DATE: March 26, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Council Referral: Public Art Referral
BACKGROUND
On February 27, 2024, Council Members Andrews and Roche submitted a Council Referral Memorandum regarding a public art fee. The memo requests Council approval of the following:
Direct staff to present a public art fee policy to be applied to development projects throughout the City.
The policy should be between 1-2% and allow developers to either install onsite or contribute to a City-administered fund.
This art fund would be administered with direction from the Council Economic Development Committee.
This memo provides staff analysis in response to the above request.
DISCUSSION
Currently, the City has a $25,000 annual operating budget for public art, which is used solely to maintain existing murals and utility box art. Over the past fifteen years, the City has used various one-time funding sources to install and encourage public art. The primary focus has been mural art, with the expansion into sculpture art over the past several years at the Downtown Library and Heritage Plaza. Staff provided an informational report summarizing these efforts on April 26, 2022.
There are currently no dedicated staff assigned to work on public art. Instead, staff from various departments absorb one-time efforts, such as the sculptures in Heritage Plaza, murals at the Stack Center, and overpass murals. In addition, part-time temporary staff have provided tracking and implementation of periodic mural maintenance.
Due to lack of dedicated staff in this program area, there is minimal capacity this spring to conduct an analysis for an art impact fee. However, the FY25 Local Government Management Fellow will start in June, and staff plans to assign the Fellow to support this effort. Because of this timing, staff recommends the following steps and timeline to respond to this referral:
Summer and Fall 2024: Zach Ebadi in Community Media Relations will oversee the Management Fellow in conducting an analysis of a public art fee and program.
November 2024: Staff will hold a work session with Council to review the results of the analysis and discuss options.
Early 2025: Based on feedback from Council at the November work session, staff will bring forward a proposal for a program and fee for adoption.
NEXT STEPS
Based on Council’s action on this referral, staff will begin work on an analysis of a public art fee and program. Staff will return in November 2024 for a work session.
Prepared by: Mary Thomas, Assistant to the City Manager Approved by:
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Kelly McAdoo, City Manager