AGENDA #2c(2)

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Roger Stancil, Town Manager

FROM:            Bill Webster, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation

SUBJECT:      Public Forum: Public Art Contextual Plan

DATE:            November 6, 2006

PURPOSE

This memorandum provides background information for a Public Forum to receive citizen input on the draft Public Art Contextual Plan.

In addition, the attached resolution would call for a Public Hearing on February 26, 2007 to further receive citizen and staff comments related to the plan.

BACKGROUND

In 2003, the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission started work on a process to develop the draft Public Art Contextual Plan.

On February 7, 2004, a Community Open House was hosted by the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission at the Public Library to solicit initial ideas and responses from residents.

During August 2004, the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission presented an overview of the Chapel Hill Public Art Contextual Plan to various Town boards and commissions, and invited representatives to collaborate with the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission through a formal Steering Committee.

In June 2005, the Town Council awarded a $25,000 grant to the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission to complete this planning effort.  The North Carolina Arts Council also awarded funding to the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission for the Contextual Plan in the amount of $3,500. 

In December 2005, Public Art Consultant Gail Goldman was asked to guide the planning process and develop recommendations for the inclusion of public art in Chapel Hill.  On three different occasions between January and April 2006, Ms. Goldman visited Chapel Hill and met with the Contextual Plan Steering Committee, the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, arts professionals, the Town Council, Town Attorney, Town staff, community organizations, and other interested parties.  

The Steering Committee, chaired by Janet Kagan and comprised of members of the Town Council, representatives from the Town boards and commissions, Town staff and professional artists, worked collectively to develop the ideas and strategic recommendations of the Contextual Plan.  Members of the Steering Committee included representation from the following Town boards and commissions:

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Board
• Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission
• Community Design Commission
• Greenways Commission
• North Carolina Arts Council
• Parks and Recreation Commission
• Planning Board
• Transportation Board

On May 25, 2006, the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission voted unanimously to forward the draft Public Art Contextual Plan to the Council.

On June 12, 2006, the Council accepted the draft Public Art Contextual Plan and referred it to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Community Design Commission, Greenways Commission, Historic District Commission, Housing and Community Development Advisory Board, Library Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Board, Transportation Board, and staff for comments and recommendations. The Council also required a minimum of one public forum to solicit input from citizens and the development community on recommendations presented in draft Public Art Contextual Plan. Courtesy copies were provided to the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.

DISCUSSION

This Public Forum would provide an opportunity to hear comments and recommendations related to all aspects of the proposed Public Art Contextual Plan. However, an area of focus for this Public Forum relates to the portion of the proposed plan dealing with the relationship between public art and private development. The proposed Public Art Contextual Plan asks the Council to consider a policy to encourage public art in private development in order to enhance the quality of the built environment, to provide support for cultural activities, and to expand access to the arts for residents. 

The Plan proposes an initial voluntary public art program. The Plan proposes a requirement for contributions to public art from developers of certain types of projects, in the later stages of the program. However, the Town Attorney believes that any program requiring private developers to contribute a percent of their budget to public art would require enabling legislation from the North Carolina Legislature. The Plan proposes that 2 percent of the budget of any private development be used for public art.  If the Plan is adopted as proposed, and if the North Carolina Legislature provides the necessary enabling legislation, developers would have three options for compliance:

1. Commission or purchase on-site public art
2. Provide a permanent space for a cultural facility
3. Make an in-lieu payment to the Town of Chapel Hill’s Public Art Fund.

We advertised this Public Forum and its emphasis on potential impacts to the development community in the Chapel Hill News on October 21 and October 28, 2006. In addition we notified about 75 individuals and firms associated with the development community in Chapel Hill via an email distribution list. We also notified the Chamber of Commerce.

Proposed Schedule: We believe it may be possible to adopt the Public Art Contextual Plan in early 2007. Several steps remain after the conclusion of this evening’s Public Forum:

• The Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission will continue to solicit comments from advisory boards, citizens, and other public bodies.
• The attached resolution would schedule a Council Pubic Hearing on February 26, 2007 to solicit additional information from citizens and present comments received up to that time.
• At this time we believe that the schedule could include a continuation of the Council Public Hearing on March 26, 2007. The Council could possibly take action at that meeting.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would call for a Public Hearing on February 26, 2007 to further receive citizen and staff comments related to the plan.