Wayspot Submission not accepted on appeal.
As the title says, this submission was denied as a generic business. It is not a business. It is an entrance marker to a neighborhood and the end of a neighborhood sidewalk. Which would be great for a new route to get people to play the game, get outside, and walk. Which, given the obesity rates here, it greatly needed.
I am pretty good at reading rules, as they were intended. Professionally I am an Engineer, previously a military officer. The rules have no requirement for uniqueness of landmarks. As I understand the intent, Niantic wants locations that are permanent and distinct. Looking at a 5-foot by 20-foot wall, with the name of the neighborhood permanently attached in large letters, seems to qualify.
I completely understand not having every business on the street as a pokestop, as that would detract from the game.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Location :
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5UiX2Y26ZfuVvjt9A
36.029894, -95.994393
Jenks, Oklahoma
From the reviewer:
Wayspot Submission for South Lakes Villas Enterance Sign
Jenks OK
Not Accepted
2024-08-28
Niantic Note
Thanks for the appeal, Explorer! The nomination in question does not meet the Wayfarer criteria as it is normal entrance sign which is not unique. We recommend you review the Wayspot Criteria before submitting your next Wayspot contribution: Wayfarer — Niantic Technical Support and Help Center
Rejection Criteria
Generic Business
Wayfarer criteria
I reject those big entrance signs that are just real estate markers erected by the builders to sell property as “generic business” as that is the closest I can come to an accurate rejection reason without the “does not meet criteria” option anymore.
How does a sign for the neighborhood meet any of this criteria?
- A great place for exploration
- A great place for exercise
- A great place to be social with others
Welcome to the forum @TexEnginerd and glad we can discuss this topic. It is a hotly debated one. Thank you for sharing that the appeals team rejected this.
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Thank you for your reply Cyndiepooh. I can appreciate what you are saying.
Yes, I think a neighborhood sidewalk is a great place for kids to get exercise, and this is the start of the neighborhood sidewalk. I have two kids that love to play the game. I think that routes are a great feature of this game. As far as I understand it, routes have to start from a pokestop.
This is why I repeated several times in my submission that this location is the start of a sidewalk. The photo of the surrounding area I submitted clearly showed the sidewalk.
I guess I still do not understand. Thank you for your message.
Have you already submitted these @TexEnginerd ? They should all be easy accepts:
Be sure that you pin the playground carefully (but correctly) so that it is eligible to show in Pokemon Go as well as the other two suggestions.
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I have not, but thank you. @cyndiepooh
This entrance sign was my first submission.
I did not want to flood the system with locations until I knew what I was doing. I assumed that I would not get it right from the start. I am trying to learn the ropes before I needlessly make work for someone else.
It is very discouraging to a new user when the rules are not explained or followed. I understand that people do not realize that neighborhood entrance signs are not “for the builder”. They are required by local building ordinance and all the signs are reviewed by an art committee. Builders are cheap and would avoid them if they could. I am not trying to be rude, simply trying to inform people.
[City of Tulsa]
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government/departments/department-of-city-experience/community-development/neighborhoods/neighborhood-sign-guide/
I am not trying to say that just because it was reviewed by an art committee that it should be accepted. I am saying that this is not a “generic business”. In my opinion, it would be a good location for a stop. It is the end / beginning of a neighborhood sidewalk. It is distinct and permanent.
Should I try to resubmit it, maybe do a better job at phrasing it?
In my opinion, no, but then these signs are a gray area. I don’t think that one inherently meets the criteria. On a case by case basis, I will approve especially artistic ones, or historically significant ones, or ones designed to facilitate being social with seating, fountains, etc.
My recommendation would be to submit the easy ones first, making sure you understand Pokemon Go inclusion rules if you want them in game. I mentioned inclusion with the screenshot I posted, and the inclusion rules are explained in more detail here: https://pokemongohub.net/post/article/comprehensive-guide-s2-cells-pokemon-go/
Once you become a more seasoned submitter (and hopefully reviewer) you may reevaluate submitting this then.
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Not trying to break the flow of the conversation but you’ll really need to make an effort to convince reviewers that this is already a great place to be social with others, explore, or exercise. Those are the eligibility criteria.
As Wayfareres we aren’t trying to create those effects by nominating a spot. One or more of those 3 need to be currently true.
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@LetsRollGirl Thats a great point. I see kids riding their bikes and walking here all the time.
Perfectly said! Just because people do something at a spot does not mean it is inherently designed for that purpose. A place you can meet someone is not a great place to meet someone. And so on.
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Thank you for your response @cyndiepooh. I can appreciate grey.
So, as I am trying to understand what you are saying, reviewers will reject these as “generic business”, because Niantic doesn’t give another catch all bucket. Even though they are not a business.
My intention was not for meeting someone. Simply a place to start or end a walk. I do think that sidewalks are designed for walks.
I guess I do not understand the goals here. I thought I did, after reading the criteria. This is a game for kids and families to get outside and be active. Why is this a debate? What does it hurt for a neighborhood to have a location at the start of their sidewalk, the entrance of their community? Why does a reviewer criticize the location as not good enough, when it meets the rules as written? I believe I have shown that this is not a business, nor is it marker for builders to sell property.
I guess, I am asking for help understanding. @cyndiepooh
I think they are trying to say “generic” ie not that interesting, rather than really calling it a business. As @cyndiepooh mentioned, we used to have an option to vote “does not meet critiera” which people would probably choose here instead if it were still an option
These signs are sometimes accepted, despite not really meeting any critieria. They’ve been debated a lot here in the past. I don’t think they’re bad enough that you’d get in trouble for trying 1 more time if you feel you can do a much better submission, ie including more detail that helps define why it does meet some criteria, but I would not keep trying beyond that, and I also wouldn’t appeal.
Things that may make people reconsider is if you can include details of something that makes the design, materials or artist/designer noteworthy ie if its crafted by a local artisan or uses a particular material that is sourced locally - basically anything that makes it less “generic”. If there’s nothing like that, then it probably just isn’t the kind of thing Niantic are looking for.
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@frealafgb that is great information. I have read the rules and stumbled through quite a few threads. Is there a place where I can get a complete set of rules? Or is it like when I was in the military and every new person has their own opinions they throw on top of existing rules? We has this one guy who didn’t want the bill of a hat curved too much or too little… it wasn’t in the uniform regs, but he sure thought it was.
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Unfortunately Wayfarer doesn’t have a lot of black and white rules. More guidelines set out by Niantic so they can populate their Lightship database. The games use the database to populate their distinct game boards. But on the other side, Niantic sells information in the database to others. So they do have some expectation of quality.
It seems like you have already reviewed both eligibility criteria and reasons for rejection/removal. I’d suggest going through the recent Criteria Clarification shared by Niantic:
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/categories
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/criteria-clarification-collection-discussion
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@TexEnginerd i looked on google maps behind the wall there seems to be a informatie board/sign not 100% sure
2016 till 2022 it was there on google maps.
i can not see if it is still there. But it should be a good nomination if it is still there 
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Unfortunately, it is a bit of this. As @LetsRollGirl said, there are only a few black-and-white rules, which people may not even choose to follow when reviewing. Wayfarer exists in a huge gray area, and everyone is going to have their own interpretation of the guidelines provided. That’s the reality of the system we’re given. But honestly I don’t think everything should be clarified to a definite or 
; there needs to be some wiggle room to account for different areas and cultures. Just because something is OK or not OK in the US (or any other country) doesn’t mean that same thing wouldn’t be viewed as acceptable in another country (or even state).
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Glad to help!!
There are rules, but then people interpret them differently and there are odd nuances especially with certain countries
The US has their estate welcome signs, and the UK has postboxes 
The main three criteria (which anything we nominate should meet at least 1 of) is being a great place to
- exercise
- socialise
- explore
Beyond that weve got some critiera clarifications stored on the forum in their own section but theres not 1 place where you can get a 100% definitive answer to everything. And there are people who definitely make their own rules up - both people who are extra criticial and people who are pretty lenient. So its hard to find consensus on some things
You can always ask for advice on nomimations on here though and find excellent ideas and advice
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Thank you all for the information. I have a much better understanding of what to chase in the future. Not completely clear, but at least a better understanding.
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Oh no! don’t compare the signs with UK post boxes. A community here and there submits and approves them. But nothing compared to your post boxes.
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Wayspots for these are everywhere here. I got one in my reviews once that someone called unique and hand-painted.
I fell out of my chair.
Wayspot Submission for Greenwood @ Forest Glen
ACCEPTED
2024-08-23
Description
Stunning, hand crafted, distinctive stone wall and sign. Curious yet? Come on in and explore! Over 100 metres long, artisan made rock wall with beautiful garden beds and lawns in front. Residents lovingly tend and maintain this community gardens area.
ok
It really depends on the wall/sign. This one above cannot be missed and draws the eyes. It is permanent, distinctive and is part of a bio retention basin. (drainage system)
It depends also on the reviewers as decisions are subjective. So you can resubmit with different supporting notes and maybe get approved next time. It is common to get approved on third submission. I have never bother appealing but many others do.
Also some on this forum may live in areas where an entrance sign is like the size of a standard street sign hence, maybe, their “generic” judgement.
Also unless you have worked in construction you might not appreciate how much work goes into 5’ tall lengthy wall. They are all individual and each construction has its own problems to solve.
I would resubmit and mention the art committee approval. (web site of the community and / or of art commitee in supporting notes) The fact that is a local landmark and that residents find it a good place to meet.
Welcome and good luck! @TexEnginerd I also found it extraordinary that there is so little information available before you reach this forum. In game it says (eg) Pokestop Contribution … New Pokestop". You are led to believe you are nominating a pokestop (Or portal Ingress). Then you get an email sending you here.
As I said … WELCOME! I hope you stay as I have learnt a lot via this forum and my submissions have definitely improved.
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