San Diego is a vibrant city with hundreds of special events and conventions occurring each year. Including street banners in your marketing plan can be one of the most colorful and cost effective means available to you to promote information regarding your important civic event or celebration. Street banners are also a way in which local business areas and neighborhoods can establish and promote their unique histories and identities. There are more than 1,500 banner locations within the City of San Diego or on property maintained by other governmental agencies in the region. 

The placement of banners in the public right-of-way (ROW) is permitted in certain areas of the City subject to the regulations contained in Section 142.1210(b)(5)(C) of the Municipal Code. In summary, these regulations allow for the placement of banners on street lights located in the public right-of-way within districts designated by City Council Resolution.

What is Allowed on Banners?

Banners can only be used to “promote cultural or civic events or activities of general public interest”. The Street Banner Program is not intended to be used for commercial or political purposes. The program limits the use of commercial trademarks or logotypes, identification of or references to sponsoring organizations, agencies or businesses to no more than five-percent (5%) of the total banner area.

Banner Design

• Banners are meant to be festive and decorative. Bold, simple and colorful designs are most effective since the majority of people who view banners are driving and unable to focus for long duration on the message.
• Receive design approval from the community group who controls the banner district in which you have reserved banner poles and the City of San Diego.  

Materials Quality

• Banners which may be used over a long duration in one area, or that that are planned to rotate throughout the city or use over a period of years, should be produced with quality marine canvas or quality block-out or 16 ounce vinyl. Short term banner or a onetime banner program may use any vinyl or an equivalent material.
• Screen inks must be permanently (thermally) bonded to fabric in order to avoid fading of ink surface due to sun exposure or marine climate. Short term vinyl banners are exempt from this requirement. Banners must be printed on both sides so that the design in visible from both directions and does not show or leak through.
• Grommets and sleeves must be specified as part of your banner design to ensure that banners can be installed and maintained safely. Improperly produced or installed banners can pose a significant safety hazard.

Banner Districts

A banner district is a geographical area supported by an authorized community organization to install and maintain promotional banners on light poles within the area designated by a San Diego City Council Resolution. Banners can only be installed on light poles within pre-approved banner districts. To install banners, an applicant must receive approval from the community organization that oversees the district where the banners are to be placed.

List of Existing Banner Districts

Permitting Steps

Location

Applicants must have a list of addresses or address ranges where each light pole to have a banner installed on it is located.

District Authorization

Sponsoring organizations must provide a letter of authorization, so the first step for any applicant is to reach out to them to confirm locations and designs meet their goals and specifications.  List of Existing Banner Districts

Obtain a Sign Permit

Permits are issued by the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department. Read DSD Information Bulletin 111 to learn the steps to start the process. Certificates of Workers’ Compensation and Liability insurances or proper documentation of exemptions will be required.

Forming a New District

Any organization with a strong connection to the community or area the new district will be located in can take the steps to form a new district. There are insurance requirements to install the banner mounting hardware. A map of the proposed district can help reviewers make decisions about district boundaries.

City Staff Action

Staff work to create digital maps of the proposed district. The Transportation Department reviews proposed districts to check that proposed banner locations are not in violation of the City Municipal Code.

Resolution

Resolutions are coordinated with the relative Council Office to bring the proposed ordinance to the full City Council for approval. The Council Office writes a staff report and initiates the ordinance creation through the OnBase approval process. This includes a cursory review by the Planning Department but banner district formation is typically exempt from CEQA review.

Banner Pole Selection

• Installation of banners at intersections on traffic signal poles or other traffic control devices are not permitted.
• Installation on ornamental or historical lamp posts will require special approval by the City.
• Vertical hanging banners may not be displayed on aluminum street lighting poles or poles holding traffic signals or overhead electrical utility lines.

Banner Attachment Height

• Top brackets, mounting hardware, and banner arms shall be a minimum of 2 feet below any existing pole appurtenance.
• Banners and any hardware over sidewalks and pedestrian travel ways shall not hang less than 9 feet above the finished surface of the walkway.
• Banners and any hardware shall not hang less than 17 feet above any vehicle travel way.

Installation, Maintenance, and Removal

• Banners must be attached to banner hardware, which must be attached to the street light poles with proper banding materials.
• Street light poles cannot be penetrated or altered in any manner by the installation or removal of banners or banner hardware.
• Drilling of lamp posts or welding of bracket supports is not permitted.
• Banners shall be installed with top and bottom hanging bracket systems.
• Break-away arm and bracket systems are not allowed.
• All mounting hardware must be stainless steel or aluminum with at least a 60 MPH wind rating without permanent distortion.
• All bolts used with mounting brackets shall be a minimum 7/16” high-strength threaded bolts or lag screws (for wood poles).
• Street banners and any hardware necessary to display them may be installed only by a licensed contractor approved by the City.
• Except as may be otherwise determined by the City, the applicant is responsible for all costs associated with installation, maintenance, and removal of street banners and any hardware necessary to display them.
• The applicant shall remove the banners within 15 days’ notice if the banners are deemed to be a safety concern by the City.
• The applicant is responsible for any damage that may occur to the street banners, hardware, or utility poles while the street banners are being installed, displayed, or removed.
• Banners shall not be installed so as to obstruct the visibility of signs or traffic signals which may be attached to other lamp posts.
• Banner mounting brackets shall be banded to the poles with stainless steel banding materials.
• Banners may not disrupt or block light distribution from streetlights nor hamper their maintenance.
• Installations shall be re-tightened 30 days after initial installation to ensure brackets are tight and trim, and every 60 days thereafter.
• No banner shall be attached to a pole with a traffic signal, stop sign, or overhead electrical wires connected to the pole.
• Horizontal banners are not allowed.

We Can Help

Use our Banner Installation Checklist to keep your banner project on track.

Contact Us

Economic Development Department
619-236-6700
sdbusiness@sandiego.gov