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AGENDA STATEMENT
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
MEETING DATE: March 10, 2011
SUBJECT: Ordinance Temporarily Suspending Public Art Requirement for
Residential Projects
Prepared by John Hartnett, Heritage & Cultural Arts Manager
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Ordinance of the City of Dublin Temporarily Suspending the
Provisions of Sections 8.58.050.A and 8.58.050.D of the Dublin
Municipal Code Relating to Public Art Contribution
Requirements for Residential Projects in Excess of 20 Units
(Adopted April 21, 2009)
2. Proposed Ordinance of the City of Dublin Temporarily
Suspending the Provisions of Sections 8.58.050.A and
8.58.050.D of the Dublin Municipal Code Relating to Public Art
Contribution Requirements for Residential Projects in Excess of
20 Units
3. Development Projects List
RECOMMENDATION: 1. Receive Staff Report
2. Receive Public Comment
3. Provide Recommendation to Council Regarding Proposed
Ordinance
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
BACKGROUND: At the City Council meetings of April 7 and 21, 2009, the Council
introduced and adopted an ordinance "Temporarily Suspending the Public Art Requirement for
Residential Projects" (Attachment 1). The ordinance was for a two-year term and will expire on May 21,
2011. The ordinance was suggested as an economic stimulus in light of the numerous impacts the
economic crisis was having on Dublin, especially regarding the notable slowdown in the pace of
residential development in the City. Staff concluded that it would be worthwhile to consider
implementing a temporary suspension of the City's Public Art Ordinance, codified in Chapter 8.58 of the
Dublin Municipal Code, as it applies to residential developments. Staff was directed by the City Council
to review the state of residential development in the City towards the end of the two year suspension, and
to make a recommendation regarding the possibility of extending the suspension for an additional period
of time.
COPIES TO:
ITEM NO: 8.2
C\HERITAGE COMMISSION\AGENDA STMTS\2011\3-10-1 ]-Suspension of Public Art Requirement Item 8 2 DOC (2).DOC
DESCRIPTION: Given the fact that the economic downturn is continuing to affect
Dublin and a turn around in development isn't expected for the next three to four years, Staff is
recommending that the current ordinance suspending the public art requirement for residential projects be
extended for two more years.
Proposed Ordinance Suspending Public Art Requirement For Residential Developments
Chapter 8.58 of the Dublin Municipal Code (the "Public Art Ordinance") requires most commercial
development projects and residential development projects with more than twenty units to either acquire
and construct a piece of public art on or near the development site, or make a monetary contribution to the
City in-lieu of constructing a piece of public art. Developers may choose which option they wish to take.
The Public Art Ordinance contains an exemption for certain development projects, such as day care
centers and low-income housing projects.
Chapter 8.58 requires the developers of any project subject to its provisions to submit a Public Art
Compliance Report-indicating whether the developer will acquire and install public art or make a
monetary contribution to the City-to the Community Development Director at the time they apply for
Site Development Review ("SDR") approval for the project.
Section 8.104.070 of the Municipal Code, lists the required findings that must be made in order to
approve an SDR application, and includes a requirement that the application comply with Chapter 8.58.
Thus, in order to approve an SDR application by a project covered by the Public Art Ordinance, the
approved SDR will contain a condition of approval requiring the developer to comply with either Section
8.58.070.D or Section 8.58.070.D, depending on which approach the developer has identified in its Public
Art Compliance Report. The conditions of approval also make reference to the "trigger," the time at
which the developer must take action on this requirement.
Section 8.58.070.D of the Dublin Municipal Code provides that any developer electing to acquire and
install public art at the development site must both secure completion of the public art project in a manner
deemed satisfactory to the City Manager and execute an agreement with the City setting forth the
ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and insurance coverage for the public art project prior to
granting of occupancy by the City of the first structure in the project. Thus, the successful completion of
a final inspection of the first structure in the project by the City Building Department is the "trigger" for
developers that will acquire and install public art to satisfy their obligation under the Public Art
Ordinance.
Section 8.58.070.C provides that any developer electing to make a contribution in-lieu of installing public
art must make the payment prior to issuance of the first building permit in the project. Thus, the issuance
of the first building permit is the "trigger" for developers that will make a contribution in-lieu of installing
public art to satisfy their obligation under the Public Art Ordinance.
The ordinance adopted in April of 2009 was intended to ensure that the suspension of the public art
requirement occurs only if, during the suspension period, a developer of a residential project reaches one
of the two trigger points in the development process. (At the successful completion of a final inspection
of the first structure for art providers and upon issuance of the first building permit for in-lieu fee payers.)
Until that point in time, the provisions of Chapter 8.58, including the requirement to submit a Public Art
Compliance Report in conjunction with site development review of the project, will still be applicable. If
a developer does reach the trigger point during the effective term of the proposed ordinance, then its
responsibility to comply with the Public Art Ordinance will be extinguished as to the project covered by
the SDR.
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Note that, by tying the suspension to the SDR, the City ensures that, in the case of larger projects which
may be proceeding in separate phases with separate SDRs, the extinguishment of the public art
requirement will apply, not to the entire project at one time, but only to the portion of the overall project
that is covered by the triggering SDR.
Once again, the intent of this ordinance is to encourage residential construction during the current
economic downturn. Thus, the City wishes to grant a waiver of the public art requirement only to
developers whose projects are actually under construction during the current economic downturn and who
may be deterred from commencing constructing due to the requirements of the Public Art Ordinance.
This is why the ordinance applies only if a project is at the trigger point. The City does not wish to waive
the requirement for development projects that will not begin construction for many years, when the
economy may in better shape than it is now. The City also wants to ensure that development projects take
the necessary steps so that the developers can easily comply with the Public Art Ordinance once the
provisions of the draft ordinance expire in two years.
Thus, if a developer of a residential project applies for a building permit or final inspection shortly after
the term of this ordinance has expired, the developer will have a completed Compliance Report, and
should be prepared to comply with the requirements of Chapter 8.58 by either installing a piece of public
art at the development site or making an in-lieu payment to the City.
The proposed ordinance in Attachment 2 has the same scope of applicability as the suspension ordinance
adopted in April of 2009. Thus, the only change that would occur if the proposed ordinance is adopted is
that the suspension for covered residential projects would be effective for approximately two more years.
Attachment 3 is a report that indicates the development projects that have benefitted in the past two years
from the current Ordinance. Additionally, current residential projects that have been identified as having
an obligation to comply with the Public Art Ordinance are included in the report. These projects, or a
portion thereof, may benefit from the ordinance if it is extended for two more years, and if the developer
reaches the trigger point for the project or portion thereof, during the new two-year term of the ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission
take the following action: 1) Receive Staff report; 2) Receive public comments; and 3) Provide
recommendation to Council regarding proposed ordinance.
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