Overland Park leaders pick tree design as preferred city flag, direct staff to draft resolution

City officials in Overland Park reviewed guidance from flag experts and public feedback and voted to direct staff to prepare a resolution recommending the adoption of a tree-based design, referred to as Flag 1A, as the city’s official flag.

City communications staff told the council the selection process drew on outside expertise from the North American Vexillological Association and community input. “The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory,” a city staff presenter said, summarizing a core principle of the vexillology guidance used to evaluate designs.

The presentation said the city received roughly 141 submissions and, with help from NAVA members, the branding team and community polling, narrowed the pool to three finalists. The three options shown to the council were characterized in the packet and by staff as: (1) a tree design emphasizing Overland Park’s parks and nature; (2) a clock-tower design highlighting downtown and historic trails; and (3) a star design intended to reference the city’s wards and a “to the stars” motif.

Staff described how the North American Vexillological Association assisted at multiple stages: an initial “good flag / bad flag” primer, a ranking of a reduced set of candidate flags drawn from submissions, and a live design forum. The presentation also recounted community outreach steps: a mid-project ranking by the city branding team, posting the six finalists at several city facilities for public comment, and social-media feedback the presenter said generated dozens of responses.

Council discussion ranged between support for the tree motif as a long-standing, citywide symbol and arguments for the clock-tower design’s distinctiveness. Several council members said the tree resonated because green and parkland are central to the city’s identity; others said the clock tower uniquely identifies downtown and the city’s origin story. One councilmember noted the tree variant shown was a stylized version of the red oak used in the city’s branding package.

After discussion, a council member moved to "direct staff to prepare a resolution designating Flag Number 1 (Flag 1A) as the official flag of Overland Park and recommend City Council adoption of the same." Another member seconded the motion. Council members raised their hands in support and the motion passed; staff said the measure will move to the full City Council agenda for adoption on Sept. 8.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Direct staff to prepare a resolution designating Flag 1A (tree design) as the official city flag and recommend City Council adoption. Outcome: Passed; vote count not specified in the transcript. Moved by Speaker 9; seconded by Speaker 5.

Looking ahead, staff will draft the resolution language and place it on the City Council agenda for final consideration. The city presentation materials note the intent that the chosen flag be durable as a civic symbol and that branding and flag usage remain distinct functions: the presenter emphasized that “the flag is not the brand, and the brand is not the flag.”