Council directs staff to revise display‑device rules after downtown business asks to keep feather flags

A downtown barber and other speakers asked the city to clarify its display‑device rules after the council removed the word “festoon” from the banned‑device list at a prior meeting.

Rocky Olgene, who owns a barbershop on Avenue G, told the council that a feather flag (also described in the discussion as a “swooper” or feather flag) helped attract new customers and that such banners are not the dictionary definition of a festoon. City staff noted that the Unified Development Code currently defines a “display device” to include “a festoon, a device designed to spin or twirl, accepting balloons and flags … and other items designed to attract attention.” The council previously voted to permit current festoons temporarily until the code can be revised.

Councilmembers and the city attorney’s office discussed the difficulty of enforcing a broad catch‑all phrase —“other items designed to attract attention”—and the need to be specific so small businesses are not subject to disproportionate fines. Heather (city attorney) reminded the council that the definition describes prohibited devices and enforcement can carry fines up to $200 per day. Councilmembers proposed adding explicit language to allow feather flags and to require removal after business closing hours; they asked staff to prepare a draft ordinance revision with clear examples of prohibited items rather than a vague catch‑all.

On the question of geographic scope, the council discussed whether to allow feather flags only in a downtown district or across the entire city. A 4–2 preference emerged during the workshop in favor of permitting feather flags citywide with time restrictions (take down after closing) and clearer, narrower prohibitions for other attention‑getting devices. Staff will prepare revised UDC language for a future workshop or ordinance.