Council Communication
August 6, 2013, Business Meeting
A Resolution Directing City Administrator to Establish Standards for
Street Pennant Policy and Guidelines and Repeal Resolution 2010-32
FROM:
Ann Seltzer, Management Analyst, [email protected]
SUMMARY
The City Administrator currently is authorized to approve street pennant permits. Granting the City
Administrator the authority to approve changes to the Street Pennant Policy and Guidelines as needed
would eliminate City Council approval for each modification. This change improves efficiency for
staff and Council and could improve timeliness for applicants.
Specific modification requests that have arisen over the past year include allowing the use of non-mesh
fabric, adding the overpass at Exit 14 in the designated south Ashland entrance zone and allowing the
placement of pennants on the fence at Exit 14 rather than the pedestrian scale light poles. Each of
these requests would have required Council action under the current resolution.
BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS:
Street Pennants are vertically oriented, one-piece fabric material installed on street light poles. The
intent of the Street Pennant Program is to add color and excitement to the city’s streetscape, promote
the general economic interests of the community though the promotion of cultural and season activities
that enhance the economic viability and overall vitality of the community.
In 2010 Council approved a resolution setting the standard, policy and fee for Street Pennants and
adopted the Street Pennant Policy and Guidelines. At the request of the Council, the Street Pennant
Policy and Guidelines, as it relates to the downtown core, was developed in conjunction with an ad hoc
task force of the Chamber of Commerce.
The policy requires that existing pennant participants become compliant by 2015. Because the
pennants are expensive (upwards of $400 per pennant) the task force felt it could be a financial burden
to existing pennant participants to comply with the design guidelines within a shorter period of time.
Extending the compliance date to 2018 allows additional time for existing pennant holders to budget
appropriate costs for changes and additions to their existing pennants.
The existing policy also requires the new pennants be made of heavy duty mesh vinyl. This
requirement was included to allow maximum wind flow through the pennants to ease strain on the
aging pennant brackets on light poles in the downtown. In 2011, new reinforced pennant brackets
were installed on the downtown light poles. There has not been an instance of bracket damage or
breakage due to wind since the new brackets have been in place. The mesh fabric does not allow for
flexibility in design concepts and is no longer necessary.
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During the aesthetic design process with ODOT for exits 14 and 19, the Aesthetic Design Committee,
comprised of representatives of city commissions, requested ODOT allow for and provide the
opportunity for the City to place street pennants on the overpass at Exit 14.
REGULATORY BACKGROUND
The Pennants are exempt from the Sign Code section of the Ashland Land Use Ordinance under AMS
18.96.010 as “informational signs placed by the City of Ashland or by the State of Oregon in the
publicly owned right-of-way…”
RELATED CITY POLICIES
Ordinance 2989 – Establishment of standard forms for right-of-way regulation and donation or loan of
functional items
Resolution 2009-29 – Minimum standards for functional items placed in the public right of way
Resolution 2009-37 – Permit fees for installation of functional items in the public right of way
Resolution 2010-32 – Allows the installation of pedestrian scale pennants in the Siskiyou Educational
Zone
The pennants are regulated by ODOT. The standards included in the Street Pennant Policy have been
approved by ODOT.
The Pennant Application Fee is $125.
Highlights of current Street Pennant Policy and Guideline
There are six designated pennant zones: Downtown, North Ashland Entrance, Winburn Way
and the South Ashland Entrance for the large pennants mounted on cobra lights and the
Siskiyou Education, A Street/4th Street Commercial Zones for small pennants mounted on
pedestrian lights.
Eligible applicants in the Downtown Zone include recipients of Economic, Cultural, Tourism
and Sustainability grants, the Ashland School District, Southern Oregon University and the
City of Ashland. In the other zones eligible applicants are limited to governmental agencies,
including the Ashland School District, Southern Oregon University, the City of Ashland or its
designee.
A maximum of three unique pennants is allowed in the Downtown Zone at any given time.
One pennant permit is for long term display (pennants on display longer than six months) and
two permits are the short term display (pennants on display less than two months). Eligible
entities in the downtown zone include government agencies and recipients of Economic &
Cultural Development Grants.
The A/Fourth Street zone and Siskiyou Educational zone is limited to small pennant installation
on the pedestrian scale lights. All other zones allow only large pennant installation.
The downtown zone contains two designated locations for short term pennant installation (less
than two months) with the remainder reserved for long term installations (longer than six
months). All other zones allow long term installations only.
The applicant is responsible for the cost of the brackets, and bracket and pennant installation.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND REQUESTED ACTION:
Staff recommends repealing Resolution 2010-32 which addresses minimum standards, locations and
policy and guidelines for the placement of street pennants and adopts Resolution 2013-XX which
directs the City Administrator to approve modifications to the Street Pennant Policy and Guidelines as
the need arises.
SUGGESTED MOTION:
I move to approve a resolution titled, “A Resolution Directing City Administrator to Establish
Standards for Street Pennants”, and repealing Resolution 2010-32.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution 2013
Revised Street Pennant Policy & Guidelines
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