Lancaster Municipal Code Ch. 12.10 Art on Public Property

The city council finds and declares as follows:

A. Public art increases cultural awareness, stimulates imagination and provokes creative dialogue among those in the entire community. Public art pieces become landmarks that uniquely identify, enhance and draw attention to buildings, parks and communities. Residents, business owners and customers, neighbors and visitors will enjoy the quality of life that is provided by interacting with art on a daily basis.

B. The city is dedicated to commissioning, preserving and expanding on the inventory of existing public art within the community.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 2, 3-26-2019)

As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases have the meanings set forth below:

"Artist" means an individual or team of individual artists whose body of work and professional activities demonstrate serious ongoing commitment to the fine arts. History of professional art exhibitions, auction record, and reputation in the professional art community are some factors that may assist in making a determination that an artist demonstrates such commitment. An applied artist or tradesperson does not constitute an artist as defined herein and for purposes of this chapter. Members of architectural, engineering, design or landscaping firms retained for the design and construction of a development project covered by this chapter shall not be considered artists for the purpose of meeting the requirement to provide public art.

"Artwork" or "work of art" means a visual work of art, as distinguished from the performing arts, media art and literary or cultural arts. The works of art may either be permanent or, in some circumstances, temporary, as required by the specific project, and installed in public view. For purposes of this chapter, "artwork" does not include a business-related work, as defined herein.

"Business-related work" means a visual representation of which more than twenty (20) percent of the overall image contains lettering or logo that is related to the business or establishment at which the visual representation is located. Business-related works are subject to the applicable sign permitting and approval provisions set forth in title 17 of the Lancaster Municipal Code.

"City" means the City of Lancaster.

"Code" means the Lancaster Municipal Code.

"Public art" means any permanent display of a work of art that was specifically designed to be located on a site where it would be accessible to public view on private or public property within the city. The work of art may include, but not limited to, murals, mosaics, sculptures, artist-designed landscape features, streetscape features and earthworks. For purposes of this manual, temporary displays of artwork on private property are subject to the procedures and guidelines set forth herein.

"Public art allocation" means an amount equal to one percent of the total valuation of capital improvement projects in a given fiscal year that will be allocated by the city to be used for the installation/provision of public artwork on public property.

"Public place" means any interior or exterior area on public or private property that is clearly visible to the general public.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 2, 3-26-2019)

A. The city council has approved the art in public places program and the associated manual. The purpose of the program is to provide publicly accessible works of art for the benefit of the city, its citizens and its visitors, and to increase citizens' appreciation of art, improve the quality of life and enhance and identify the Antelope Valley as a unique community for its residents and visitors.

B. General guidelines and criteria regarding public art, procedure for selection of artists and public artwork, eligible expenditures related to the installation of public art, and the procedure regarding budgeting, siting and acquiring public artwork are set forth in the art in public places manual, as may be revised from time to time.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 2, 3-26-2019)

The public art allocation is equal to one percent of the total valuation of capital improvement projects in a given fiscal year; provided, however, that for any projected expenditure in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00), direct notification shall be made separately to the mayor and city councilmembers prior to said expenditure.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 2, 3-26-2019)