City of Charleston

The Wayfinding Commission consists of eleven voting members who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Charleston City Council. Of these eleven members, one represents the Municipal Beautification Commission; the Charleston Area Alliance; the Charleston Convention and Visitor's Bureau; the Kanawha County Commission; the Charleston City Council; and the City of South Charleston.

Wayfinding Commission Members

• Lisa McCracken 
•  Gary Chernenko 
•  Georgette George
• Mack Miles 
•  Cheryle Hall
• Jessica Lane 
•  Carolyn Charnock
• Elizabeth Pellegrin 
•  Susie Salisbury
• Vacant
• Vacant

The Wayfinding Commission has the following duties and powers:

• To create, oversee and review a directional sign system for residents and visitors to major public areas, destinations and places in the city and its environs;
• Promote and regulate the use of banners and other decorations to identify districts, places of interest, and arts, sports and other public events;
• Create, oversee, and reviews signs in all parks owned or operated by the city; and
• Pursue and implement plans and goals adopted from time to time by city council. For such purposes the commission shall have the authority to create, use, regulate and develop the following:
  • Geographic districts and their boundaries included in the Wayfinding System;
  • Destination and attraction signs included in the Wayfinding System;
  • Banners and decorations in public rights-of-way;
  • District colors;
  • Graphic logos for the districts;
  • A Charleston Area Wayfinding Map;
  • Signs in parks owned or operated by the city;
  • A long-term maintenance program for sustaining signs, banners and other decorations;
  • Policies and procedures regarding licensure and/or fair use of registered, copywrited, or otherwise legally protected designs, logos, maps, signs or other intellectual property of the Wayfinding Commission; and
  • Placement, location and removal of directional signs, signs in parks,, banners and decorations.

2011 Wayfinding Commission Meeting Schedule

Meetings are the first Wednesday of the month at 12:15 p.m. in the City Hall 3^rd Floor AV Room unless otherwise noted. 

·         July 6

·         August 3

·         September 7

·         October 5

·         November 2

·         December 7

BANNER PROGRAM

In 2003, the Mayor and City Council created a Wayfinding Commission and charged that commission with creating a uniform and professional wayfinding and signage program for the city and adjoining areas.

The commission was charged with establishing guidelines for existing banner programs and creating opportunities for exciting new banner programs for community neighborhoods and events.

Currently, there are three such banner programs; Horizontal Street Banners, the Vertical Special Event Banners and the Vertical District Banners.

The banner program is not available for commercial use and may not be political or religious in subject matter.

Horizontal Event Banners

In the city of Charleston, there are opportunities for street banners which hang across all lanes of traffic. These banner locations may be used for the promotion of charitable and non-profit events around the city. The banners hang from Monday to Monday and can be reserved for a maximum of two weeks. Currently, there are four such locations:

1. West Washington Street (West Side) 36ft x 3ft
2. Ruffner Walk & Washington St. East (East End) 36ft x 3ft
3. Virginia Street East (Civic Center) 36ft x 3ft
4. 35th Street near MacCorkle Ave 36ft x 3ft

The application form for Organizers of qualifying events can be downloaded here.

The application deadline occurs twice a year. There is an October application deadline for the first six months of the calendar year and an April application for the second six months of the calendar year.

The City of Charleston Wayfinding Commission will assign available banner dates, and will make its best effort to accommodate location requests. Weeks preceding city-sponsored events (such as FestivALL, Sternwheel Regatta, Charleston Distance Run, Doo Wop Rod Run, and the Christmas Parade) may not be available for reservation. The Wayfinding Commission will grant reservation priority first to city-sponsored events, and second to Neighborhood Association-sponsored events.

Sample Horizontal Event Banner ( 24ft x 3ft OR 36ft x 3ft )

2010 Horizontal Event Banner Calendar

Vertical Special Event Banners

Special event or festival banners are designed to promote major city-sponsored, outdoor events that last for two days or more, including Live on the Levee, FestivALL, Regatta and the Charleston Boulevard Rod Run and Doo Wop. The banners are hung in and around downtown Charleston with the production cost paid for by the event planning committees. For the most part, the banners are attached to traffic light poles at intersections, although a few are on utility or street light poles.

The Charleston Wayfinding Commission provides for the banner installation hardware. The City of Charleston’s traffic engineers install the banners.

To date, two sets of banners have been identified for use by the major Charleston-sponsored events:

Set A: Live on the Levee (May – August), followed by Charleston Rod Run (September – October)

Set B: FestivALL (May – June), followed by Regatta (July – September)

Sample Vertical Special Event Banner (2ft x 4ft)

Vertical District Banners Regulations

Vertical banners provide a vibrant, cohesive medium for creating a visual presence throughout the City of Charleston. The banner poles in Charleston are for the use of the City of Charleston and its districts.

Banners Districts

• Airport Hill
• Downtown
• East End
• Kanawha City
• South Charleston
• South Hills
• Southridge
• West Side

Various districts may participate in the vertical banner program by completing the application process.

Sample Vertical District Banner (Large 30in x 84in OR Small 18in x 36in)

Representatives from the group requesting the banners must appear before the Wayfinding Commission prepared to make a presentation on their banner request.

The Wayfinding Commission must approve all artwork, locations, materials, language, installation and service plans

All applications should be submitted to the planning department.

Charleston Planning Department
City Services Center
915 Quarrier Street, Suite 1
Charleston, WV 25301

Phone: (304) 348-8105
Fax: (304) 348-8042