City of Sunnyvale
Agenda Item
23-0413 Agenda Date: 4/27/2023
REPORT TO ARTS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Recommend Three Icon Concepts and Location Map to City Council for Final Icon Selection and Locations
BACKGROUND
The Master Plan for Public Art provides a framework to enhance the visual landscape of the community by broadening the scope of existing public art programs. The Plan also provides specific goals and resource allocation procedures to guide short and long-term decision-making for public art, including expenditures from the Public Art Fund.
As part of the Master Plan for Public Art community engagement process, study sessions and meetings, the City Council and Arts Commission identified temporary art projects as a priority.
Temporary art, as defined in the Master Plan for Public Art, is “any public art that is fixed-term, non- permanent and will not be accessioned into the City’s Permanent Art Collection.” In November 2021, City Council approved an allocation of $100,000 from the Public Art Fund to implement new temporary public art, the Sunnyvale Icon Sculpture Project (formerly titled “Prefabricated Sculptures Altered by Artists” (Attachment 2 - RTC No. 21-0972)). The goal of this Project is to create public art that is iconic and distinctly Sunnyvale, while providing fun exploration of the community.
In order to identify possible icons, City staff surveyed the community to learn what imagery/figures uniquely define Sunnyvale. Staff is requesting the Arts Commission review the results of the community survey and recommend three icons for City Council. Additionally, staff plans to recommend to the City Council to authorize the Arts Commission to approve the final icon designs and artists for the Icon Sculpture Project for administrative efficiency considering the high number of artworks for this Project. City Council is scheduled to consider this item at their June 6, 2023 meeting.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 6.04.01 Arts - Goals and Policies (Policy A.1, A.2, B.3, E.1.) Council Policy 6.04.04 Art in Public Places
General Plan, Chapter 4, Community Character - Design (Policy CC 1.1, 1.1c, 1.1d, 1.4,
1.8a/b/c/d/e/f, 6.1, 9.1, 9.1c)
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Icon Project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to section 15303(e) of the CEQA Guidelines (minor temporary use of land having negligible or no permanent effects on the environment), and because it will not result in direct or indirect changes to the physical environment
Attachment 1
23-0413 Agenda Date: 4/27/2023
(CEQA Guideline 15378(b)(5)).
DISCUSSION
Implementation
Staff identified the following phases to bring the Sunnyvale Icon Sculpture Project to fruition:
Phase 1: Identify Sunnyvale Icon
In May 2022, an online survey was conducted asking the community to select an icon to be reproduced on a larger scale (Attachment 3 - Icon Survey). The list of icons included: wagons, tractors, parrots, chickens, anvil/iron, farming tools, fruit, fruit boxes, blimp/airplanes, train whistle, railroad spikes, water tower, computer chip/palm pilot, a sun, Pong/Atari and “other.” Based on 164 responses received, the top five icons are:
1. Cherry, Apricots, etc. (fruit)
2. Sun
3. Parrots
4. Fruit Boxes
5. Water Tower
Staff developed a preliminary design concept for each of the five icons (Attachment 4 - Preliminary Icon Designs) and is requesting the Arts Commission recommend three icons to the City Council who will select one as the final Sunnyvale Icon Sculpture.
Simultaneously, staff worked with the Department of Public Works/Parks Division to identify locations in Sunnyvale parks/open spaces for the installation of the temporary icon statues. The locations were selected to align with community goals listed in the Master Plan for Public Art (pg.17), where residents stated they wanted more art in “public gathering spaces,” in particular “parks and open spaces” and “public spaces and pedestrian areas.”
Additional considerations included reviewing locations through an equity lens in support of the City’s equity, access, and inclusion initiative, as well as locations of existing artworks and upcoming public art projects in the city.
· Recent Capital Improvement Project (CIP) public art installations:
o District 2: Washington Park (FY 2021/22)
o District 5: Fair Oaks Park (FY 2021/22), Murphy Park (FY 2015/16) o District 6: Seven Seas Park (FY 2015/16)
· Industrial areas with a high concentration of public art through private development and the recent Utility Box art installations:
o District 2: Downtown Sunnyvale
o District 6: Peery and Moffett Park
· Future Capital Improvement Projects that will include a public art component:
o District 1: San Antonio Park (FY 2026/27), Serra Park (FY 2026/27)
Attachment 1
23-0413 Agenda Date: 4/27/2023
o District 2: Civic Center (currently underway), Plaza del Sol (FY 2023/24), Las Palmas Park (FY 2025/26)
o District 3: Community Center (FY 2023/24)
o District 4: Braly Park (FY 2027/28)
o District 6: Lakewood Branch Library and Park (FY 2022/23), Baylands Park (FY 2025/26), Orchard Gardens Park (FY 2026/27)
Based on these considerations, staff is recommending the following parks for the Icons Project (Attachment 5 - Map of Proposed Locations):
· District 1: DeAnza Park, Las Palmas Park*
· District 3: Ortega Park
· District 4: Ponderosa Park
· District 5: Columbia Park
· District 6: Fairwood Park
*While Las Palmas Park is in District 1, it resides directly across the street from District 2 and will help bridge the distance between the dense number of artworks that are in District 2 (Downtown, Civic Center, El Camino Real) and District 1. There is currently no public art in Las Palmas Park, or other neighboring parks in District 1.
The exact number of sculptures at each location will be determined by final pricing and available space for installing the sculptures. Staff is requesting the Arts Commission recommend approval of the proposed locations.
Phase 2: Design
Based on City Council’s final selection, staff will work with a fabricator to finish the design of the selected icon and determine the weight and height of the sculptures. The goal is to maximize the budget while providing sufficient “canvas” space for artists to work with. Staff anticipates the icons will be four to six-feet tall and ready for artists to begin modifying and installed in FY 2023/24.
Based on preliminary quotes for design, fabrication, shipping and installation of each icon sculpture, staff anticipate the approved budget will support 20 to 30 sculptures. The estimates below include an artist stipend of $1,500 per statue. All sculptures will be fiberglass, mounted on a pole to a square metal/aluminum plate bolted into the concrete.
Icon Estimated
Price for 25
Sculptures*
Estimated
Price for 30
Sculptures*
Estimated
Height
Estimated
Weight
(each)
Required
Fabrication
Time
Fruit $74,770 $88,470 5’7” 75lbs 4 to 8 months
Sun $75,525 $84,450 4’5” 75lbs
Parrots $85,120 $92,700 5’5” 85lbs
Fruit Boxes $77,000 $91,000 5’ 100lbs
Water Tower $68,900 $81,150 5’ 60lbs
*Estimated quotes received December 2022
Phase 3: Artist Selection and Proposal Approval
Attachment 1
23-0413 Agenda Date: 4/27/2023
Once the design is finalized and in fabrication, a Request for Qualifications (Call for Artists) will be distributed throughout Santa Clara County and neighboring counties to begin the artist selection process. A panel of community members will review and select the artists (and alternates). The selected artists will be invited to create a proposal to design their prefabricated sculpture. These design proposals will be presented to the Arts Commission. For this Project, staff plans to recommend that the City Council authorize the Arts Commission to approve the final icon design and artists for the Icon Sculpture Project.
Phase 4: Execution and Installation of Approved Proposals During this phase artists will complete their designs as approved and icons will be installed in coordination with City staff.
The Icon Sculpture Project is considered “temporary art” and will not be accessioned into the City’s Permanent Art Collection. The Request for Qualifications and artist contracts include language specifying that the art can be removed at the sole discretion of the City. It is the City’s expectation that the art will remain in place for 18-24 months, or until such time it is deemed necessary to remove the sculptures for any reason, including but not limited to: fading, graffiti or unforeseen damage. The sculptures will be evaluated as part of the City’s annual collection review.
FISCAL IMPACT
All project expenditures will be from the Public Art Fund, ranging from $65,000 to $100,000. Staff time to administer the Project is included in the general fund.
On-going maintenance for this Project is negligible because the sculptures are considered temporary artworks and therefore not scheduled for annual maintenance. Should a minor repair be deemed necessary, that cost can be covered with the Public Art Maintenance Fund. If the repair is major, the City retains the right to remove the sculpture at any time.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Recommend Three Icon Concepts and Location Map to City Council for Final Icon Selection and Locations
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1:
Recommend Three Icon Concepts and Location Map to City Council for Final Icon Selection and Locations
Prepared by: Kristin Dance, Recreation Coordinator
Prepared by: Trenton Hill, Recreation Manager
Reviewed by: Damon Sparacino, Recreation Superintendent Reviewed by: Michelle Perera, Director of Library and Recreation Services Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Tim Kirby, Director of Finance
Attachment 1
23-0413 Agenda Date: 4/27/2023
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Reserved for Report to Council
2. RTC No. 21-0972
3. Icon Survey
4. Preliminary Icon Designs
5. Map of Proposed Locations
Attachment 1