By Khalida Sarwari
Saratoga event organizers may want to take note: the city has a new median banner policy in place after city officials approved a resolution that amends the criteria for posting median banners and signs.
The resolution, approved on a 4-0 vote by the Saratoga City Council on Sept. 18, effectively does three things–it establishes the median banner policy, directs city staff to install the infrastructure for banners and amends the city code so that banners and signs that don’t meet the new criteria are prohibited from city medians.
Under the new policy, in order to have their banners placed in medians, organizers must announce an event that is either non-commercial or will be held in Saratoga; is open to the general public and is held by a nonprofit or an individual or group without charge, or an individual or group with a charge for the purpose of fundraising for a nonprofit. A non-commercial event is described as one that “does not promote a business or the sale of a good, service or other commodity.”
“It’s pretty restricted,” Saratoga city manager Dave Anderson said of the new median banner policy.
Councilman Manny Cappello spoke in favor of the resolution.
“This [policy] cleans up our medians, makes it much nicer, more reflective of Saratoga,” he said.
The policy comes with a number of stipulations, including a $30 rental fee per location or $210 for all locations and a 14-day time period that banners can be posted per event. Previously, requests for banners were granted on a case-by-case basis and approved through a special event permit process. Additionally, city staff had to visit the proposed site.
The seven city-owned median sites are Fruitvale and Allendale avenues, Saratoga Sunnyvale Road near Walnut Avenue, Saratoga Sunnyvale Road near Prospect Road, Prospect Road and Highway 85 near Plumas Drive, Saratoga Avenue near Westview Drive, Saratoga Avenue near the Highway 85 intersection and the intersection of Saratoga and Fruitvale avenues.
Private banners are permitted in these locations when the location isn’t being used by the city.
The seven locations were chosen for several reasons: They are high-traffic areas, are relatively safe and don’t interfere with other signs, and the medians are wide enough to accommodate the banners. The proposed infrastructure for the banners is two 5-foot detachable steel signposts at each location, with a purchase and installation cost of $5,000.
There are exceptions to the new policy. The city manager has the authority to approve locations that aren’t on the list as well as banners that don’t meet the policy’s standards, as long as they are consistent with the city’s sign regulations.
The exception period is once a year for 14 days prior to the first Sunday in May. During that period, private event banners are allowed in city medians other than the seven locations on certain conditions.
Vice Mayor Emily Lo and Councilman Howard Miller recommended that the council review the policy next year.
“We can revisit this in a year and see if there are areas we are willing to fine-tune,” Lo said.
