Title
Introduction of Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code by Amending Chapter 30 (Zoning Ordinance) to Modify Public Art Requirements, as Recommended by the Planning Board. (Community Development 24062814)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 30-98 Public Art in New Commercial, Industrial, Residential and Municipal Construction (Ordinance) requires that certain development projects contribute a minimum of 1% of building development costs for on-site public art. The Ordinance also allows an applicant to contribute an equivalent amount into the Public Art Fund (Fund) in lieu of providing the art on-site. The Ordinance states that revenues in the Fund can only be used for specified purposes to provide or support public art. The Public Art Commission (PAC) is recommending the following five revisions to the Ordinance:
* Require developers to declare their intent to install artwork on-site or contribute to the Fund earlier in the process;
* Clarify language around required maintenance;
* Remove the limitation that cultural arts grants can only be awarded to non-profit organizations;
* Specify that City Council approval is only needed for Fund expenditures beyond the City Manager's purchase authority; and
* Allow the Fund to be used for the maintenance, deaccession, and conservation of public artwork.
Additional detail on these items is included in the Background and Discussion sections of this report.
BACKGROUND
In 2017, the City Council approved an amendment to the Ordinance, which included revisions to three major items, among other changes:
* Removal of the $150,000 cap on the maximum public art allocation;
* Removal of the requirement that public art focus on Alameda's historic and maritime traditions; and
* Removal of staff administrative and maintenance costs as an allowable use of the Fund.
Over the past year, the PAC has conducted numerous public meeting...
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