1 Art
in
Public
Places
2023 & 2024
ANNUAL
REPORTS
INSIDE
PG. 2
Art in Public Places
Program
Art in Public Places
Fund
Program Policy
PG. 3
Completed Projects
PG. 4
In-Progress & Pipeline
Projects
2 ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION OF ART IN PUBLIC PLACES ORDINANCE AND PROGRAM The City of San Mateo’s Art in Public Places Ordinance (Ordinance) was approved in July 2005 to promote the development of cultural and artistic resources within the community (Chapter 23.60, “Art in Public Places”). Annual reporting is required by the Ordinance and each year an Art in Public Places Annual Report (Report) is prepared for review by the Civic Arts Committee (CAC).. The Report provides information about projects that have been completed during the calendar year, projects in progress and in the pipeline, and administrative activities.
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES FUND
FUND SOURCES, USES, & FUND BALANCE
The Ordinance requires private developers of projects
over $3 million to either install an art piece of a
certain value or pay an in-lieu fee that is deposited
into the Art in Public Places Fund (Fund). The Fund
may be used for Ordinance administration, art
acquisition, installation, and/or improvement,
maintenance of City-owned public art, development
of an Art in Public Places Master Plan (Master Plan),
and other public art related activities.
Any art related activities that need expenditure of
these funds requires a recommendation of approval
from the Civic Arts Committee to the City Council and
the Council’s approval.
In recent years, several project developers chose to
pay the in-lieu fee. As a result, the current fund
balance in the Art in Public Places Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) account is approximately
$1,044,000 (as of September 1, 2024).
CHANGES TO ART IN PUBLIC PLACES FEE
On November 15, 2021, as part of the City’s
comprehensive fee study, the Ordinance was revised
to increase the art obligation/in-lieu fee amount from
0.5% to 1.19% of the total building valuation,
excluding the value of land acquisition and off-site
improvement costs.
The fee will automatically increase annually in line
with the other City fee increases, which are based on
the Construction Cost Index for the San Francisco
Area. The purpose of the increase was to ensure City
costs to administer the program are fully recovered.
PROGRAM POLICY
PUBLIC ART MASTER PLAN
On November 7, 2022, the City Council approved the
2022 Annual Report and with that, the Civic Arts
Committee (CAC) request to develop a Public Art
Master Plan.
Due to staffing transitions and other high priority
policy initiatives, including the General Plan and
Housing Element update efforts, limited progress was
made in 2023 and 2024. To date, staff has begun
researching various jurisdictions similar to San Mateo
that have developed art master plans, or are in
progress of doing so, to see where we may gain
insights from others.
Next steps to proceed with the Master Plan would
include interdepartmental collaboration to identify the subjects and activities to be included in the Master Plan and preparation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) to
select a consultant to facilitate the process and assist in development of the Master Plan.
A key objective of the Public Art Master Plan Art would be to align all public art related activities with current practices that meet the City’s interests and needs.
The Civic Arts Committee and City staff would work
closely with the selected consultant to lead this effort and conduct community engagement, which will be a
vital component of the Master Plan development.
Since two years have passed since this topic was last
before the City Council, the CAC is seeking confirmation from the City Council about support for preparation of a Public Art Master Plan, and when staff time and budgetary resources would be prioritized to support the effort.
3 COMPLETED PROJECTS
ART INSTALLED BY DEVELOPERS AT THEIR PROJECT LOCATIONS
Two projects fully completed their art installations in 2023 and 2024: The Racial Equity Art Project, as pictured on the front page and below, and the Fallen Heroes Art Memorial shown below. Formal completion of art projects requires installation in accordance with the approved proposal and final inspections for all art related building permits, the provision of financial documents confirming the obligated expenditures, and a recorded Covenant of Public Art Maintenance with San Mateo County to establish the property owner’s obligation to maintain the art.
Remembrance Poppy
Fallen Heroes Art Memorial
Central Park
Artist: RRM Design Group
Materials: Seven reflective stainless steel monuments
with engraved names, painted steel 'slice' poppy image
Granite bench, decorative paving, flush mount lights
Completed in May 2024
When viewed from one specific point, the monuments
will unite to form a single image – the remembrance
poppy.
4 EQUITY PUBLIC ART
PROJECT
SUPPORTING RACIAL EQUITY
In July 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution
reaffirming the City of San Mateo’s commitment to
racial equality and equity. The Council discussed the
concept of a community mural or other community
art project that would reflect and promote racial
equity and diversity.
On June 20, 2023 the City Council (Council) approved
Rafael Blanco as the artist selected for the Racial
Equity Art Project. As reported in the last annual
report, the closing of B Street blocks for a permanent
Pedestrian Mall allowed for its use as a unique and
large enough space to use for the project. The
Council directed the CAC to work with Mr. Blanco in
revising and approving the design to expand to both
Pedestrian Mall blocks and incorporate the feedback
from the public, the City Council, and the CAC. The
CAC held a study session to review and discuss the
draft designs on August 14, 2023, then met on
September 11, 2023 and voted unanimously to
approve the final design. The mural unveiling took
place on October 28, 2023.
SPECIAL MENTION:
480 E. 4th Ave: Kiku Crossing - MidPen Housing &
City-Owned Downtown site for
Affordable Housing & Parking Garage
The mural on the Kiku Crossing project was
completed in December 2022 but was not included
in the 2022 Annual Report. Harumo Sato, was
selected to create three murals that stand up to
54-feet tall on the Kiku Crossing parking garage.
Artist and mural are pictured here (right).
PIPELINE PROJECTS
The project listed below has been identified as large enough that it is expected to be obligated to provide art or pay the in-lieu fees. The pipeline project developer has contacted staff regarding their art interests and obligations and has already made an initial presentation to the CAC, at the January 8, 2024 meeting for feedback on concepts and design. 31-57 S. B Street (1st & B): Four-story retail and office building in Downtown