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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4.2 - 2080 Utility Box Art Page 1 of 4 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL DATE: July 17, 2018 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Christopher L. Foss, City Manager SUBJECT: Utility Box Art: Fiscal Year 2017-18 Project Report and 2018-19 Project Proposal Prepared by: Tegan McLane, Cultural Arts and Heritage Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will receive a report on the Fiscal Year 2017 -18 Utility Box Art Project and consider approval of funding, locations, and theme for the Fiscal Year 2018 -19 project. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve the budget change to appropriate $1,150 from the Public Art Fund for a ninth utility box during Fiscal Year 2018-19. Approve nine utility box locations along Dublin Boulevard between Clark Avenue and Park Place, and approve as the annual theme “The New American Backyard, with an emphasis on the history of travel through Dublin.” FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget includes $9,200 for the Utility Box Art Project, for eight boxes ($8,000 in professional services fees for artists, and $1,200 in supplies for box preparation and anti-graffiti coating). Adding a ninth box would require the City Council to allocate an additional budget of $1,150 from the Public Art Fund. DESCRIPTION: On June 6, 2017, the City Council approved the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission’s recommendation to paint eight utility boxes during Fiscal Year 2017 -18 (three along Amador Valley Boulevard between Brighton Drive and Stagecoach Road, and five along Dublin Boulevard between Hacienda Drive and Glynnis Rose Drive). Also approved for Fiscal Year 2017-18 was the recommended theme of “The New American Backyard.” Staff subsequently issued a call for artists’ proposals, which were reviewed by the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. Fifteen professional artists, two student artists Page 2 of 4 and one student group submitted a total of 30 designs for consideration. Most were local to the Bay Area; one artist from Southern California withdrew when informed that Dublin would not pay travel costs on this project. The Commission recommended designs for the eight boxes, plus a ninth alternative design. These include designs by six professional artists (two artists had two designs recommended) and one student team of 10 Quarry Lane high school juniors to be supervised by an art teacher. At its January 9, 2018 meeting, the City Council approved the recommended designs and directed Staff to find a ninth utility box to accommodate the alternate design, which they unanimously approved. Staff identified a ninth box at Glynnis Rose Drive and Central Parkway. As of this report, eight of the nine boxes are complete. One box, located at Amador Valley Boulevard and Stagecoach Road, has been delayed to Fiscal Year 2018 -19, because the box is rusted and is part of a plann ed replacement in early 2019. The artist has been notified, and funds will be carried over to the new fiscal year so the approved design can be painted on the new box that will be installed at that location. The work will be completed in spring 2019. Response from the public regarding the Utility Box Art program continues to be overwhelmingly positive. All of the artists have reported positive comments from passersby, and City staff has also received mostly positive comments. Staff did receive one telephone complaint about a design. A homeowner who lives near a box felt it was “amateurish.” Dublin’s Public Art Policy recognizes that art is subjective and not every piece appeals to every person. Public artwork, including utility box designs, is chosen through a formal process, and efforts are made to notify home and business owners so they have an opportunity to voice opinions during the selection process. Current rules require art to be created by professional artists and/or students under the supervision of a professional artist or art teacher. While the design of the box in question may not be to everyone’s taste, it was completed by a professional artist and Staff believes the work was done in a professional manner. Staff thanked the resident and logged the comments. Staff also received one formal written complaint this year from the property owner where the box painted by the student team is located. In the course of their work, the students damaged new landscaping and dripped paint on the sidewalk. The property owner provided photos to document that the student artists caused the damage. The City is reimbursing the property owner for replacement landscaping. Despite these minor issues, Staff recommends that the Utility Box Art project be continued in Fiscal Year 2018-19, using the same format and project timetable. If student artists are selected, Staff recommends the students and their teacher meet with Staff prior to starting the project, to ensure they understand the City’s expectations. Possible Locations for New Utility Box Art Staff suggests that boxes continue to be painted in clusters. Boxes are more likely to be noticed and recognized as part of a City project when they are in proximity to each Page 3 of 4 other. Staff also continues to recommend that only City-owned traffic signal boxes be considered. Obtaining permission to paint from non -City owners, such as Pacific Gas and Electric or AT&T, can be challenging and would require a long lead time. There are City-owned boxes at every intersection that has a stoplight, so there are plenty of options available that do not require permission of another property owner. For Fiscal Year 2018-19, Staff identified total of nine boxes along the Dublin Boulevard corridor between Village Parkway and Hacienda Drive. Th is would connect two existing clusters of utility boxes, allowing maximum impact as drivers, cyclists and pedestrians travel on Dublin Boulevard between Downtown Dublin and Tassajara Drive. While the approved budget calls for eight boxes, there is money to fund a ninth box available in the Public Art Fund. The boxes are located at: - Dublin Boulevard and Clark Avenue - Dublin Boulevard and Sierra Court - Dublin Boulevard and Dublin Court - Dublin Boulevard and Dougherty Road - Dublin Boulevard and Scarlett Drive - Dublin Boulevard and DeMarcus Boulevard - Dublin Boulevard and Iron Horse Parkway - Dublin Boulevard and Arnold Road - Dublin Boulevard and Park Place The Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission voted unanimously (6 -0-0 with Cm. Szollos absent) to recommend these locations to the City Council. Theme Staff recommends a theme be identified with each call for utility box art submissions, to give artists a starting place for proposing designs and highlights for the community showing how differently artists can interpret the same idea. The theme need not be the same every year. Variations on a Shamrock was chosen as the theme for the Pilot Project because it was unique to Dublin and offered broad opportunities for artist interpretation. The New American Backyard theme was chosen for this past year’s project. The Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission discussed a number of possible themes for the 2019 boxes and voted (5-1-0, with Cm. Szollos absent) to recommend The New American Backyard, with an emphasis on the history of travel through Dublin. A transportation related sub-theme was chosen because Dublin Boulevard is the City’s most heavily traveled road. Dublin Boulevard follows a historic stage coach route and portions of it were historically part of the Lincoln Highway, which was one of the first trans-continental highways stretching from Philadelphia to San Francisco. This cluster of boxes is near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station, parallel Interstate 580, crosses the popular Iron Horse trail, and passes multiple types of vehicle dealerships. Page 4 of 4 NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: None. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Budget Change Budget Change Reference #: From Un-Appropriated Reserves X Budget Transfer Between Funds From Designated Reserves Other Account Amount Account Amount 2801.7621.61104 $150 2801.7621.64001 $1,000 7/17/2018 Posted By:Date: As Presented at the City Council Meeting **********Finance Use Only********** CITY OF DUBLIN To fund a ninth utility box art project in FY 2108-19. REASON FOR BUDGET CHANGE FISCAL YEAR 2018-19 BUDGET CHANGE FORM DECREASE BUDGET AMOUNT INCREASE BUDGET AMOUNT EXP: Public Art Fund City Council's Approval Required G:\Budget Changes\11_2018-19\Utility art ninth box.7.17.18 Utility art ninth box.7.17.18