Too many billboards, too many signs... The Toulon Metropolitan Area wants to better regulate advertising

The Intercommunal Local Advertising Regulations (RLPi) are the urban planning document that sets the rules for advertising displays. This area includes signs and billboards. It aims to adapt national regulations to the local context.

We can well imagine, for example, that what may be authorized at the entrance to the Grand Var commercial zone or Avenue 83 will not be authorized on the salt road, in Porquerolles or on the slopes of Faron.

Illuminated signs, giant billboards, pre-signs: everything must be regulated with the aim of protecting the landscape and heritage, reducing visual pollution, but also guaranteeing fair visibility for businesses.

"The main objective of the RLPi is to preserve the territory by taking into account the environmental, landscape, architectural requirements and the atmospheres specific to each of the 12 municipalities in the TPM territory ," explains the Metropolis. This ambition for protection is coupled with that of sustainable economic development across the entire territory."

2. Why does TPM get involved in advertising?

Because advertising doesn't stop at municipal borders. Rather than each city having its own rules, the Metropolis has chosen to launch a harmonization process.

Especially since in several municipalities, the local regulations have become obsolete. It therefore adopted the principle of this RPLi in December 2020, explaining that it wanted to avoid the inconsistencies prohibiting here what it authorizes 10 meters further.

In its diagnosis, (for which it examined "2,100 supports of more than 1m²" for "a cumulative surface area of ​​17,600m² of advertising posters or pre-signs" ), the Metropolis deplores the density of panels and signs in activity zones and city entrances.

"An accumulation of advertising strongly marks the urban space and creates a poor initial image of the territory," sigh the authors of the report. They also point to all the completely illegal installations that are springing up along the roads and are worried that if nothing is done, the situation will get worse.

3. Why a public inquiry?

After the diagnosis, the guidelines and the zoning, the regulation is being finalized but, before its approval by the metropolitan council, it must be the subject of a public inquiry.

It began on August 20 and runs until September 22. A phase during which citizens, associations and businesses can consult the details of the project and submit their comments.

Once the contributions have been analyzed, the document will be adjusted if necessary, and the final text is expected to be submitted for approval by the end of 2025.

Ultimately, this RLPi will replace the national advertising regulations (RNP) in all TPM municipalities which did not have their own local rules.

4. Concretely, what will change?

The RLPi project plans to designate five zones: protected areas due to their landscape value, city centers, mixed urban fabric, city entrances, and economic zones. Each space has its own regulations.

" Nearly 70% of the metropolitan area is located "outside built-up areas." This means that advertising is prohibited by law. Areas dominated by natural and agricultural land, outside built-up areas, are strictly protected from advertising (except for special pre-signs) ," declares TPM.

The project also sets out various guidelines. For example, it aims to reduce the density of advertising at the entrance to urban centers and limit advertising displays to street furniture in historic centers.

It also proposes the extinction of advertisements and signs (when activity has ceased) from midnight to 7 a.m. except for bus shelters (i.e. 2 hours more than required by the Environmental Code) or to limit the size of giant billboards which saturate city entrances.

Once the RLPi is adopted, professionals will have 2 years to adapt their advertising and 6 years to modify their signs.

5. How to participate in the survey?

Anyone can consult the various documents (including the 167 pages of the presentation report on the site ) and participate in the public inquiry.

By electronic means until September 22, 2025, 5 p.m., to the following address: [email protected] specifying in the subject line "Local Intercommunal Advertising Regulations".

A paper survey register is available at the Hôtel de la Métropole, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A postal address: by mail, until September 22, 2025 to the Hôtel de la Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée – 107 Boulevard Henri Fabre – CS 30536 – 83041 Toulon CEDEX 9.