mural presentation

O v e r v i e w

issues resulting in the current mural prohibition

directions for research and development

to preserve existing murals and permit new murals

procedural next steps toward adopting a mural ordinance

public outreach efforts

direction from the joint-committee

intro| definition | background | approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

D e f i n i t i o n a l

…is this a mural?

D e f i n i t i o n a l…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

…is this a mural?

signany whole or part of a display board, wall, screen or object, used to

announce, declare, demonstrate, display or otherwise present a

message and attract the attention of the public.

mural signa sign that is painted on or applied to and made integral with a wall,

the written message of which does not exceed three percent of the

total area of the sign.

wall signany sign attached to, painted on or erected against the wall of a

building or structure, with the exposed face of the sign in a plane

approximately parallel to the plane of the wall.

LAMC SEC 14.4.2

C u r r e n t C o d e D e f i n i t i o n s

intro | definition | background | approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

Are murals banned in LA?

YES (sadly) … and … NO (kind of)

currently, murals may be permitted:

-on city property

-on county, state, or federal property

-on private property pursuant to

a legally adopted specific plan,

supplemental use district,

or development agreement

(LAMC SEC 14.4.4 B. 10)

intro| definition | background| approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

W h a t ? ! W h y ? !

-pre-1986 – murals not mentioned in LA Municipal Code

-1986 – murals first mentioned in sign ordinance, exempted

-2002 – general ban on murals, creation of “sign districts”

-2007 – most recent mural approved on private property

intro| definition | background| approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

W h a t n o w ?

Staff direction from the Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) and

Arts, Parks, Health, & Aging (APHA) Committees of the City Council:

preserve & protect existing muralsmaybe a “vintage mural permit” … ?

enable creation of new murals“districts,” “original arts murals,”

“public art easements,” other approaches … ?

intro| definition | background| approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

C o n s i d e r a t i o n s

1st amendment

regulations must be “content neutral”

can only include “time / place / manner” restrictions

implementation

program costs , accessibility to the public, maintenance, etc.

intro| definition | background| approaches | next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

preserving

exist ing

murals

V i n t a g e

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

existing mural stock

city, extra-jurisdictional, & private property

pre-2002 murals presumably “grandfathered”

but not clear in code

“Vintage Mural Permit”

how to establish date created:

copyright, historic news clippings, records/receipts, other?

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

permit t ing

new

murals

P u b l i c A r t E a s e m e n t s

purpose

program to create new public art on private property by

the City becoming “patron of art” through easement approach

features

-building owner grants easement on wall to the City

-requires arts commission approval

-competitive selection for funding available through the City

-no limitations regarding size, material, etc.

-mural must remain in place for 5 years

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

P u b l i c A r t E a s e m e n t s

sample selection criteria

-artistic quality

-context

-media

-scale

-diversity

-feasibility

-originality

-structural and surface soundness

-building owner easement

-building owner maintenance agreement

-community support

-public safety

-accessibility

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

benefits

-opportunity for creation of enormous murals

-different media and surfaces

-City investment in art and beautification

-balanced approach if combined with Original Arts Murals

issues

-tight budgetary times

-unease with easement approach

P u b l i c A r t E a s e m e n t s

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

purpose

administrative permit to allow “original art murals”

on a content-neutral basis

on certain terms and conditions

in a simple, accessible way

definition of mural

a hand-produced work of visual art

which is tiled or painted by hand directly upon,

or affixed directly to

an exterior wall of a building

Title 4 Original Art Murals, Charter and Code of the City of Portland, Oregon

O r i g i n a l A r t M u r a l s

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

•mural to remain in place for 5 years

•building owner cannot receive compensation

•no mechanical parts or changing images

•historic & design overlay protections

•no murals on stone walls or brick

•no murals on residential with < 5 units

•neighborhood involvement process

•administrative application & small fee

benefits

-encourage murals citywide (“let art happen”)

-separates art murals from signs

-potentially simple and cheap to administer

-content-neutral, time / place / manner restrictions

issues

-training & implementation

-assessing public sentiment

-new legal approach

O r i g i n a l A r t M u r a l s

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

-sign district:

sign districts are allowed to be established in areas of the City,

to enhance unique characteristics

LAMC SEC 13.11

D i s t r i c t s

current provisions

-murals are OK

when specifically permitted pursuant to:

a legally adopted specific plan,

supplemental use district

or an approved development agreement.

LAMC SEC 14.4.4 B. 10

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

Hollywood Sign District

benefits

-promote unique character of communities

-murals of different types and materials in different neighborhoods

-may serve as pilot programs

-legal defensibility

issues

-equity in establishment of districts

-limited geography

-two-step adoption process

D i s t r i c t s

intro| definition | background | approaches| next steps MURAL WORKING GROUP

intro | definition | background | approaches | next steps

MURAL WORKING GROUP

P

r

o

c

e

s

s

DCP Public Participation Policy

intro | definition | background | approaches | next steps

MURAL WORKING GROUP

release

draft

ordinance

day 1 day 60

end of

comment

period

day 90

CPC

hearing

day 76

release

finalized,

signed

staff

recommendation

report

conduct

workshop /

staff

hearing

between day 1

& day 60

Questions? Comments?

T h a n k Y o u

intro | definition | background | approaches | next steps

MURAL WORKING GROUP

Tanner Blackman

City of Los Angeles | Department of City Planning

Code Studies | Office of Zoning Administration

tanner.blackman@lacity.org | 213.978.1195