Wayspot Submission for Picnic Table at Public Parking Lot
Category: Picnic Area, Picnic Table
This submission was declined by Niantic’s automated process for not adhering to Wayfarer criteria
Description: This is a publicly accessible parking area and picnic table.
3098 N Goldthwaite St, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA
Supplemental Information: Thank you for reviewing this submission! This public area is a popular spot in good weather, often occupied by people visiting downtown or by the workers from nearby businesses.
I’ve just read and then re-read the Wayfarer Criteria pages and cannot find what this nomination was rejected for. Please help me understand the reason (reasons) so that I can be more informed in submitting future POI nominations. Thank you in advance for your help!
Generally the AI rejects for issues with the photo. The photo looks pretty good, it’s zoomed in well, hits none of the rejection criteria, and is clearly a table. Not sure what happened here. You could try cropping out a bit more of the grass and fence but it doesn’t look to me like it takes up enough of the picture for the AI to get confused.
Try a name that uses other words if you want to resubmit instead of appeal. Maybe name it after the business the parking lot belongs to or the street name?
Picnic tables aren’t automatic accepts, but I am really surprised the “automated process” rejected it.
Try getting foto from different angle and resubmit. Does the area have street view or satelite view? If its visible and have no other issue, i think you wont have issue with reviewer once it pass AI check
It’s also possible the ML system checks existing imagery to confirm location and struggled here.
This is the Jan 2026 streetview for 3098 N Goldthwaite St, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA. If this is not the right location, you could provide the coordinates that are in the submission receipt email below the images.
hmmm, yes that might be the issue. it’s the lot next to the one that was geo-tagged by the system. I cannot seem to get that adress to pop-up in google maps. the 532 State Rte 108 takes you to somewhere else entirely, not sure what google maps is doing at this corner but it’s whack.
cyndipooh, you may be closest to the mark - maybe the title is what’s throwing it. I’ll try resubmitting with just Picnic Table on Clay Street as the title. Thank you.
I hadn’t even looked through the other dates for street view, and wow it is impressive how much that little corner has been through. Even more impressive is that I regularly see people there in good weather eating and hanging out, and when there are events in downtown that lot fills up quick because it’s free parking - I’ve even seen a pop-up art fair in tents there a few times. Yet there are no dates that show that activity, except 2009 and 2019 where there’s a few cars parked. Of course, the google street scans are pretty spread out and I guess they never passed by while people were there.
well, looks like there’s something more to this - as it was rejected yet again. “This submission was declined by Niantic’s automated process for not adhering to Wayfarer criteria”
I can’t put my finger on what the automated system might be flagging this for - anyone else have any ideas?
I stopped next door, at the bank, and asked about the picnic area. They said the property was not theirs, and as far as they knew it was a public parking area and public picnic table. The tellers even said they use it often when the weather is nice. They also confirmed it does fill up with cars whenever there is an event at the civic center two blocks away (and on july 4th for the fireworks downtown), but that there’s never an attendant or pay box, etc.
Hmm… So you have tried a couple of times now, and both nominations surprise me in being rejected by the automated process. Maybe it is time to try an appeal. Pick whichever one you like best. (I think the most recent one looks most inviting.) I do not promise it will be accepted, but at least you can make the case you have made here about it being an important social space. The clarification is for picnic “areas” being eligible as a social space:
We get 2 appeals, each on a 15 day counter before we can use them again. Let us know how it goes if you do.
Appeal has been submitted. Finger’s crossed I’ll either get approved or at least get more information about why it’s being rejected.
My appeal text:
Per the wayfarer criteria: “Picnic areas are great places to be social! Note that a picnic area with a group of tables constitutes one nomination. Picnic areas and tables that appear to be permanent, even if not bolted to the ground, are great places for socialization.” This public picnic area is a popular spot in good weather, often occupied by people visiting downtown or by the workers from nearby businesses. It is used to socialize and gather. I have personally stopped here to catch my breath while playing pokemon go and met up with other players at this spot. The attached parking area is a public free-to-park lot, confirmed by the tellers at the bank next door. The picnic table is a public free-to-use area, and the bank tellers said they use it to lunch at in good weather. This public space has hosted a number of pop-up tent events, like one for artists and crafts people from the area, and another that had food vendors. I feel this in no way violates the wayfarer agreement or criteria. If it does, please give a full explanation as to why, otherwise please consider this appeal. Thank you for your time and valued input in this process.
