CITY COUNCILPOLICIES
POLICY NAME: City IdentificationProgram: Useof Seal
andLogo
POLICY NUMBER: 100-01
Effective Date: 08/06/1985 Last RevisedDate: 09/23/2025 Status: Active Page: 1 of 3 I. BACKGROUND
OnAugust6, 1985, theCityCounciladoptedanewCitysealandanewCitylogo. OnSeptember13, 2005, theCity Councilapprovedanacceptablealternativeversionof theCity logoto accommodatehorizontallayouts. These symbolsof theCityformthebasisforacomprehensiveidentificationprogram, whichincludesconsistentuseof the City’ssealandlogos. Theidentificationprogramisintendedtopresentaunified, positiveimpressionthatisreadily recognizable.
Properimplementationof the City’s identificationprogramshouldeliminateuncoordinatedor unauthorized representationsoftheCity, suchasvariousgraphicsymbols, designs, layouts, andcolors.
A “GraphicStandards” handbookprovidesdetailedinformationontheproperuseof bothversionsof thelogo. The CityManagerortheirdesigneewill updatetheGraphicStandardshandbookasneededtomaintaintheintegrityofthe City’sidentificationprogram.
TheCitySealisasymboloftheCity'sauthorityandintegrity. Itsusemustbestrictlycontrolledtomaintainitssanctity andensureit representstheofficialactionsandinterestsof theCity. By law, theCitySealismaintainedbytheCity Clerkaspartof theofficialdutiesandresponsibilitiesof theoffice (CaliforniaGovernmentCodesection40801and ChulaVistaChartersection502). TheCitySealservesasanofficialmarkof thecityandisusedtoauthenticateand validateofficialdocuments, suchasresolutions, ordinances, contracts, andotherlegalandadministrativedocuments.
TheCityClerk’srolein maintainingthesealensuresthatit isusedproperlyandconsistentlyin accordancewiththe city's rulesandlegalrequirements. By keepingthesealin theirpossession, theCityClerkensuresitssecurityand properuse, andthatit isnotmisusedorforged. ThisresponsibilityispartoftheCityClerk’sbroaderroleinmaintaining publicrecordsandensuringthattheCity’sofficialdocumentsareproperlyhandledandarchived.
II. PURPOSE
Thepurposeof thispolicyisto provideguidelinesfortheimplementationof theCity’sidentificationprogramand consistentusesoftheofficiallogosandseal.
III. POLICY
TheCityCouncilestablishesthefollowingpolicyconcerningallusesoftheCity’ssealandlogos:
Exhibit 1
CITY COUNCILPOLICIES
POLICY NAME: POLICY NUMBER:
Effective Date: Last RevisedDate:
Status: Page:
City Seal
1. AuthorizedUse
a. TheCitySealshallbeusedexclusivelyforofficialcitypurposes, includingbutnotlimitedto:
i. Authenticationofofficialdocuments (e.g., ordinances, resolutions, contracts, andotherlegalinstruments). ii. CertificationsofofficialactionsbytheCityCouncil, CityManager, andotherauthorizedofficials. iii. Correspondence, proclamations, andotherdocumentsthatrequireformalrecognitionof theCity’s authority.
b. TheCitySealmayalsobeusedfor:
i. Apparel: Officialclothingprovidedfor theexclusiveuseof electedofficials, executivestaff, andstaff assignedto electedoffices, includingbutnotlimitedto jackets, shirts, andotheritemswornatofficial functionsorevents.
ii. BusinessCards: Businesscardsforelectedandappointedofficials, wheretheSealisusedtorepresentthe officialcapacityoftheindividual.
iii. CityStationery: Letterheads, envelopes, andotherofficialCitystationeryforusein correspondenceand communicationsthatareconductedintheofficialcapacityoftheCity. c. Exceptasotherwiseexpresslyprovidedinthispolicy, theCitySealmayonlybeaffixedtodocumentsbythe CityClerk, orotherindividualsexpresslyauthorizedbytheCityClerk, in accordancewiththispolicy.
2. ProhibitedUseandAlteration
a. TheCitySealmaynotbeusedforanyunofficial, personal, orcommercialpurposes. b. TheofficialCitySealgraphicfilesmustnotbealtered, modified, oreditedinanyway. Thisincludeschanges to theproportions, colors, designelements, or textof theSeal. TheCity Sealmustremainintactand unmodifiedinitsoriginalformforallofficialuses.
c. Unauthorizeduseof theCitySealonmaterials, communications, oreventsthatdonotservetheinterestsof theCityoritsgovernmentfunctionsisprohibited.
3. Exceptions
a. Exceptionstotheallowableuseof theCitySealmaybegrantedunderspecificcircumstances. All requests forexceptionsmustbesubmittedin writingtotheCityClerk, detailingthepurposeandintendeduseof the City Seal. TheCity Clerkwill reviewandseekapprovalfromtheCity Councilor City Managerbefore grantinganexception.
City Logo
1. AuthorizedUse
a. Exceptforspecificceremonialusesof theCitySeal, theCitylogoswill bethesoleidentifyingsymbolused onofficialCitystationery, signage, vehicles, andotheritemsappropriateforCityidentification.
Exhibit 1
CITY COUNCILPOLICIES
POLICY NAME: POLICY NUMBER:
Effective Date: Last RevisedDate:
Status: Page:
b. TheCitylogomustbetheprimaryvisualidentifierfortheCityin allmaterials, replacingtheuseof theCity Sealinmostcontexts, withtheexceptionofceremonialusesandotherusesprovidedforinthispolicy.
2. ConsistencyinLogoUsage
a. Useofthelogoswill beconsistentCitywide, includingsize, associatedtypefacestyles, layout, colors, andall otherrelateddesignelements, asindicatedinthehandbook.
b. Thelogomustalwaysbein accordancewiththestandardsoutlinedin theGraphicStandardsHandbookto preserveitsvisualintegrity.
3. UseforCityDepartmentsandDivisions
a. TheCitylogomaybeusedtoidentifyspecificCitydepartments, divisions, etc., usingastandardizedformat andtypefaceoutlinedintheGraphicStandardsHandbook.
b. DepartmentsmustusetheapprovedstandardCitylogo. Anyrequestforadepartment-specificlogomustbe submittedto theCommunicationsDivisionfor CityManager’s reviewandapproval. Departmentsarenot authorizedtocreateoruselogosoutsideofthisprocess.
4. ApprovalProcess
a. All proposedusesof thelogoswill requireapprovalby theCity Manageror theirdesigneebefore implementation. Individual businesscards, City stationery, signageand all other materials containingthelogosandsealmustconformto thestandardsof theidentificationprogram.
CopyrightProtection
1. TheCityAttorneywill secureandmaintaincurrentcopyrightsfor thelogosandsealto protecttheCityfrom unauthorizeduse. TheCitylogocopyrightwasobtainedonJune6, 2017, renewedonDecember7, 2023, andin effectuntilDecember2027.
HISTORY
DATE ACTION RESOLUTION NO.