| | | | | | | | 
AGENDA REPORT
|
| | | | | | | | DATE:
| September 7, 2021
| TO:
| Mayor and City Council
| FROM:
| Stefan T. Chatwin, City Manager
| | SUBJECT: | Resolution 2021-221 of the City Council of the City of Fairfield to Establish a Public Art Fund and Authorize an Adjustment to the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget |
|
| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION | | Adopt resolution. |
|
| | | | | | | | | STATEMENT OF ISSUE | | Staff seeks City Council’s authorization to establish a Public Art Fund for the Art in Public Spaces Policy (collectively the “Program”). The Program administers the acquisition, installation, and maintenance of public art throughout the City of Fairfield. |
|
| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION | The Heart of Fairfield Specific Plan encourages the expansion of public art as one of the strategies to economically revitalize downtown Fairfield. Additionally, on June 1, 2021, council approved the Economic Development Strategic Plan, which includes the Heart of Fairfield Downtown Roadmap (“Roadmap”). The Roadmap identifies public art as a strategy to enliven and add vibrancy to the downtown along with branding downtown as a food and arts district.
Municipalities typically fund public art programs through a range of fundraising mechanisms. They include, but aren’t limited to, allocating general funds, capital improvement project funds, and levying percentage-based fees for new developments. This enables public art programs to be financially feasible and consistently implement works of art in their communities.
The Roadmap calls for the allocation of $250,000 to seed the Public Art Fund. It recommends allocating $100,000 for murals and $150,000 for public art. Staff broadly defines public art as temporary or permanent works of art that occupy public spaces and consists of visual and performing arts.
Art in Public Spaces Policy
The City manages the Program under operating guidelines and procedures to select, install, and maintain works of public art. Following is a brief overview of the Art in Public Spaces Policy:
• Structure - Under direction of the city manager, a program manager implements and manages the Program. A Cultural Arts Advisory Committee (“CAAC”), an advisory body consisting of volunteers from the community, makes recommendations to the program manager based on selection criteria and priorities.
• Selection Process - The program manager selects works of public art through design guidelines based on quality, medium, artist background, feasibility, cost, impact, and diversity. CAAC advises the program manager by providing input on proposals to determine if they meet the guidelines.
• Priority Focus - The Program will invest in public art in the Heart of Fairfield, with primary focus on the downtown. This will help to economically revitalize the area, establish it as a food and arts district, attract tourism, and build community interests. Projects will include art in gateways and civic spaces, community events, streetscapes, and public structures.
• Categories - The Program categorizes projects into murals and public art. A mural is any piece of artwork applied directly to a wall or permanent surface. It has many purposes, but primarily serves in placemaking and enlivening a community for its residents. Public art includes other mediums of art that include structures, statues, architecture, digital media, performance arts, exhibits, and so on.
Funding
AB1600 Urban Design fees are a category of Development Impact Fees designed to mitigate the impact of new development on public infrastructure. The City’s adopted Urban Design fee identifies eligible projects as a “variety of landscaping, signage, and public art projects that enhance the public perception of the city and create a sense of identity and community.” Further, the Heart of Fairfield Specific Plan strategy 5.33.e calls for the use of AB 1600 Urban Design fees for public art in the plan area.
Municipalities also commonly incorporate a “Percent-For-Art Fee” into their municipal code. This method funds both their public art programs and offsets the physical and visual impacts of new development. Staff is analyzing the percentage-based fee mechanism to create a long-term sustainable public art funding source. Finally, staff in partnership with the CAAC will seek public and private grants, partnerships, and donations to further fund the Program.
|
|
| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT | | Staff recommends the initial investment of $250,000 into the Program. The Program is funded by AB 1600 Urban Design (Fund 264) and requires a budget adjustment in the amount of $250,000 to fund the work. Adequate reserves exist in Fund 264 to fund the Program. |
|
| | | | | | | | | PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION | None.
|
|
| | | | | | | | | ALTERNATIVE ACTION | | Council could choose to not approve the resolution, adjust the amount of funding for the Program, or provide other direction as desired in the Art in Public Spaces Policy. |
|
| | | | | | | | | STAFF CONTACT | Jonathan Luong, Management Analyst I
(707) 428-7463
jluong@fairfield.ca.gov
|
|
| | | | | | | | | COORDINATED WITH | Community Development Department, Finance Department
|
|
| REVIEWERS: | | Reviewer | Action | Date | | Gassaway, David | Approved | 8/23/2021 - 7:21 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 8/25/2021 - 12:45 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 8/25/2021 - 12:46 PM |
|
|