This page describes regulations for temporary banners and inflatable displays in commercial zone districts.
As a commercial property and/or business owner it is crucial to know and understand your signage allowance. Every business is allotted square footage for permanent signs. Those are the signs permanently affixed to the building facade, monument and freestanding signs.
Businesses can also utilize temporary signs over and above the permanent signage allotted. Temporary signs advertise a sale, grand opening, special event or liquidation. A City permit is required for all temporary banner and inflatable displays.
Banners
A banner is defined as any temporary sign having character, letters, illustrations or ornamentations applied to cloth, paper, fabric or other lightweight non-rigid material, with only such material for a backing, which projects from, hangs from or is affixed to a building, utility light pole or wire. The display surface shall have no blinking or flashing lights, nor be illuminated, animated or be constructed of reflective material. Banners include building decals or cable-hung banners.
FEATHER and/or WAVE BANNERS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
All banners must meet the following criteria:
Duration
Banners are permitted for a maximum of ninety (90) days per calendar year in any combination of days.
Design
If the banner promotes a community event the event place, date and time are the primary copy. Any sponsor logos must be secondary to the event copy. Banners cannot be illuminated, animated or constructed of reflective materials.
Size
Single Story Building - A maximum of .75 square foot for each linear foot of exterior wall.
Multiple Story Building - A maximum of five percent (5%) of the area of the exterior building wall on which it is hung.
The allowable sign square footage can be split among several banners or allocated to one single banner.
Placement
The banner must be placed on the wall of the building from which it draws its allowed square footage.
Vertical banners attached to light poles in off street parking areas also are permitted. These may be no larger than 24”X48” and must be hung eight feet (8’) from the ground in pedestrian areas and fourteen feet (14’) from the ground in vehicular areas.
Banners hung between T-post, attached to fences, retaining walls and/or vehicles and banners in landscape areas are prohibited.
Banners must be kept in good repair (not frayed, faded or sagging) and remain firmly attached to the building or light pole from which they are hung.
Inflatable Displays
An inflatable display is any sign consisting of a flexible material envelope of non-porous material shaped from inserted air or other gas used to promote special events, grand openings, sales and business transitions. Inflatable displays that wave in an irregular manner are prohibited. Inflatables shall not have a sound system. Inflatables do not include individual latex balloons under 18” in size.
All inflatables must meet the following criteria:
Number
A maximum of five (5) inflatables are allowed per event. There is no size requirement. Balloons under 18” do not count towards the maximum.
Duration
May be displayed for fourteen (14) days per commercial event. Commercial events include sales, grand openings and business transitions.
Permits for no more than two (2) commercial events will be issued to any particular business, development or location in a calendar year.
Placement
Ground mounted displays must be setback from the property line one and one-half (1½) times the height of the display.
Roof mounted displays must not exceed the maximum height for the zone district. A tether can be a maximum of fifteen feet (15’) long.
Inflatables cannot be attached to fences, landscaping, utility poles or light poles and must be securely anchored or attached so as to prevent dislocation, entanglement or encroachment onto adjacent properties or public streets, or undue hazard to motorists or pedestrians.
Inflatable displays that wave rapidly and erratically and portable inflatable billboards are prohibited.
Additional Information
All banners and inflatable displays require a permit through the Development Review Enterprise. Banner and Inflatable permits are currently $30 per permit.
Development Review Enterprise is located at:
2880 International Circle, Suite #200-7 Colorado Springs, CO 80910
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm closed 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm
Phone: (719) 385-5072
Banners and inflatable displays must be removed at the expiration of the applicable permit. City Code Enforcement will enforce violations of the banner and inflatable display ordinance.