City staff says Nevada City has a long history of artistic expression and influence but has never had a public art ordinance to establish parameters for its implementation. And now the City Council has adopted one that has a measured approach to what will always be a subjective issue. It regulates public art on private property in the same fashion as other architectural regulations. It requires that certain non-residential future developments provide it as part of the project. Local arts business owner Julie Baker told the Council how appropriate such an ordinance is, with Nevada City and Grass Valley being one of 14 cultural districts established by the state…

click to listen to Julie Baker

City Councilmember Adam Kline was part of the Vibrancy Committee that came up with the ordinance, which was also adopted last month by the Planning Commission….

click to listen to Adam Kline

But the ordinance still prohibits murals in the historic district while allowing temporary public art which would have to be removed in under 90 days. It also charges a 750 dollar public art application fee and a temporary art fee of 225 dollars. The money goes into a public art fund that may be used by the Council to support future projects. The Council will review the ordinance next spring to see how it’s working.