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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/04/2005, C8 - 2005-07 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PUBLIC ART PROJECTS council M`°°""j0-0. -05 ac,Enaa izEpoat I,N� CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: Wendy George, ACAO OK Prepared By; Betsy Kiser,Principal Administrative Analyst SUBJECT: 2005-07 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PUBLIC ART PROJECTS CAO RECOMMENDATION As part of the Capital Improvement Plan for 2005-07, approve public art funding for projects as identified in Attachment 1 for year one (2005-06). DISCUSSION Back round The City's adopted Art in Public Places Program states that 1% of the cost of all eligible City Capital Improvement Plan projects (CIP) shall be committed to public art (reduced to 3/a% for 2003-05 and further reduced to 1/i% for 2005-07 due to budget constraints). Once the Financial Plan is approved by Council, the allocated funding is placed in a separate public art account and later divided among projects identified and recommended by the CIP committee and approved.by Council. Key Issues This year, as it was with last year, several issues played a role in determining the amount of funding available for public art projects. Foremost, because of difficult financial times, the Council allocated 1/z% for public art rather than the customary 1%. Second, and again because of budgetary constraints, only maintenance and safety projects were funded in the 2005-07 CIP, thereby further reducing the amount of funding available for public art. Lastly, over the past year, a sizeable sum of public art in-lieu funding has been "received from private developers. Policy dictates that these funds can be used for the "acquisition, installation, and improvement of public art in the City." The CIP committee therefore recommended enhancing the 2005-07 public art funds with public art in-lieu contributions to allow for more extensive public art projects (as they did for the 2003-05 funds). At this time, staff is recommending funding public art projects for FY 2005-06 only. Staff will return to Council a year from now (using pubic art in-lieu contributions collected during 2005-06 in combination with the '/z% committed for CIP projects earmarked for 2006-07) and seek approval for the second half of the 2005-07 public art program. CAR—2005-07 Public Art Projects page 2 Selection Process The CIP committee met on August 22, 2005. Using input from the San Luis Obispo_ County Arts Council's Art in Public Places Committee, the expertise of the City's Public Art Coordinator, and a directive from City Council last year to include art for the Foothill Bridge project, the committee identified a number of projects for presentation to the Council. Again, due to the nature of the reduced CIP program, none of the current year's projects lent themselves to the inclusion of public art. Therefore, the committee looked for public art projects that would have high public visibility and use, or enhance the existing public art program. A total of$1.17;263 is available this year for public art projects. Committee Recommended.Projects 1. Maintenance Account. Staff is requesting that$15,000 be set aside on an annual basis for maintenance of existing public art. Vandalism, weathering, old age, accidents and the like affect the life of a piece of art. By setting aside a small amount of funds for annual maintenance for waxing, repainting, cleaning, etc., the life expectancy of our artwork can be extended exponentially. 2. New Therapy Pool. Last year, $23,100 was allocated for artwork associated with the construction of a new therapy pool. In working with the Project Manager and the design consultant for the pool, who identified an artistic shade structure over the therapy pool as the theme for the public art piece; they requested an augmentation of $5,000 to the budget to meet what they believe to be a more precise estimate of the cost of such a structure. If the increase is approved, $28,100 would be available for the shade structure. 3. Mitchell Park. In 1997-99, $12,900 was allocated for artwork associated with the 'installation of a new playground in Mitchell Park. Two years ago, a request for proposals (RFP) went out, resulting in the eventual selection of a piece of artwork by the art jury and the subsequent approval of that piece by the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) and the Architectural Review Commission (ARC). Unfortunately, between the time the piece was selected by the art jury and its eventual review by the PRC and the ARC, the price of steel escalated to the point where the artist could no longer produce the piece for the amount allocated. Staff is recommending 1) ail augmentation of$10,000 to the project, and 2) reissuing the RFP so that all interested artists have the opportunity to work with the enhanced funding (previously selected artist included). If the increase.is approved, $22,900 would be available for the Mitchell Park piece. 4. Bill Beeson.Matching Grant. On March 1, 2005, and as requested by the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council, the City Council allocated up to $10,000 to match the Bill Beeson Memorial Fund to commission a piece of public art in honor of Mr. Beeson's contributions to public art in our community. The community funds have GAProjects&ProgramsTublic Art\Current ProjectACIP Public Art Projects 2000n05-07.doc / I CAR—2005-07 Public Art Projects page 3 been realized and therefore Council is being asked to approve the snatching fonds from this year's public art allocation. 5. Lighting for City-owned Public Art. The City cur ently owns several pieces_ of public art that lack adequate night lighting, which limits the public's ability to enjoy the work and invites vandalism. Staff is requesting the use of up to $15,000 to light or replace lighting on Garnet (Parking Lot 10), Love & Doublejoy (side of Palm Street garage), Iron Road Pioneers (Railroad Square), Storyboard (corner of Madonna and Los Osos Valley Road), and Icons of an Era (Railroad Museum). 6. Foothill Bridge. Due to construction timing issues and possible delays in construction of the Foothill Bridge project, funding for the public art portion of the project was delayed until this fiscal year. However, in approving the Public Art budget for 2003-05, the City Council directed staff to include an allocation for public art for the Foothill Bridge in the 2005-07 funding recommendation. Therefore, staff is requesting $15,000 for this project. (Staff is also working with the Cal Poly Department of Architecture to determine a possible interest in designing, fabricating and installing a piece because of the bridge's proximity to the University. If they agree, it may free up this $15,000 for another project.) 7. Entryway into the City at Highway 1 and Highland Avenue. Long considered a major entryway into the City, a piece of public art somewhere in this intersection would not only improve the esthetics of the entryway; but also enhance the experience of those entering the City, in particular; tourists. Both the Art in Public Places committee and the CEP committee strongly recommended the placement of public art at this site. $42,000 is being requested for a monument piece. 8. County Building. Artwork for the front of the new County building has been a topic of discussion in recent conversations between the CAO and the County Administrative Officer. The CAO has offered the services of the City's Public Art Coordinator to assist the County with the public art process and is recommending an allocation of up to $5,000 from the City's public art funds to be directed specifically toward art for the exterior of the Board of Supervisor's Chamber (the white cylinder building in front). With the $5,000 allocation, the City has been assured a part in the selection of art for that section of the building. CONCURRENCES The San Luis Obispo County Arts Council's Art in Public Places Committee suggested possible locations for public art at their August 9, 2005 meeting and unanimously approved_ staff's recommendations at their September 13, 2005 meeting. (Attachment 2) G\Projects&Prograras\Public Art\Cumnt ProjectACIP Public Art Projects 2005-07.doc C g--3 CAR—2005-07 Public Art.Projects page 4 FISCAL IMPACT The following funding is available for public art projects as part of the City's CIP budget and Public Art In-Lieu funds: )005-06 2006-07 General Fund $9,400 $11,400 Public Art In-Lieu $107,863 $50,000 projected Total Available $117,263 $61,400 -projected See Attachment 1 for the specific proposed funding allocation. ALTERNATIVES 1. The Council could choose to redistribute funds among projects, allocating more funding than recommended for one project and less for another. 2. The Council could choose to delete one or more projects.from the recommended list and redistribute funds among. the remaining projects. The Art in Public Places committee and staff spent considerable time discussing and identifying appropriate projects to receive public art funding. The current recommendation reflects their intent to acquire the maximum amount of public art with available funding without diminishing the potential quality of the artwork received. 3. The Council could recommend other.locations for public art. ATTACHMENTS 1. Public Art CIP project list 2. Letter from the SLO County Arts Council's Art in Public Places Committee GAProjects&Progra w\Public ArACurmat ProjectsUP Public Art Projects 2005-07.doc ATTACHMENT _ 2005=0fi_PUBLIC ART RECOMMENDATIONS AVAILABLE FUNDING (includes $9400 CIP funding for 2005=06 plus In-Lieu funds) $ 117,263.00 MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT UNT $ 152000.00 PROPOSED PUBLIC ART FUNDING (to enhance projects) $ 10,000.00 Mitchell Park Public Art $ 15,000.00 lighting for existing public art pieces $ 5,000.00 increase funding for Therapy Pool public art (talk to Bridget) PROPOSED NEW PROJECTS $ 10,000.00 matching grant for Bill Beeson Memorial Fund $ 42,000.00 entryway into City at Hwy 1 and Highland Avenue $ 5,000.00 up to this amount for new County"Building $ 15,000.00 Foothill Bridge_ $ 117,000.00 Total of Proposed projects CF��s ATTACHMENT 2 San Luis Obispo County ARTS COUNCIL September 26, 2005 Mayor Romero and City Council, The Art's Council's Art in Public Places Committee recently had the opportunity to review the City's CIP public art funding for 2005-06.The APP Committee concluded that the City's committee has made thoughtful and careful recommendations considering the financial constraints. The APP Committee holds as a priority the establishment of new public art and maintaining and enhancing existing pieces.. We feel that it has been accomplished with these proposals. We are especially pleased that the decision was made to invest in proper lighting for designated existing pieces. Also, we are excited about a piece for the Hwy. 1 and Santa Rosa entryway. We continue to like the idea of something for the Foothill Bridge and will work with Cal Poly and the City to investigate possible fnancial solutions. We know and understand the careful planning required at this time for the public art program. We would like to commend and thank you for your continued commitment to your public art program. It continues to be a shining star and model for other communities.. The Arts Council will work diligently with the City to sustain the program through the hard times on the path to brighter days. We urge you to adopt these proposed projects from the CIP funding for 2005=06. Sincerely; Arts Council APP Committee Ann Ream,Chair Post Office Box 1710 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 a (805) 544=9251 E-Mail: ipslocac@slonet.org • Fax: (805) 544-1.522 www.-sloartscouncil.org o- /- C