As one of the newest additions to Pier Avenue, artistic banners hanging from the light poles that line the downtown destination swayed in a cool breeze Wednesday afternoon.
These banners were installed in October as part of the , and showcase original Hermosa-themed artwork by local artists.
But once the banners are ready to be removed, what kind of street signage can take their place? How will the banner space be used in the future?
In a meeting Tuesday night, the Hermosa Beach City Council approved a motion directing city staff to present them with existing policy so they could discuss possible changes to answer those questions.
The issue was raised when the Chamber of Commerce asked the council associated with the production of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Those include fees for contractors, police volunteers, on-duty police and parking control, totaling about $842, according to city staff. The council also discussed waiving a banner fee if the chamber decides to hang one across Pier Avenue and Valley Drive, as well as possibly PCH and Aviation Boulevard.
Council members unanimously agreed to waive the costs. Councilman Kit Bobko thanked the chamber “for shouldering the burden” to produce the parade.
Councilman Jeff Duclos pointed out that if the chamber had requested to hang banners on light poles along Pier Avenue, which was an option, the council would have had no policy on which to base a decision.
“My understanding is that the [banner] brackets there were for decorative items, which we have up there now,” Duclos said. “My concern is sponsored advertising.”
It's common practice for most cities to have a policy on the use of street light-pole banner space, City Manager Steve Burrell told the council.
Mayor Peter Tucker agreed with Burrell that policy is needed. “Really not just on Pier, but throughout the city,” he said.
Duclos proposed that city staff research policy. The council unanimously approved the motion.
