Each submission will be reviewed on its own merit.
Just because you dont think it serve any purpose, doesnt means its ineligible.
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Sorry Cyndie, I overlooked that initial comment as I came to this topic a little after it started. It had then gone in a slightly different direction.
There are other comments too now about clarification.
I can’t speak for the wayfarer team so these are only my views and interpretations and if I go in the wrong direction then it’s unintentional. And sorry if this is long.
This started with an appeal. There was a helpful answer that the wayspot didn’t meet removal criteria.
Was it reasonable to then ask if this meant that this type of wayspot was then acceptable?
Experienced forum users know that appeals decisions only apply to that specific appeal and do not set a precedent. To use this outcome to ask what is an unrelated question about wider acceptance of a type of nomination and to expect that to be answered is in my view not reasonable.
That is why I asked for that wider discussion to move to a different area.
When I returned ( yes we are volunteers and we do have a life 
) what I read was a long topic that had eventually gone off track. And was closed.
The central question which I will summarise as should there be a yes/no specific response around this sort of nomination was following what has become a well worn route. This was not a debate that I was expecting the Team to comment on, as they have consistently not commented on it as it has been raised several times.
At the root of this is a difference in opinion. And as a moderator I am concerned that some comments are sitting on the edge of respectfulness as strong views are expressed. Wayfarer does involve a lot of judgement calls and variations in opinions. I am comfortable in that kaleidoscope of colour and that sometimes my views are mainstream and at others off on an island on their own .
When I recognise that my views are not mainstream I will not seek to continue to press my view ( at least I hope I do😎)
The objects under discussion - Estate Signs ( mainly in USA) - are varied in character. Having reflected on contributions over time my impression is that most wayfinders can work with the guidelines we have and do not require a rigid specific clarification. There are very few things in wayfarer that are rigid and that strikes me as a good thing given global scale. There is scope to vote to reject or to accept as appropriate. And each wayfinder is part of that bigger review pool on each nomination.
As a community member and moderator I am concerned when some topics start to go round in circles and are repeatedly raised. I love that wayfinders have a passion for doing wayfarer and want to do it “right”. As wayfinders we are never going to be “100% correct” there will always be rough edges, that’s that spectrum of colour again. 
The answer is there in the silence.
There is nothing for the Wayfarer Team to say.
As they are not saying anything then I think we as a community have to accept that this overall situation is not going to change no matter how much as individuals we might want something different. It is one element of wayfarer - I get that in some places it is currently running hot and it feels stormy so it is frustrating- but it is a small part in the overall picture.
I would like people to take time to think about this.
The wayfarer spectrum is not a competition. It is not about winning or losing but listening, reflecting and working with the consensus and we each need to find our place and how to deal with situations when fitting with the consensus seems difficult.
That is way too long and I now need another coffee, but those are my own thoughts on the issues.
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I just wanted to comment on this point.
Yes there are some areas that are wayspot light.
If people have said that the reason that there is no specific ruling about estate signs is linked to that then they are simply putting on a tin foil hat. It is misinformation.
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I have tried to keep out of the specifics of whether the Estate Signs are eligible or not as it is not relevant to my location (although I am seeing standard name signs on blocks of flats being nominated 
).
Just think the easiest fix is for Niantic to add a simple clarification in the same as there is for memorial benches something along the lines of…
“Estate signs are infrastructure and will normally not meet criteria. Signs with significant artistic elemants can be Accepted as Art. It is down to the Submitter to show and explain this”.
I now feel like coming round to yours for a coffee and I don’t drink coffee 
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I am not hell bent on getting anyone other player to do anything. Please listen.
I want niantic to clarify guidelines on this subject. I don’t want to change anyone’s mind. I want niantic to make it clear why these are okay so everyone can accept them or reject them instead of leaving it ambiguous.
I want the moderators to not close topics without offering a solution.
To be more precise.
Niantic want the player base to submit stops based on their guidelines.
Niantic implied the submission should be considering on if it’s concerned significant to the community.
There is disagreement on whether this general thing is.
Niantic empowers people on here to approve and reject removals and appeals. Those people are a proxy for Niantic.
Those people who approve or reject removals don’t provide a reason why it should be removed or not. This causes confusion and makes the process ambiguous.
Niantic has a history of silence on contested stop types and then only after long discussion and issue with it will occasionally take action.
Niantic is saying through their actions the only way to get an answer from them is constant discussion to its merits or not.
Niatic empowers people here to close discussion with no resolution which is the issue at hand here. Which makes the original appeal process and discussion worse.
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No, both removals and appeals are reviewed solely by Niantic themselves.
And those people don’t provide any guidance on what’s accepted or rejected.
Those people don’t communicate, why?
If they are niantic employees why do they not offer any insight? It’s only relevant that they work for Niantic if it’s a meaningful way to communicate with the company on this process. If they stay silent and let people who volunteer their time try to guess why what’s the point?
Then working for niantic and offering nothing on any issue other than a ruling is a problem.
Maybe there should be a clarification similar to Giffard’s scale for trail markers? Though honestly, no one really wants to follow that one anyway… 
At least with a clarrification it could be pointed to for all the “Why wasn’t my nomination accepted?” and “Why has my wayspot been removed?” questions.
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They weren’t created for their artistic merits and while I do understand where you are coming from with this, I feel trying to create a passable threshold where artistic merit is acceptable is just adding to the ambiguity. I’ve reviewed hundreds of these (my sins of living in the deepest darkest suburbs) and while some are more eye catching or unique I am usually surprised and how cookie cutter they are, not even just the brick facade entrances but even the more modern artistic styled ones are really just as mass produced. I just feels like this is like trying to say they serve as landmark meeting places for people is just trying to find an accepted criteria where one doesn’t exist, IMO. I think importantly is I would accept whatever clarification we are given, instead of them being in wayfarer purgatory. If they wanna say “they are fine”, let’s go! FWIW I don’t really buy into the suburb people are starved for wayspots, I’ve nominated hundreds of wayspots, none of them are neighborhood entrances (well my first nomination was one and it was rejected). There are neighborhoods around me, where the brick facade style entrance signs are on both sides of the road, and then there are 3 to 4 different points of entry, are all of them suppose to be meeting places? artistic?
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I second this. While I don’t think they qualify it doesn’t matter if niantic says they do.
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First, I agree with the majority of what you say but there are several of the “ineligible unless…” situations.
A park bench does not meet criteria but if it is artistic (carved etc) then it does.
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This is where clarification would be beneficial.
Benches should not be eligible.
Art should be whether it’s on a bench or not.
Memorial plaques on a bench should be considered. Only cause it’s a memorial and those are currently accepted for consideration.
As per criteria…
“Memorial benches can only be eligible under the criteria for exploration if they are dedicated to a notable figure and that notability is described in the nomination.”
I always start as Memorial Benches being ineligible unless the submitter can convince me that it is for a Notable Figure. Most do not succeed.
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I was speaking in a more general sense as to what should be considered.
When rejecting what do you select for these?
Permanent and Distinct
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Exactly the same here.
Memorial benches are covered in the clarifications (Seating Benches) and there is very little disagreement. If the person is not significant, the bench is not significant (unless it has other merit, e.g. artistic). Any claiming otherwise needs to read the clarification.
Trail markers are covered in the clarifications (Trails & Markers), although still contentious since there is some ambiguity in some places about what is a trail marker and what is a node/junction marker/something else less significant.
Several other categories are covered in the clarifications (Criteria Clarification Collection - Niantic Wayfarer Community).
Scopely may not feel there is room/need for any more clarifications, e.g., residential place names.
As long as scopley makes it known it’s all good whatever they decide.
The current issue is they don’t provide any guidance why something is rejected. Then a moderator closed it without providing guidance or input.
Past experiences have shown that only constant discussion or has resulted in any sort of clarity so assumption that they don’t weigh in can’t be taken as acceptance.
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