HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/11/2000, 1 - PUBLIC ART ORDINANCE REQUIRING INCLUSION OF PUBLIC ART IN CERTAIN TYPES OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT council 1&6,D�
'7-11 -00
agenda Repoat 1�N.1
C I T Y OF SAN LUIS OBISPO l
FROM: Ken Hampian, Assistant City Administrative Officer
Prepared By: Wendy George, Assistant to the City Administrative Officer 17
SUBJECT: PUBLIC ART ORDINANCE REQUIRING INCLUSION OF PUBLIC
ART IN CERTAIN TYPES OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
CAO RECOMMENDATION
1. Introduce an ordinance to print requiring the placement of public art, valued at one-half
percent of the total .construction cost, on privately-funded, non-residential construction
projects costing in excess of$100,000.
2. Approve a resolution rescinding Section III, "Criteria for Matching Grant Funding",
Exhibit A, Resolution No. 6811, (1990 Series), Visual Arts in Public Places Program.
DISCUSSION
Background
In 1990, the City Council adopted a Visual Arts in Public Places Program which required that I%
of the total approved construction cost of eligible City-funded capital projects be expended for
the design and installation of public art. In the summer of.1997, the Council took various actions
to revitalize the program, including direction to staff to seek community input on a potential
mandated percent-for-art program for privately-funded development projects. As a result of that
direction, staff convened a focus group of community members to consider the possibility of
creating such an ordinance. While the focus group was highly supportive of public art, it was
reluctant to recommend a mandatory requirement for public art in privately-funded construction
projects.
At the August 17, 1999, Council meeting, staff presented the results of the focus group study to
the City Council, including the recommendation not to go forward with the mandatory art
requirement. The City Council agreed with many of the focus group's recommendations for
improving the Visual Arts in Public Places Program, but disagreed with the recommendation of
no mandatory art requirement for private development. Instead, the Council directed staff to
return with an ordinance requiring an art contribution from the private sector.
Proposed Ordinance
Staff performed a significant amount of research prior to developing the proposed ordinance. We
contacted a number of cities, for example, Palm Desert and Dana Point, that had ordinances in
place requiring the inclusion of public art in private development. We considered the legal
questions posed by such an ordinance. Finally we discussed the ordinance with staff from the
Community Development and Public Works Departments, in an effort to create an ordiny that
Council Agenda Report—Ordinance Requiring Public Art in Private Development
Page 2
could be reasonably integrated within the current City development review process. We believe
that the proposed ordinance is comparable to those existing in other cities, meets all legal
requirements and will not create undue impacts upon existing staff workloads.
What does the ordinance require? The ordinance requires that all privately-funded non-
residential development with a total construction cost in excess of $100,000 include public art
with a value of one-half percent (.5%) of the construction cost. As voluntary options, the
developer may pay an in-lieu fee to the City's public art fund or may give a comparably priced
piece of public art to the City. The law clearly allows the City to require the inclusion of public
art in the proposed development, as there is a direct enhancing nexus to the project. However,
the City may not re uire that a public art fee be paid to the City. Therefore, this option is
available on a voluntary basis and is provided for in the ordinance, along with the voluntary
donation of art.
Why was the minimum construction cost for application of the ordinance set at $100,000?
Staff chose this level so that smaller maintenance or rehabilitation projects would not generate a
public art requirement that might be unduly onerous. Additionally, under the proposed .5%
formula, the value of public art on projects of less than $100,000 would be so srrWl that the art
would likely be insignificant. Similarly, the ordinance exempts construction, repair or alteration
of buildings that is primarily financed with public funds or is necessary to meet City-mandated
seismic rehabilitation or fire lateral replacement. Staff did.not feel that imposing a public art
requirement was appropriate under these circumstances.
Why does the ordinance apply only to non-residential development? The initial direction given
to staff by the Council at the August 17, 1999, meeting was to design an ordinance which
required a public art contribution from all privately-funded development, including residential.
The concept presented by the Council was that even individual residences should contribute to a
public art fund which could then be used to place art in a nearby park. Unfortunately, as
indicated above, the City cannot require a monetary contribution toward public art. It can only
call for the actual placement of art in a location visible to the public. As a result, builders of
individual residences could purchase fancy bird baths or wind vanes from an artist, for example,
and use them to fulfill their public art requirement. Given the amount of staff time that would be
involved in approving these individual public art projects, we did not feel that the value to the
community would warrant the effort.
What about including public art in large housing developments? Staff believes that the
inclusion of public art in a major housing development or subdivision, especially as an entry
feature, or in open space or a neighborhood park, would be beneficial to the community.
However, given the way such projects develop, staff feels that it is more appropriate to include a
public art requirement as part of the specific plan, rather than trying to apply a percent-for-art
requirement from an ordinance. The City's public art coordinator will work with appropriate
Community Development Department planning staff to insure that such a requirement is
included in appropriate specific plans.
How will public art in private developments be approved? Preliminary design plans for the art
will be provided as part of a public art application made to the Community DevejopiFent
Council Agenda Report—Ordinance Requiring Public Art in Private Development
Page 3
Department. The application and proposed artwork will be reviewed by a public art jury, using
the criteria adopted in the City's Visual Arts in Public Places Program. The jury will be made up
of a cross-section of community members, as defined in the same program. Upon the approval of
the jury, the proposed artwork will go to the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) for
approval. In many cases, ARC action on the public art may be simultaneous with ARC action on
the proposed development itself.
Who owns public art that is part of a private development project? Any public art included in a
private development project remains the property of the owner of the development. However,
there is language in the ordinance that requires the owner to maintain the public art so that it does
not become a public nuisance. An owner may not remove the public art without the prior
approval the City. Any artwork voluntarily donated to the City becomes the property of the City.
How would this ordinance have affected some existing projects? If the ordinance had been in
effect at the time that several new projects were being permitted, there would have been varying
impacts on the project.
• In the case of a smaller project, such as the new Frame Works building, a retail store with a
dwelling above, the total construction cost of approximately $176,000 would have generated
a requirement for public art valued at $880. The builder might have considered using that
amount of money to enhance an existing feature of the building, meeting the City's public art
criteria. Or the builder might have chosen to contribute that amount to the public art in-lieu
fund, since it was not that large.
• For an office building like the New Times building, valued at approximately $615,000, the
public art requirement would have been valued at $2,575. This amount might have been
sufficient to purchase an artist-designed bench to be placed outside the building.
• The ordinance would have had a significant impact on a large development complex like the
SLO Promenade. Since the ordinance requires public art for each building permit, and since
there were seven different permits, one for each building in the project, the public art would
have ranged in value from $1,340 for the smallest building to $8,887 for the largest. If, as
allowed by the ordinance, the art requirements were combined, the total art value would have
been about $30,500. (It should be noted that the SLO Promenade agreed to include a$10,000
piece of public art, but the requirement would have been larger if the ordinance had been in
place.)
Rescinding of Matching Grant Funding
When the Visual Arts in Public Places Program was adopted by the Council in 1990, it included
a section which established a matching grant fund to encourage the inclusion of public art in
private construction projects. Matching grants were to occur on a dollar-by-dollar basis and
criteria were established for approving such grants. For the past several years, this grant program
has not been funded or used. With the passage of the proposed ordinance requiring public art in
all privately-funded, non-residential projects, inclusion of public art becomes mandatory. It is no
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Council Agenda Report—Ordinance Requiring Public Art in Private Development
Page 4
longer necessary or appropriate for the City to include matching grants in its Visual Arts in
Public Places Program. Staff is recommending that Section III, Exhibit A, "Criteria for Matching
Grant Funding" of Resolution No. 6811 (1990 Series) be rescinded. (See Attachment 3.)
CONCURRENCES
The Public Works Director and Community Development Director concur with this ordinance.
In addition, twenty=eight letters were sent to development-related and arts organizations with
copies of the draft ordinance. They were invited to meet with staff to answer their questions and
listen to concerns. None of them attended the informational session. Staff has also kept the
Chamber of Commerce informed of the ordinance's development.
FISCAL IMPACT
It is anticipated that the ordinance with create some additional work for Community
Development staff in both the Planning and Building Divisions. It will also have an impact on
the Public Art Coordinator who must set up the public art juries and coordinate with the other
departments involved.
ALTERNATIVES
1. The Council could increase or decrease the one-half percent (.5%) value used to
determine the cost of the required public art. Staff chose .5% because it was half as large
as what the City requires in determining the required public art contribution for its own
capital projects.
2. The Council could raise or lower the proposed $100,000 threshold. If it were raised, less
public art would be generated. If it were lowered, as indicated earlier, the quality of the
public art would be lowered also.
3. The Council could include all residential development in the ordinance. As indicated
above, because only actual artwork can be required, the quality of the public art would be
minimal and the impact on staff time would be significant.
4. The Council could exempt other types of development, or delete the proposed exemptions
for government-funded construction or City-required retrofitting. Staff believes that the
proposed exemptions are fair and that additional exemptions would lessen the impact of
the ordinance and reduce the amount of public art produced by it.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Ordinance
2. Resolution rescinding matching grants.
3. Resolution No. 6811 (1990 Series) Visual Arts in Public Places Program
4. Examples of public art
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ATT; CHWHENT 1
ORDINANCE NO. (2000 Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
RELATING TO PUBLIC ART IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo desires to provide opportunities the
general public to experience quality works of art by facilitating the acquisition, display and
development of such works of art in places where they may be experienced by large
numbers of people; and
WHEREAS, balanced development of cultural and artistic resources preserves and
improves the quality of the urban environment and increases real property values; and
WHEREAS, the Land Use Element of the General Plan states that "The City will
encourage inclusion of appropriate public art in all projects."; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo has adopted a policy which requires one
percent of all eligible municipally funded capital projects be contributed toward public art;
and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo desires to further enhance the aesthetic
environment of the City by requiring private property owners and developers to incorporate
works of art in new developments and substantially improved developments in the City, or
as a voluntary measure in lieu thereof, to donate public art or funds for public art; and
WHEREAS, such works of art will be of intrinsic value to the developments in
which they are located; and
WHEREAS, City of San Luis Obispo desires to adopt an ordinance relating to
public art in private development.
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 17.98 shall be added to the Municipal Code and shall read as
follows:
Public Art Requirements for Private Development
17.98.010 Purpose
The City of San Luis Obispo wishes to enhance the cultural and aesthetic
environment of the City, and to encourage creativity and an appreciation of the arts and our
cultural heritage. Through the establishment of a program of public art funded by private
development, the City will promote the general welfare through balancing the community's
physical growth and revitalization with its cultural and artistic resources.
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Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 2
17.98.020 Definitions
A. "Art in Public Places", as used in this Chapter, shall mean public art
installed either on or off-site, as part of new development, in conformance with the
standards set forth in this Chapter.
B. "Non-residential development", as used in this Chapter, shall mean the
construction of commercial, mixed use, office and industrial projects, which are not
intended for residential purposes.
C. "Public art", as used in this Chapter, shall include, but not be limited to,
sculpture, monuments, murals, frescoes, bas-relief, mobiles, drawings, paintings, graphic
arts, mosaics, photographs, fountains, decorative arts, ceramics, carving and stained glass
located in or on a public place. It does not normally include landscaping, paving,
architectural ornamentation or signs as defined by Chapter-15.40 of the Municipal Code.
D. "Public Art Coordinator", as used in this Chapter, shall mean that City
employee designated by the City Administrative Officer to be responsible for the City's
Visual Arts in Public Places program.
E. "Public Art Jury", as used in this Chapter, shall mean an appointed jury of
no less that five (5) City residents including, but not limited to, as appropriate, a board
member from the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council, an artist, a business representative,
an educator/historian and a City or Advisory Body representative.
F. "Public place", as used in this Chapter, shall mean City or privately owned
land or buildings which are open to the general public on a consistent basis and which are
also places of high visibility to the general public.
G. `Total construction costs", as used in this Chapter, shall mean the valuation
of the proposed structures or improvements, as calculated based on the most recent Building
Valuation Data from the Uniform Building Code (UBC).
17.98.030 Public Art Account
There shall be an account designated for public art, into which shall be deposited all fees
paid pursuant to this Chapter. This account shall be maintained by the City Finance
Director and shall be used for the acquisition, installation, and improvement of public art in
the City.
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Ordinance No. - (2000 Series)
Page 3
17.98.040 Applicability
The program described in this Chapter is a mandatory program and the standards specified
are minimum standards for compliance. Participation in the program by itself does not
qualify project applicants for consideration of increased project density/intensity as
discussed in the Land Use Element of the City of San Luis Obispo General Plan.
A. This chapter shall apply to all new non-residential development, as defined in this
Chapter, having a total construction cost of $100,000 or more, as calculated based
on the most recent Building Valuation Data from the Uniform Building Code
(UBC).
B. This chapter shall apply to all expansion of, remodeling of or tenant improvements
to existing eligible buildings when any such work has a total construction cost of
$100,000 or more, as calculated based on the most recent Building Valuation Data
from the Uniform Building Code (UBC).
17.98.050 Exceptions
The following development activities shall be exempt from the requirements of Section
17.98.040:
A. Construction, repair or alteration of buildings to carry out rehabilitation of private
property if that rehabilitation is primarily financed with public funds.
B. Construction, repair or alteration of buildings to meet City-mandated seismic
rehabilitation or fire lateral replacement.
17.98.060 Public Art Contribution
A. The project applicant shall acquire and install public art approved by a public art
jury and the Architectural Review Commission in a public place on or in the vicinity
of the development project site. The minimum cost of the public art, including
installation, shall be determined by the following allocation:
1. An amount equal to one-half of one percent (.5%) of that portion of the total
construction costs in excess of ($100,000), for each building permit,
computed using the latest Building Valuation Data as set forth in the
Uniform Building Code (UBC) unless, in the opinion of the City's Chief
Building Official, a different valuation measure should be used.
2. Should a project consist of multiple buildings with separate building
permits, at the City's option, arrangements may be made to combine the
public art requirements in an appropriate manner.
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Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 4
3. In no event shall the required cost for public art under this program exceed
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per building permit.
B. As an option, the project applicant shall acquire and install public art, approved by a
public art jury and the Architectural Review Commission and accepted by the City
Council, in a City-owned public place not located at the development site. Cost of
the public art shall be determined by the allocations set forth in Subsection A of this
Section. Such public art shall be considered a donation to the City of San Luis
Obispo.
C. In lieu of placement of approved public art, the applicant may pay as a voluntary
alternative, to a Public Art In-Lieu Account an amount equal to the program
allocation set forth in Subsection A of this Section.
17.98.070 Application Procedures for Placement of Required Public Art on Private
Property
An application for placement of public art on private property shall be submitted to the
Community Development Director and shall include:
A. Preliminary sketches, photographs or other documentation of sufficient descriptive
clarity to indicate the nature of the proposed public art;
B. An appraisal or other evidence of the value of the proposed public artwork,
including acquisition and installation costs;
C. Preliminary plans containing such detailed information as may be required by a
public art jury and the Architectural Review Commission to adequately evaluate the
location of the artwork in relation to the proposed development and its compatibility
to the proposed development, including compatibility with the character of adjacent
conforming developed parcels and existing neighborhoods;
D. A narrative statement to be submitted to the Community Development Director to
demonstrate that the public art will be displayed in an area open and freely available
to the general public, or that public accessibility will be provided in an equivalent
manner based on the characteristics of the artwork or its placement on the site.
17.98.080 Approval for Placement of Public Art on Private Property
A. Applications completed in accordance with Section 17.98.070 shall be submitted to
the Community Development Director for review and approval of the public art in
accordance with this Chapter.
B. The Community Development Director shall forward the completed application to
the Public Art Coordinator who shall convene a public art jury to review the
proposed public art using adopted public art evaluation criteria.
1-8
Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 5
C. Upon recommendation of the public art jury, the public art application shall be
reviewed by the Architectural Review Commission.
D. All approvals for placement of public art on private property shall be obtained prior
to issuance of a building permit.
17.98.090 Application Procedure for Acceptance of Public Art Donated to the City
An application for acceptance of public art to be donated to the City shall include:
A. Preliminary sketches, photographs, models or other documentation of sufficient
descriptive clarity to indicate the nature of the proposed public art.
B. An appraisal or other evidence of the value of the proposed public art, including
acquisition and installation costs;
C. A written agreement executed by or on behalf of the artist who created the public art
which expressly waives his or her rights under the California Art Preservation Act
or other applicable law.
D. Other information as may be required by the Public Art Coordinator to adequately
evaluate the propose donation of public art.
17.98.100 Review of Application for Acceptance of Public Art Donated to the City
A. Prior to the issuance of grading and building permits, the applicant shall present to
the Community Development Director for review, an application for acceptance of
public art donated to the City,pursuant to Section 17.98.060(B).
B. The Community Development Director shall forward the application to the Public
Art Coordinator who shall convene a public art jury to review the proposed public
art,using adopted public art evaluation criteria.
C. Upon the recommendation of the public art jury, the application shall be forwarded
to the Architectural Review Commission for review.
D. Upon the recommendation of the Architectural Review Commission,the application
shall be forwarded to the City Council, which shall have the sole authority to accept,
reject or conditionally accept the donation.
17.98.110 Payment of Art In-Lieu Fee
If the payment of an art in-lieu fee is voluntarily elected, the payment, in an amount equal to
the program allocation set forth in Section 17.98.060 (C), shall be paid prior to the issuance
of a building permit.
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Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 6
17.98.120 Certificate of Occupancy
The following requirements must be met prior to the City's issuance of occupancy permits.
A. Full compliance with one of the following:
1. The approved public art has been placed on the site of the approved project,
in a manner satisfactory to the Chief Building Official and the Public Art
Coordinator; or
2. Donation of approved public art has been accepted by the City Council; or
3. In-lieu art fees have been paid.
B. If public art has been placed on the site of the approved project, the applicant must
execute and record with the County Recorder covenants, conditions and restrictions
(CC&Rs), which require the property owner, successor in interest and assigns to:
1. Maintain the public art in good condition as required by the City's Public
Art Guidelines;
2. Indemnify, defend and hold the City and related parties harmless from any
and all claims or liabilities from the public art, in a form acceptable to the
City Attorney;
3. Maintain liability insurance, including coverage and limits as may be
specified by the City's Risk Manager.
17.98.130 Ownership of Public Art
A. All public art placed on the site of an applicant's project shall remain the property of
the applicant; the obligation to provide all maintenance necessary to preserve the
public art in good condition shall remain with the owner of the site.
B. Maintenance of public art, as used in this Chapter, shall include without limitation,
preservation of the artwork in good condition to the satisfaction of the City,
protection of the public art against physical defacement, mutilation or alteration and
securing and maintaining fire and extended coverage insurance and vandalism
coverage in an amount to be determined by the City's Risk Manager. Prior to
placement of approved public art, applicant and owner of the site shall execute and
record a covenant, in a form approved by the City, requiring maintenance of the
public art. Failure to maintain the public art as provided in this Chapter is declared
to be a public nuisance.
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Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 7
C. In addition to all other remedies provided by law, in the event the owner fails to
maintain the public art, upon reasonable notice, the City may perform all necessary
repairs and maintenance or secure insurance, and the costs therefore shall become a
lien against the real property.
D. All artwork donated to the City shall become the property and responsibility of the
City upon acceptance by the City Council.
17.98.140 Removal or Alteration of Public Art
A. Public art installed on or integrated into a construction project pursuant to the
provisions of this Chapter shall not be removed or altered without the approval of
the City Council.
B. If any public art provided on a development project pursuant to the provisions of
this Chapter is knowingly removed by the property owner without prior approval,
the property owner shall contribute funds equal to the development project's
original public art requirement to the City's Public Art In-Lieu account, or replace
the removed artwork with one which is of comparable value and approved the City
Council. If this requirement is not met, the occupancy permit for the project may be
revoked by the City Council upon due notice and an opportunity to be heard. The
City may, in addition, pursue any other available civil or criminal remedies or
penalties.
SECTION 2. A summary of this ordinance, together with the names of Council
members voting for and against, shall be published at least five (5) days prior to its final
passage, in the Tribune, a newspaper published and circulated in this City. This ordinance
sholl go into effect at the expiration of thirty(30)days after its final passage.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED TO PRINT by the Council of the City of San
Luis Obispo at is meeting held on the day of 2000, on a
motion of seconded by
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO,
A Municipal Corporation
By:
Lee Price,City Clerk Allen K. Settle, Mayor
1-11
Ordinance No. (2000 Series)
Page 8
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
L. Jeffrey Jorgensen, City Attorney
1-12
Al 1AUt ;"'-1t I ti
RESOLUTION NO. (2000 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
RESCINDING SECTION III,EXHIBIT A, "CRITERIA FOR MATCHING GRANT
FUNDING", OF RESOLUTION NO. 6811 (1990 SERIES)
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo adopted Resolution No. 6811
(1990 Series), Visual Arts in Public Places Program; and
WHEREAS, the Visual Arts in Public Places Program established matching grant funding
to encourage private developers to include public art in their projects; and
WHEREAS, the passage of Ordinance No. (2000 Series) relating to public art in
private development requires mandatory public art in all non-residential development with a
construction cost in excess of$100,000; and
WHEREAS, it is no longer appropriate or necessary for the City to offer a matching grant
program.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
Section III, Exhibit A, "Criteria for Matching Grant Funding", of Resolution No. 6811
(1990 Series), Visual Arts in Public Places Program, (Exhibit A) is hereby rescinded.
Upon motion of seconded by
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing resolution was adopted this day of , 2000.
ATTEST: Mayor Allen Settle
Lee Price, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Jeffrey G. Jorgensen, City Attorney
1-13
Visual Arts in Public Places Program
Page 3
4. Public art shall be integrated with the site, and include landscaping, lighting,
interpretive information, and other amenities where appropriate.
5. Permanent public art shall be constructed of durable, high-quality materials
and require minimal or no maintenance. Temporary public art shall be
.constructed of materials appropriate to its duration of public display.
6. A wide variety of artistic expression is encouraged. Expressions of profanity,
vulgarity, or obvious poor taste are inappropriate.
7. Artwork shall reflect a high level of artistic excellence.
8. Public art shall not directly or indirectly cause adverse environmental effects,
or otherwise jeopardize public health, safety or welfare.
III. CRITERIA FOR MATCHING GRANT FUNDING
The city has established a matching grant fund to encourage public art. For every dollar
of private investment, the City Council may match the expenditure on a dollar-for-dollar
basis. Public art projects receiving matching funds should provide a clear public benefit and
advance the city's public art goals: To achieve this,.the city has developed special review
criteria.
Projects seeking matching grant funds will require City Council approval, as described in
Section IV below. The council will use the following criteria in evaluating funding requests:
1. Artwork shall be located 1) on publicly owned property or right-of-way, or 2) on
private property if the artwork is secured through a public art easement.
2. Artwork should promote the city's Goals and Objectives for Public Art
3. The applicant has demonstrated sufficient experience and ability to successfully
complete the public art project.
4. Projects which make creative and efficient use of resources will be given preference.
I
5. Artwork shall be consistent with the city's Public Art Guidelines.
6. Artwork designed'and/or sponsored by a San Luis Obispo county resident, business
or organization will be given preference.
7. The City shall be named as an additional insured and indemnified during
construction and installation of the public artwork
8. Permanent artwork receiving city funds shall become City property.
1-1
ATAICH r11-N 3
RESOLUTION NO. 6811 (1990 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
ADOPTING A VISUAL ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Title and Content. The City Council hereby adopts the "Visual Arts
in Public Places" program as described in Exhibits "A" and 'B" of the Community
Development Department staff report dated May 1, 1990.
SECTION 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this resolution, the following terms
are defined as follows:
(1) "Pisual Art in Public Places" or "Public Art" means any visual work of art
displayed in a publically visible location: (a) in a City-owned area, (b) on the
exterior of any city-owned facility, (c) within any city-owned facility in areas
designated as public area, lobbies, or public assembly areas, or (d) on non-city-
owned property if the work of art is installed or financed, either wholly or in part,
with city funds or grants procured by the City; and if on private property, secured
by a public art agreement between the City and the landowner.
(2) "Work of Art" includes, but is not limited to,sculpture,monument,mural,fresco,
bas-relies; mobiles, photography, drawing, handcrafts, painting, fountain, landscape
composition, banners, mosaic, ceramic, weaving, calving, and stained glass. "Work
of art" is the creative result of individual or group effort, and is either unique or of
limited-issue nature, and is normally not mass-produced or intended primarily for
a commercial market. "Work of art" does not normally include landscaping, paving,
architectural ornamentation, or signs as defined by Chapter 15.40 of the Municipal
Code.
(3) "Capital Construction Project" means any project listed in the City's Financial
Plan Capital Improvement Program, and paid for wholly or in part by the City of San
Luis Obispo for public benefit. "Capital construction project". includes, but is not
limited to building construction, addition, and remodel; parks; plazas; creek
improvements and flood protection projects; bridges; streets, sidewalks, bikeways,
trails other public transportation improvements;parking facilities, and similar public
facilities as determined by the Community Development Director.
(4) "Construction Cost" means the cost in dollars, as approved by the City Council
or the City Administrative Officer, to construct a project. "Construction Cost" shall
not include land acquisition, design, operation, or maintenance costs.
1-15
R 6811
Ai F�itil{i4 {'i 1 3
Resolution No. 6811 (1990 Series)
Page 2
(5) "Eligible Project" means a capital construction project which is not exempt under
the provisions of this resolution, .or by City Council or City Administrative Officer
action.
SECTION 3. Environmental Determination. After City Council review and
consideration, the Community Development Director's decision to grant a negative
declaration pursuant to the City Environmental Procedures and the California
Environmental Quality Act is hereby affirmed.
SECTION 4. Percent For Art. One percent (1%) of the total approved construction
cost of eligible capital construction projects shall be expended for the design and
installation of public art.
SECTION 5. Responsibility For Implementation. The Community Development
Director is responsible for administering the program. City departments responsible for the
planning, design, and construction of eligible capital construction projects shall include
public art in their projects, or shall otherwise meet the requirement through allocation of
funds to the Public Art Program as described in Section 6.
SELMON 6. Public Art Program. (1) Small capital construction projects,
or projects in which the City Council or City Administrative Officer determines that it is
not feasible or desirable to include public art due to site limitations or the project's location
or design, may meet this requirement through allocation of one percent (1%) of their
construction cost as an in-lieu contribution for citywide public art; (2) The Finance
Director shall establish and maintain a Public Art Program in the Capital
Improvement Plan for such a purpose; and (3) Program funds shall be used for the design,
fabrication, and installation of public art, pursuant to the Visual Arts in Public Places
Program, Exhibits "A" and 'B".
1-16
r fa3
r;Cx�4-EMIT -�
Resolution No. 6811 0990 Series)
Page 3
SECTION 7. Exempt Projects. The following types of projects are exempt from this
percent for art requirement: (1) Utility projects, such as public water or sewer system
improvements, pumps, and wells; (2) Underground projects, such as storage tanks and
storm drains and similar items; (3) The City Council or the City Administrative Officer
may exempt other projects from this requirement upon finding that: (a) installation of
public art would be detrimental to public health, safety, or welfare; (b) the project is not
suitable for the inclusion of public art; or is not visible by, used by, or accessible to
the public; or (c) The project is itself a public art project.
SECTION 8. San Luis Obispo County Arts Council. The San Luis Obispo County
Arts Council shall assist the City by evaluating the technical and artistic merit of proposed
public an projects by forwarding its comments to the Community Development Director
or Architectural Review Commission. This is recognized as an appropriate function for the
Arts Council, a non-profit agency, and no City funding is allocated for this advisory service.
SECTION 9. Program Evaluation. The City Clerk shall schedule the public art
program for Council review within one year of the date of this resolution. At such review,
the Council may modify or suspend the program
On motion of Councilman Roalman , seconded by
Councilwoman Pinard , and on the following
roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Roalman, Pinard, Ranpa, Reiss, and Mayor lhmin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
1-17
Resolution No. 6811(1990 Series)
Page 4
the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this 15th day of
Mag 1990.
G-d'1
Mayor Ron Dunin
ATTEST:
ty erk oges
i t i t i i i t i i i i
Q
<tyOfficer
y orney,
Community Developmen epartment
Public Wo s epartment
1-18
I
f" A17A0 'V' 1" 3
Resolution No.6811 (1990 Series)
Page 5
Fie epartment
a ecreation Department
Fiaanc Director
D/jh/pub-art5.wp
1-19
city of
San WIS OBISPO ;
p
VISUAL ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM
I. PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJEC'T'IVES
A. Goals
The City of San Luis Obispo Shall:
1. Preserve and enrich the community's environmental quality by encouraging
visual arts in public places for both public and private development.
2. Foster public art to enhance San Luis Obispo's character.
I Promote opportunities for public participation in and interaction with public
artworks and artists.
4. Expand access to the arts for residents and visitors, with special attention to
the needs of under-served audiences, such as children, low-income families,
senior citizens, and disabled persons.
5. Support a diversity of public art styles, media, programs, and.artists through
its matching grants program for public art.
6. Encourage public artworks which celebrate and reaffirm the community's
historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic values, and which provide a sense of
continuity for future generations.
7• Expand citizen awareness and appreciation of the visual arts as a key part of
the community's identity and quality of life.
B. Objectives
To achieve these goals, the city will:
1. Strongly encourage the inclusion of visual arts in new public and private
development projects in the PF, O, C-G C-R and C-T zones through its
development review process.
2. Evaluate, and where appropriate, revise its General Plan, Zoning and
Subdivision Regulations and other-pertinent.polides*and standards to provide
incentives for and remove.obstacles to public art.. .
I
"
Ate,'. .. 3
,Lh•: l
Visual Arts in Public Places Program
Page 2
3. Develop and implement, in conjunction with San Luis Obispo County Arts
Council, administrative policies for public art acquisition, administration,
funding and long-range planning.
4. Expand the range and depth of financial support sources for the visual arts,
including the possibility of using a portion of an increase in transient
occupancy tax or sales tax to support "public arts programs".
5. Include funding for public art planning and development in the city's Capital
Improvement and Capital Reinvestment Programs where feasible, including
an on-going matching grant fund for public art.
6. Include public art in new capital projects such as parks, city buildings, public
plazas and major street projects;and allocate at least 1 percent of total capital
construction costs for the installation of public art
II. GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC ART
Art eludes precise definition or regulation. Art in public context, unlike art in private
collections or museums, is linked to the community in complex ways. It both shapes and
reflects the community's perception of itself — its character and its values. And it must
address and respond to a wider audience than art in museums or private collections.
Recognizing this difference, cities and counties have developed various guidelines to
encourage the widest possible range of artistic expression, while ensuring that artworks
express the community character and values, and meet reasonable criteria applicable to
other types of"development projects".
The following guidelines will help artists, citizens, commission and council members and
staff understand the city's expectations for public art. They are not intended to unduly
restrict creative expression, or limit the types of public art possible. Rather, they are
intended to achieve the best possible mating of site and artwork, and guide what is
essentially a form of.communication between the artist and the community. They are
interpreted by the City Council and the Architectural Review Commission, with technical
and procedural assistance from the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.
1. Public art shall be located within the public right-of-way, or shall otherwise
be easily visible or accessible from a public right-of-way.
2. The design and placement of public art shall not impede pedestrian or vehicle
traffic, or conflict with public or private easements.
3. Public art shall be compatible with.the immediate site and neighborhood in
terms of architectural scale, materials, land use and the site's historical and
environmental context.
Visual Arts in Public Places Program
Page 3
4. Public art shall be integrated with the site, and include landscaping, lighting,
interpretive information, and other amenities where appropriate.
5. Permanent public art shall be constructed of durable, high-quality materials
and require minimal or no maintenance. Temporary public art shall be
constructed of materials appropriate to its duration of public display.
6. A wide variety of artistic expression is encouraged. Expressions of profanity,
vulgarity, or obvious poor taste are inappropriate.
7. Artwork shall reflect a high level of artistic excellence.
8. Public art shall not directly or indirectly cause adverse environmental effects,
or otherwise jeopardize public health, safety or welfare.
III. CRITERIA FOR MATCHING GRANT FUNDING
The city has established a matching grant fund to encourage public art. For every dollar
of private investment, the City Council may match the expenditure on a dollar-for-dollar
basis. Public art projects receiving matching funds should provide a clear public benefit and
advance the city's public art goals.' To achieve this,the city has developed special review
criteria.
Projects seeking matching grant funds will require City Council approval, as described in
Section IV below. The council will use the following criteria in evaluating funding requests:
1. Artwork shall be located 1) on publicly owned property or right-of-way, or 2) on
private property if the artwork is secured through a public art easement.
2. Artwork should promote the city's Goals and Objectives for Public Art.
3. The applicant has demonstrated sufficient experience and ability to successfully
complete the public art project
4. j Projects which make creative and efficient use of resources will be given preference.
5. Artwork shall be consistent with the city's Public Art Guidelines.
6. Artwork designed and/or sponsored by a San Luis Obispo county resident, business
or organization will be given preference.
7. The City shall be named as an additional insured and indemnified during
construction and installation of the public artwork.
8. Permanent artwork receiving city funds shall become City property.
122
All 1A.
Visual Arts m Public Places Program
Page 4
IV. PUBLIC ART REVIEW PROCESS
Public art projects shall be reviewed according to the chart shown in Exhibit"B". All public
art shall require review and approval by the City's Architectural Review Commission,except
for those public art projects determined by the Community Development Director to be
minor or incidental. Hearing, notice and appeal procedures shall be as provided for
architectural review, Chapter 2.48 of the Municipal Code. Public art in major City capital
projects, or public art projects for which matching city funds are requested, shall require
City Council approval. The San Luis Obispo County Arts Council will assist the City in the
review of public art. A subcommittee of the Arts Council will, on request by the City,
evaluate artworks on their technical and artistic merits, and make recommendations to the
Architectural Review Commission and City Council.
V. INCENTIVES FOR PUBLIC ART
To promote the inclusion of public art in both public and private projects, the City shall
undertake, as appropriate, the following actions to implement the Visual Arts in Public
Places program:
1. Waive processing and permit fees for public art projects.
2. Increase matching grant funding or allow unused grant funds to accrue from
one budget cycle to the next.
3. Consider allowing density bonuses or height exceptions to projects which
include public art tied to open space at ground level. For example, a project
which included sculpture and mini-plaza might receive height or coverage
exception to allow additional floor area comparable to the area devoted to
public art.
4. Work with the county and state to explore possible tax incentives for public
arL
5. Revise setback regulations (Section 17.16.020) to allow public art within
setback areas, with provision allowing direction discretion to require use
permits for large artworks, or for those whose placement lmay have solar,
traffic or environmental impacts.
6. Clarify Sign Regulations relative to public arL
7. Minimize public review time by waiving construction permit requirements,
where allowed by law, for most types of public art, including:. temporary
artworks, projects which do not involve significant structural work, and
projects which do not affect public health or safety (eg., the mural or bas-
relief on existing wall); and by allowing over-the-counter
.construction permits .
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Visual Arts in Public Places Program
Page 5
for all but structurally complex artworks.
8. Consider allowing public art to meet a portion of the total required common
open space in condominium projects.
9. Redefine "structure" in the Zoning Regulations (Section 17.04.410) so that
public artworks are excluded for determining setbacks or building/lot
coverage.
VI. ADDITIONAL TASKS
These are additional tasks to be completed as part of a comprehensive public art program,
listed in the recommended order of implementation:
1. Establish Administrative Procedures - In addition to public art policies
established by the City Council, administrative procedures are needed to
support the overall goals of the program. These would include: artist
selection procedures, community involvement, interagency cooperation,
contract preparation, art .collection management guidelines, insurance and
liability, and conflict resolution.
2. Artist Involvement -The ARC is the primary City advisory body charged with
reviewing public art. To assist the ARC in its role, at least one member of
the commission should be an artist, or have a strong background in the visual
arts. This would help commissioners understand art issues, and provide the
technical expertise to understand public art media, techniques, and design
implementation.
3. Public Art Brochure - To assist community groups, developers, and citizens,
the City will prepare a brochure which explains the public art program: goals
and objectives, matching grant funding, and the design review process. The
brochure would be made available through:the Arts Council, and at the City
Community Development and Engineering Departments.
4. Education Program - The success of public art is measured largely by the
community's understanding of an and appreciation for this art form as a
cultural resource. To promote such understanding, the City will help sponsor
an educational program which may include: public art activities in elementary
school classes, occasional articles on public art in the SLO Newsletter, San
Luis Obispo City/County.labrary displays,and:promotion of public art among
civic organizations.
S. Program Evaluation - The public art program should be evaluated on a
regular basis, initially one year after adoption (on or before May 15, 1991),
and then every 2 years, in conjunction with the city's budget cycle. The
written evaluation would describe the status of public art projects, evaluate
policies and,procedures,-and spggest changes.to.the program;.as appropriate
All
Ertl.:ii•..._. . ;
PUBLIC ART REVIEW PROCESS
LEGEND
SUBMIT NORMAL REVIEWAPPLICATION
SPECIAL REVIEW
PUBLIC HEARING
IF MINOR OR TEMPORARY ARTWORK STAFF
r--------- EVALUATION
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NOT MINOR OR
TEMPORARY
MINOR OR
INCIDENTAL IF IN CITY PARK IF MATCHING GRANT FUNDING REQUESTED
ARCH.REVIEW r- - - ROUTING ----------�
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RECREATION IF APPEALED
- REVIEW -- COORDINATING
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