DATE: 07/02/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning and Development Department
2025-266
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER SPEAKE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO REDUCE
THE NUMBER OF FEATHER FLAGS ALLOWED ON A PROPERTY AND LIMIT
FEATHER FLAGS TO SPECIAL EVENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to provide direction on amending the Zoning Code in Title 17 of the Corona Municipal Code placing restrictions on the use of feather flags.
Feather flags are used by commercial establishments to attract attention and advertise the services or special promotions of the business on the property where the feather flag is located.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council provide direction to amend the Zoning Code placing restrictions on the use of feather flags in the City.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
City Council Request
At the City Council meeting on March 19, 2025, Council Member Speake requested that the Council engage in further discussion on limiting the number, duration, and use of feather flags in the City. Council Member Speake talked about the possibility of limiting feather flags to no more than five flags per property, limiting the use to special events, and limiting the display to no longer than 60 days within 12 consecutive months. The majority of the City Council agreed they were open to further discussion on this topic.
Regulation of Feather Flags
Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Chapter 17.74 establishes the rules for signage within the City. Section 17.74.080 describes the permit for temporary flags, banners, pennants, and devices to attract attention. Feather flags would fall into the category of a device used to attract attention.
Table 1 lists the permit required and duration allowed by the CMC for temporary devices used to attract attention.
Table 1
Permit Requirement for Temporary Devices Used to Attract Attention Type of Temporary
Device
Annual
Permit
# Allowed Duration
w/in
consecutive
12 months
Banner (attached to the
building)
Banner Permit 1 per business 180 days
Rooftop mounted balloon,
pennants, spinners,
tethered balloons, or similar
devices (would include
feather flags)
Temporary
Use Permit
Rooftop balloon (1 per
business)
Feather Flags (10 per property)
No limit on other devices.
120 days
Same as above, if
associated with a special
event requiring a special
use permit.
Special Use
Permit
Same as above 180 days
Feather flags are permitted by a Temporary Use Permit (TUP). In 2010, the City established a policy on the number of feather flags allowed on a property, since the CMC does not limit the quantity for similar devices. The City’s policy for allowing feather flags by TUP includes the following conditions:
Advertising sleeves shall be maintained in a clean and orderly fashion and not torn or faded.
Flags shall be spaced at least 15 feet apart.
No more than 10 flags shall be allowed per property and/or commercial center.
The message placed on the feather flag is not regulated by the CMC, unlike a banner which is limited to advertising a special sale, grand opening, or promotion. However, the message on the feather flag shall be related to the nature of the business on the premises it is located and not a business in a different location than the feather flag.
Temporary Use Permits Issued for Feather Flags
The following shows the number of TUPs issued for feather flags since 2022. Year 2022: 12 permits
Year 2023: 22 permits
Year 2024: 29 permits
The overall average number of feather flags per permit is three.
ANALYSIS:
To establish specific regulations for feather flags, outside of the general definition provided for TUPs, and similar to the concise rules for a banner issued by a banner permit, the sign ordinance in CMC Chapter 17.74 would need to be amended.
The amendment would establish specific, objective standards to permit feather flags, removing any vagueness that could be construed from the description provided by the TUP. Specific regulations for feather flags, like banners, can include the following:
limit the number of flags per property,
limit the number of days within a consecutive 12 months, limit the height, and
limit message to special events, if properly defined.
The amendment to the sign ordinance is a public hearing and requires the Planning and Housing Commission to make a recommendation to the City Council. The amendment would require the adoption of an ordinance by the City Council.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
A text amendment to the Zoning Code is $6,273 according to the City’s adopted fee schedule. The fee is based on the number of hours used by staff to process the amendment. However, no application fee will be associated with this amendment since the amendment is initiated by the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from the CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This request is for staff to receive policy direction from the City Council and will not have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 - Feather flag power point presentation
2. Exhibit 2 - Future agenda item request from Council Member Speake