Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council advances first reading of banner and right-of-way rules after removing commemorative-flag section
Summary
After a year-long stakeholder process and legal review tied to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, council held first reading of a new code chapter regulating banners, sidewalk flags and decorations in city rights of way. Council amended the draft to remove a commemorative-flag section that would have allowed council-approved flags on city flagpoles.
Terry Weiner, assistant city manager and city attorney, presented a draft ordinance to create Chapter 3.44 of the Ellensburg City Code to regulate banners, sidewalk flags and decorations in the city right-of-way. The draft followed a stakeholder review process and was revised to reflect recent legal guidance on flags and government speech.
The item matters because it establishes a permitting framework for vertical banners and street banners in the right-of-way, clarifies which entities may apply and narrows use to community and city-sponsored events while excluding commercial advertising, political campaigning and proselytizing on city-installed flagpoles.
Weiner reviewed the ordinance’s background, noting requests in 2022 from civic groups to use streetlight poles, and the need to account for the U.S.…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
