The flags would fly at “appropriate times of the year,” the resolution reads.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg’s city flag is up for discussion as a local council member is proposing two new looks that would fly at different times of the year.
Council Member Gina Driscoll is proposing a resolution for multiple designs of St. Pete’s flag, one that represents the city as a welcoming place for all and one that recognizes the role of history.
One variation titled the “Harmony Flag” features the city’s seal over a Pride flag, while the “History Flag” has the seal over colors that often represent Black History Month.
Both flags would fly at “appropriate times of the year,” the resolution reads.
The proposal comes over a month after various LGBTQ+ and Black history murals were painted over following a statewide order from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) requiring all pavement markings to comply with new standardized traffic control guidelines.
In a letter to the city, FDOT said the following sites in St. Pete, which include LGBTQ+ and Black history murals, did not comply with the state’s safety and “traffic control device” standards:
Central Avenue and 5th Street N6th Avenue S and 2nd Street S9th Avenue S and 22nd Lane SCentral Avenue and 25th Street N11th Avenue S and 46th Street S
“Municipal flags are significant symbols of a city’s identity, unifying residents and serving as a visual representation of a city’s values,” Driscoll said in a statement. “The Harmony and History flags have been specially designed to represent St. Petersburg as a welcoming city for all and one that recognizes the role of history in its identity.”
The official flag of St. Pete was adopted in 1927 before being redesigned in 1951 and 1984.
St. Pete City Council will discuss the resolution in a meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday. If adopted, it will become effective immediately.
Harmony Flag
History Flag
