of which have related to danger and 7 to fire hazard.
MR. CHEUNG:-Mr. Chairman, are you aware that the new funeral parlour at King's Road has, in their plans, a huge sign as tall as the building itself and stretching 5 feet out onto King's Road?
CHAIRMAN:--Sir, I have seen the plans of the new funeral parlour and I agree with what you have said, that a substantial sign is proposed for the building.
MR. CHEUNG:-Do you think it is the kind of advertisement which needs to be controlled?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I cannot express an opinion on this matter, but I see no reason why, if you feel that this sign will disfigure the natural beauty of the scenery or the amenities of the locality, (Laughter) it should not be considered by the appropriate Select Committee of the Urban Council.
MR. CHEUNG-Mr. Chairman, it is the opinion of my particular Select Committee that we cannot find any reason for not allowing this sign, but we think that this kind of sign should be controlled.
DR. Woo:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Director of Public Works to confirm whether this sign has been approved by the Public Works Department as shown on the drawings of the building?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, the Public Works Department only approves the structural calculations of the sign, but
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