Street Banners - Banner Policy

This policy outlines the guidelines for the use and coordination of banner cables for non-profit organization event advertising. The banner location shall be utilized for the purpose of hanging banners that advertise non-profit community events designed for the general public interest.

Banners, managed by the City of Olympia, are only installed at:

State Avenue, NE, between Adams Street and Franklin Street.

To request the banner space you must:

Fill out an application. Please note, applications must be complete; incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application forms are available on the Street Banners page.

Submit your signed request to Public Works:

  • By mail: City of Olympia Public Works; Attn: Banners; P.O. Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98504
  • By fax: 360.709.2797
  • In person: 924 7th Avenue, Suite A, Olympia, WA 98507
  • E-mail: publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us
  • Phone: 360.753.8588 (please note: verbal requests can temporarily hold your date, but a signed application must be received to guarantee the reservation).

Please note, space fills up early and applications are taken 1 year in advance.

Banners shall be used to advertise community interest events and not for the advertising of the organization or its products. No requests shall be approved for banners advertising the following types of events:

  • Religious events
  • Political events
  • Commercial product sales or events

Scheduling:

Scheduling installation of banners shall be on a first-come, first-served basis. All banner requests must be submitted with an application form.

  • Public Works staff will schedule the banner for the requested time, provided there has not been prior submission of written application for the same date.
  • If prior application has been made, staff will notify the new applicant of the prior approval, no later than ten (10) working days of receipt of their request.
  • Reservations of banners for the next calendar year will only be open to the Public after March 1 of the present year (e.g. open March 2, 2009 for 2010 reservations).

Installation of Banners:

Banners shall be up for a maximum time of one (1) week. Banners shall be removed by 10:00 a.m., and can be installed starting at 11:00 a.m. on the Monday they are scheduled, unless you are coordinating with the week prior and/or following your reservation and utilizing the same banner installer.

  • Installation and removal of the banners shall be the sole responsibility of the applicant. Arrangements must be made for the installation and removal of the banner by the applicant.
  • Installers must be licensed and bonded to work in the City of Olympia.
  • The installer must use the appropriate hardware. This will include a minimum of a 3/8-inch quick link or comparable for each grommet, plus two (2) nylon-type cords of adequate length for both bottom ends, for use as tie downs.
  • Applicants are encouraged to coordinate installation and removal of their banner with that of other applicants, for ease of installation and removal by the installer. Contact Gateway Services for the name of the applicant prior to and preceding your installation.
  • City staff may request that the applicant repair or remove their banner in the event a banner becomes a danger to public safety, due to banner deterioration, storms, high winds, etc. If the applicant fails to respond the banner may be removed, and the organization may be billed for the cost of removal.

Banner Requirements:

  • Banners shall be 24 to 30 feet in width (maximum size 30 feet) and 3½ feet in height and shall have the approved message on one side of the banner.
  • Grommets must be placed along the top edges of the banner and one at each bottom end. Grommets located at the bottom ends will have heavier reinforcing or other pre-approved method (i.e., D rings with reinforced nylon straps). The minimum grommet size shall be ½-inch (inside measurement), and the grommets shall be placed a maximum of two (2) feet apart.
  • Air holes must be placed in the banner, minimum size of air holes should be comparable to the diameter of a three-pound coffee can (or six inches in diameter).

Use of the banner cables is subject to availability of banner cables, availability of an approved installer, and condition of banner cables. If weather conditions pose a danger to installation personnel, banners will not be hung until safe to do so.

For more information

Visit our Street Banners page, or contact:

Jeannine Stewart, Communication Assistant
Olympia Public Works, Gateway Services
Phone: 360.753.8588
TTY: 360.753.8270
E-mail: publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us