City Hall Flag Raising Application

Flying of Commemorative or Organizational Flags

1. Each Commemorative or Organizational Flag shall be flown no more than once a year and will be displayed for a period of time that is reasonable or customary for duration of the event, but no more than three continuous days.
2. Only one Commemorative or Organizational Flag will be allowed to be displayed during any time period.
3. Commemorative and Organizational Flags must be temporarily donated for the City of Lancaster’s use and be clean, without holes and tears and be made of an all weather fabric.
4. The flag must have no tattered edges and have appropriate grommets for hoisting on the City Flagpoles.
5. Commemorative and Organizational Flags must be the same size or smaller than the American Flag, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Flag and City of Lancaster Flags flown on the City Flagpoles.
6. Upon Council’s directive that such a Commemorative or Organizational Flag be flown, the organization providing such flag must submit the flag at least two business days prior to the date upon which it is to be flown.
7. The City of Lancaster will not be responsible for the condition of the Commemorative or Organizational Flag once flown and may dispose of any such flag not picked up within two business days after it has been flown.
8. The City of Lancaster will not purchase Commemorative or Organizational Flags

Application Procedure

1. Any organization or individual requesting that the City raise a commemorative or organizational flag must complete a Flag Raising Application at least 120 days in advance of the date upon which the applicant seeks to fly such commemorative or organizational flag.
2. The Lancaster Office of Promotion (LOOP) will review the application to confirm there are no date conflicts. LOOP will then forward the application to the City Clerk to place on the next City Council meeting agenda.
3. The City Clerk will notify the applicant of the date and time of that City Council meeting so that the applicant may be present to answer questions and provide support for the application to City Council.
4. City Council has the sole and absolute discretion to determine whether to approve or deny such application.
5. If the application is subsequently approved by City Council, the applicant will be notified of the same and for the dates the flag will be flown.

Submission of Flag to the City

1. At least two business days prior to the date of the flying of a ceremonial or organizational flag, the individual organization which submitted the application for the flying of the same shall provide the flag to the Receptionist at City Hall, located at 120 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA.
2. The flag must be clean and serviceable, with no tears or tattered edges, contain appropriate grommets, be made of all weather fabric, and must be no greater in size than 36” wide by 60” long.

Flag Raising Process

1. City Council may allow the raising of flags in front of City Hall to commemorate an event or occasion.
2. Flag raisings must occur on a normal business workday, generally between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
3. All flags flown on City Flagpoles will be flown in accordance with the United States Code, Title IV, and other applicable law.
4. The United States of America Flag will be placed in the position of first honor at all times.

Flag Raising Ceremonies

1. Should the applicant request a ceremony with the raising of the flag, information regarding the same shall be set forth in the Flag Raising Application.
2. All flag raising events must be open to members of the public and the applicant must as the requestor to the flag raising event, adhere to the City of Lancaster’s policy not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, handicap, disability, Veteran’s status, national origin, or any other matter covered by the City’s anti-discrimination ordinances.
3. The City reserves the right to invite community representatives and dignitaries to attend and speak at all flag raising ceremonies.
4. Any applicants requesting a flag raising ceremony are expected to have at least twenty (20) attendees.
5. Applicants may request the Mayor to speak during the ceremony, which requests will be at the discretion of the Mayor.
6. All approved ceremonies will be under the supervision of and must be coordinated with the City’s Department of Neighborhood Engagement.

Flag Retrieval

1. All flags raised in accordance with these Policies and Procedures will be lowered after being displayed for the maximum of three (3) calendar days.
2. The applicant must pick up the flag from the City Hall Receptionist within two (2) business days after being displayed.