Staff Report re: Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 1 of 3
STAFF REPORT
TO
: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Michelle Estabillo, City Clerk
VIA: Daniel Barros, City Manager
MEETING DATE: January 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025
REC
OMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following:
RESOLUTION DIRECTING TOWN STAFF TO FLY VARIOUS COMMEMORATIVE FLAGS IN
LIEU OF THE TOWN OF COLMA FLAG AT THE COLMA COMMUNITY CENTER PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15301 AND 15378
CO
UNCIL ADOPTED VALUES
Th
e adoption of a flag -raising schedule reflects the Town of Colma's commitment to fostering respect by recognizing diverse causes, communities, and significant events that matter to our residents.
BAC
KGROUND
On J
une 26, 2019, the City Council of the Town of Colma adopted a new flag policy , codified as Subchapter 1.18 of the Colma Administrative Code, which states that Council may by resolution direct Town staff to fly commemorative flags in lieu of the Town of Colma flag on the flagpole located at Town Hall or at the Colma Community Center, as an expression of the Town's official sentiments, consistent with the Town's vision, mission, and guiding principles, incorporating themes of diversity, equity, social justice, and inclusion. Commemorative flags shall be displayed for a period of time that is reasonable or customary for the subject that is to be commemorated, but no longer than 30 continuous days.
Pr
ior to leaving office, former Mayor John Irish Goodwin requested that the Town add the Irish Flag to its commemorative flag schedule. If the Council considers this request, the Town recommends that the Irish flag be raised in March at or around St. Patricks’ Day which is celebrated on March 17. The proposed resolution would authorize the commemorative flag schedule of 2025 to include the Irish flag as well as the commemorative flags that the City Council has previously authorized: the Philippine Flag, the LGBT/Pride Flag, the Italian Flag , the Israeli Flag, and the Armenian Flag.
AGENDA ITEM #3
Staff Report re: Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 2 of 3
ANALYSIS
When the policy was adopted, staff indicated that for expediency, rather than approve each commemorative flag individually each year, the schedule of various commemorative flags could be adopted each year in January.
Council has previously discussed and approved the flying of all five commemorative flags. On June 26, 2019, Council approved a resolution to fly the LGBT/Pride Commemorative flag in recognition of June being Pride Month. On September 25, 2019, Council approved a resolution to fly the Italian flag in recognition of October being Italian Heritage an d Culture Month. On June 24, 2020, Council approved a resolution to fly the Philippine flag in recognition of Philippine Independence Day on June 12. On January 12, 2022, Council approved a resolution to fly the Israeli Flag in recognition of Israeli Independence Day, which changes date based on the Hebrew calendar. On September 14, 2022, Council approved a resolution to fly the Armenian Flag in recognition of Armenian Independence Day on September 21.
Proposed Schedule
In an effort to simplify the flag schedule, the Town has had a policy for all commemorative flags be flown for one week at the Colma Community Center in lieu of the Town of Colma flag, beginning on the date of a Council Meeting in close proximity to the date of recognition, to allow for a ceremonial flag raising if Council wishes.
There is one exception to this policy. Israeli Flag protocol does not allow the flag to be flown after sunset except in special circumstances. For this reason, staff is proposing that the Israeli Flag will be flown only on May 14th at the Colma Community Center in lieu of the Town of Colma flag and removed at sunset.
The attached resolution directs staff to fly the following flags on the following dates:
Flag Occasion Duration
Irish Flag Irish Heritage and Culture Month March 12, 2025 to March 19, 2025 Israeli Flag Israeli Independence Day April 30, 2025 until sundown Philippine Flag Philippine Independence Day June 11, 2025 to June 18, 2025 LGBT/Pride Flag Pride Month June 25, 2025 to July 2, 2025 Armenian Flag Armenian Independence Day September 17, 2025 to September 24, 2025
Italian Flag Italian Heritage and Culture Month October 8, 2025 to October 15, 2025
Staff Report re: Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 3 of 3 This resolution does not prohibit Council from flying additional commemorative flags throughout the year. Per the policy, to allow the flying of a commemorative flag, any single Council Member may make a request to the City Manager to allow for the Council to consider the flying of the commemorative flag. The Council would then discuss the issue at a Council Meeting and decide whether to authorize the flying of the commemorative flag. If additional flags are considered and approved, they would be added to the commemorative flag schedule that would be approved for the following year.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed resolution would have no anticipated fiscal impacts; the authorized flags have already been purchased.
ENVIRONMENTAL
The City Council’s action in adopting the resolution to fly commemorative flags is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15301 as the operation of an existing public facility, namely, the Colma Community Center. It is also exempt pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15378 as an organizational or administrative activity of the government that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could choose not to approve a commemorative flag schedule, and instead approve each flag individually throughout the year. Staff does not recommend this, however, as a single schedule approval is a more efficient use of Council and staff time.
CONCLUSION
The City Council should adopt the proposed resolution authorizing the flying of commemorative flags in 2025.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution Directing Town Staff to Fly Various Commemorative Flags in 2025
Res. 2025-__, Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 1 of 3 RESOLUTION NO. 2025-__
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF COLMA
RESOLUTION DIRECTING TOWN STAFF TO FLY VARIOUS COMMEMORATIVE FLAGS
IN LIEU OF THE TOWN OF COLMA FLAG AT THE COLMA COMMUNITY CENTER PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15301 AND 15378
The City Council of the Town of Colma hereby resolves:
1. Recitals and Background.
(a) On June 26, 2019, the City Council of the Town of Colma adopted a new flag policy codified at Subchapter 1.18 of the Colma Administrative Code to memorialize the fact that the Town’s flag poles are a nonpublic forum.
(b) Pursuant to Subchapter 1.18 of the Colma Administrative Code, Council may by resolution direct Town staff to fly commemorative flags in lieu of the Town of Colma flag on the flag pole located at Town Hall or at the Colma Community Center, as an expression of the Town's official sentiments, consistent with the Town's vision, mission, and guiding principles, incorporating themes of diversity, equity, social justice, and inclusion. Commemorative Flags shall be displayed for a period of time that is reasonable or customary for the subject that is to be commemorated, but no longer than 30 continuous days.
(c) The Council has previously approved the flying of five commemorative flags. On June 26, 2019, the City Council approved a resolution to fly the LGBT/Pride Commemorative flag in recognition of Pride Month; on September 25, 2019, the City Council approved a resolution to fly the Italian flag in recognition of Italian Heritage and Culture Month. On June 24, 2020, the City Council approved a resolution to fly the Philippine flag in recognition of Philippine Independence Day. On January 12, 2022, Council approved a resolution to fly the Israeli Flag in recognition of Israeli Independence Day, which changes date based on the Hebrew calendar. On September 14, 2022, Council approved a resolution to fly the Armenian Flag in recognition of Armenian Independence Day on September 21.
(d) The flying of these commemorative flags is an expression of one of the Town's guiding principles of celebrating diversity; as such, the Town intends to fly these commemorative flags again in 2025 and to include the Irish flag in its schedule. (e) In honor of Irish Heritage and Culture Month, the Town intends to fly the Irish flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center on March 12, 2025 to March 19, 2025. (f) In honor of Israeli Independence Day, which changes date based on the Hebrew calendar, the Town intends to fly the Israeli flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center on April 30, 2025 until sunset.
(g) In honor of Philippine Independence Day on June 12, the Town intends to fly the Philippine flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center June 11, 2024 to June 18, 2025.
ATTACHMENT A
Res. 2025-__, Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 2 of 3 (h) In honor of June as Pride Month, the Town intends to fly the LGBT/pride flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from June 25, 2025 to July 2, 2025. (i) In honor of Armenian Independence Day on September 21, the Town intends to fly the Armenian Flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center September 17, 2025 to September 24, 2025.
(j) In honor of October as Italian Heritage and Culture Month, the Town intends to fly the Italian flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from October 8, 2025 to October 15, 2025.
2. Order.
(a) The City Council has considered the full record before and finds the recitals set forth above true and correct and hereby incorporates them by reference. (b) Pursuant to Subchapter 1.18 of the Colma Administrative Code, the City Council hereby directs staff to fly:
(i) the Irish flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center on March 12, 2025 to March 19, 2025.
(ii) the Israeli flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center on April 30, 2025 until sunset;
(iii) the Philippine flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from June 11, 2024 to June 18, 2025;
(iv) the LGBT/pride flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from June 25, 2025 to July 2, 2025;
(v) the Armenian Flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from September 17, 2025 to September 24, 2025; and
(vi) the Italian flag in lieu of the Town of Colma Flag at the Colma Community Center from October 8, 2025 to October 15, 2025.
3. Effective Date.
(a) This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. //
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Res. 2025-__, Commemorative Flag Schedule 2025 Page 3 of 3 Certification of Adoption
I certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 2025-__ was adopted at a regular meeting of said City Council held on January 8, 2025 by the following vote:
Name Voting Present, Not Voting Absent
Aye No Abstain Not Participating
Ken Gonzalez, Mayor
Carrie Slaughter
Helen Fisicaro
Joanne F. del Rosario
Thomas Walsh
Voting Tally
Dated ______________________ ___________________________________ Ken Gonzalez, Mayor
Attest: ____________________________
Michelle Estabillo, City Clerk