Title
Consideration of a Referral Regarding the Use of City Council Goal Funds to Support the Olympia Downtown Alliance Downtown Seasonal Lighting Program
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the allocation of $20,000 in City Council Goal funding to the Olympia Downtown Alliance (ODA) to support the 2026 – 2027 Downtown Seasonal Lighting Program.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the allocation of $20,000 in City Council Goal funding to the ODA to support the 2026 – 2027 Downtown Seasonal Lighting Program.
Staff Contact:
Melissa McKee, Assistant to the City Council, 360.753.8443
Presenter(s):
None. Referral Item.
Background and Analysis:
Downtown Olympia experiences significantly reduced daylight during the fall and winter months, creating areas where additional lighting can improve the experience and perception of safety for downtown residents, visitors, employees, and downtown businesses.
The Olympia Downtown Alliance’s seasonal lighting program has provided supplemental lighting in downtown Olympia for more than two decades. Initiated through a City contract in 2002, the program has grown substantially in both scale and popularity. In 2025, seasonal lights were installed in 108 trees throughout the downtown core, providing illumination from October through April.
Although commonly viewed as seasonal décor, the lighting serves an important public-purpose function. Additional illumination in naturally darker months supports a more welcoming environment, encourages pedestrian activity, and complements broader City efforts to maintain a vibrant, active, and safe downtown.
Without continued City funding, the ODA would need to identify alternate resources or reduce the scope of the program.
Climate Analysis:
The seasonal lighting program results in a modest, time-limited increase in electricity use during the darker months of the year. The ODA has indicated that the lig...
Click here for full text