Costa Mesa projects may require art

Lolita Harper

The Planning Commission took assertive action Monday night to

ensure the city lives up to its nickname: “City of the Arts.”

Planning commissioners voted unanimously to recommend instituting

a citywide public art program that would require future developers to

donate 1% of their building costs to some sort of artistic display.

Members of the commission said it was extremely important to promote

visual art, especially in a city that touts its dedication to such

endeavors on the official city seal.

As part of the proposed program, developers of commercial or

industrial projects valued at $750,000 or more, not including the

land, would be required to spend or donate at least 1% of the worth

for some sort of permanent outdoor artwork, city planner Claire Flynn

explained. In addition, any exterior improvements or remodeling,

repair or reconstruction projects costing more than $750,000 would

also be applicable, she said.

City buildings would also be included in the program, but parks

and public works projects such as bridges and underground projects

would be exempt. Any repairs or construction caused by fire,

earthquakes or a disaster, whether it was public, commercial or

industrial, would also be off the hook.

Commissioners were concerned with a portion of the proposal that

allowed developers to simply donate the 1% to a scholarship program

for the arts, saying they feared most developers would rather cut a

check than go out and find an artist to produce some sculpture for

their building. If that money were to go directly to a scholarship

fund, then the city would end up promoting the arts, but the public

would never get to see it.

Resident Gay Sandoval echoed the commissioners’ concerns during

public comment and urged them to eliminate the scholarship portion of

the proposed program.

“I have one child in college and another on the way, so I am all

for scholarships,” Sandoval said. “But if all the money goes to this

fund, then the city will never really get the benefit of any of the

‘public’ art.”

The Planning Commission tweaked the proposal so that developers

who would rather hand over the money still could, but the money would

be mandated for some sort of outdoor art, which would be recommended

by the city’s Cultural Arts Commission. Once the recommendation was

received, the City Council would approve the final decision and the

art would be added to the development, using the builders’ funding,

officials said.

Commissioners also wrestled with the idea of placing a cap on the

value of the development, saying very large projects could require

millions to be spent just on art. They proposed $2 million as a cap,

then $5 million and even as high as $10 million.

“As I sit here, I haven’t got a clue which makes more sense than

the other,” Commissioner Bruce Garlich joked.

Ultimately, commissioners decided to scrap a limit altogether,

saying every large parcel of land that could accommodate a project

that would mandate millions in public art fees has been developed.

Updated manuals describing the Public Art program, what exactly

constitutes public art and all the relevant information, would be

available in the city’s planning department. Promoting public art was

one of the Planning Commission’s goals for the year and this

program’s recommendation is the first step in reaching that goal,

Planning Commission Chairwoman Katrina Foley said.

The item will go before the City Council for final approval in

October.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.