HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-03-2015 PH1 Pinard 1M+ ia, Anthony
To: Lichtig, Katie CORRESPONDENCE
Subject: RE: Feedback: Proposed Changes to City's Public Art Pang o3 Item# L {
From: Peg Pinard [mailto:pinardmat(abaol.com] _
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2015 1:36 AM ;{
To: Marx, Jan
Cc: Lichtig, Katie rEB 0 2 ?:015
Subject: Re: Feedback: Proposed Changes to City's Public Art Program
Comments to the Agenda Item: "Proposed Changes to City's Public Art Program"
from Peg PInard
Former Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo
Former Chairperson, San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
Founder of the Old Town Neighborhood Association
Restorer of the Myron Angel Home
Placed Myron Angel home on the National Register of Historic Homes
Created the city's First Historical District
Part 1
Council Members
Even though I only became aware that this proposal was on the council's agenda a couple of days ago, and was
unable to gain access to the city's new web site until this afternoon, I have some comments on the document
that I hope you will consider for your discussion.
Before I begin however, I would like to make a general statement and bring something to your attention
regarding the absolutely incredible irony of how this issue is being presented to you.
On Page 1 the report says: "Staff continues to identify program efficiencies and maintenance needs that enable
its operations to be more responsive, where appropriate. Recent work in the area of temporary public art and the
City's Utility Box Art program has highlighted the lack of policy language and the need for updates to the
City's public art policies and procedures to address these types of installations."
And yet, here you are, formulating guidelines, and the neighborhood that raised the issue was never even
brought into the discussion process AGAIN! I only heard that this was on the agenda a couple of days ago - and
only because the mayor sent me an email. -What could possibly be more ironic than that? Here is a proposal to
ostensibly include neighborhood notification and participation and yet ... here is another example of where the
neighborhood was left out of the process and denied early and meaningful input before this got to the council
for a vote. This is the end of the process, not the beginning.
Staff says that: "City's Utility Box Art program has highlighted the lack of policy language..."
Absolutely Not True. There never was a lack of policy language. It is stated clearly iai the General Plan
that neighborhoods affected by proposals for their neighborhood are supposed to be involved early and
meaningfully!
To quote the General Plan:
"Involve residents early in reviewing proposed public and private projects that could have neighborhood
impacts, by notifying residents and property owners and holding meetings at convenient times and places within
the neighborhoods." (The city's General Plan - the old and the new one!) Additionally, for years,
correspondence from our neighborhood has consistently reminded council and the staff of this "policy
language" - and we have been consistently ignored.
What is true is that the city has stead fast] y refused to follow the General Plan.
The comments that follow are primarily about adding clarifying language that will include those affected by
public art proposals. My suggested language and comments are aimed at keeping the city from just paying lip -
service to "being more responsive, where appropriate." By the way, where is being more responsive to
residents not "appropriate "?
.lust to refresh your memory and for the benefit of new council members, this is the 1iiappropriate "art" that just
showed up one morning outside our homes. Residents were denied any ability to have input beforehand as
required by the General Plan. This new extension of the downtown utility box program into our neighborhood
was also a change from the from the long - established city policy that residential utility boxes should remain
unobtrusive. The main focus in our established historic district was to be the historic homes themselves, not a
visual obstruction placed in front of them. This did nothing to reflect the neighborhood character nor add to the
value of our homes.
The lack of any notification and denial for resident input also resulted in not only this image but
then also led to a lack of coordination for other neighborhood signage. That "Historic District"
sign in the second picture is lost behind the utility pole. Had anyone bothered to ask, the well -
designed, historic district logo could have been better coordinated, placed on the the face of the
utility box and been a more visible and appropriate entrance to Old Town. The city ended up
with conflicting "programs" for the one site - and what could have been beautiful simplicity,
turned into visual clutter.