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CARS SEM'MdeH'hsIcoastal art plan.cars arts Santa Monica, CahfomiaJUL 2 7 159';
July 27, 1993
STAFF REPORT
TO: Mayor and CIty CouncIl
FROM CIty Staff
SUBJECT ReVIew and Approval of the Santa Monica Local Coastal Art Plan
INlRODUCll0N
This report describes the development of the Santa Moruca Local Coastal Art Plan to be
submitted for approval to the California Coastal ComrrnsslOn The purpose of the Santa
Moruca Local Coastal Art Plan IS to estabhsh a framework for the rnstallation of future
mdtvidual artworks ,"VIthm the Coastal Zone TIns docwnent outlines the City of Santa
Moruca's policIes related to the placement access, and process for mstalling future art work
BACKGROUND
In 1992, the Califorma Coastal Commission informed the CIty of Santa Monica that a
comprehensIve plan for pubhc art m the Califorma coastal wne would be requrred pnor to
their reVIew of any mdivldual art projects The Arts Dt\1sion staff has ,vorked closely W'lth
the Arts Connnission and the Program and Pohey Development Dhnsion to produce the fIrst
Santa Monica Local Coastal Art Plan The final draft of the Plan was approved by the Arts
Connmsslon on May 17, 1993 at a publIc meetmg The Plan was approved by the PIer
RestoratIOn COIporatlOn Board of Directors and the Recreation and Parks ConnmSSlOn at theIr
public meetings on July 7, 1993 and July 15, 1993 respectively If approved by the CIty
Council tlns draft \\111 be submitted to the Cahforma Coastal ComrmSSlOn for approval,
FollO\\ing the Coastal ComrmsslOn's approval of the plan, each proposed art project vall
require Coastal Connnission revIew to obtain a pennit for placement 9~
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DISCUSSION
Santa Moruca receives approxunately ten to sIXteen million beach visItors each year In
adchtlon to servmg as a major recreational location for the greater Los Angeles ~ the
coastal zone attracts many visitors from other parts of the natIOn and allover the world. This
zone is a mixture of natural and human-made elements The mtent of the goals of the
CalIfornIa State Coastal Act and the Santa Moruca Land Use Plan IS to aclneve hannony
between these elements. TIns is also the mtent of the Local Coastal Art Plan All the
artworks m the Local Coastal Art Plan ,,\,11 be site specific works exlubltmg a basic
connection to the Califorma coast
The goals of the Coastal Act and the CIty'S Local Coastal Plan are the guidmg principles of
the Local Coastal Art Plan The Local Coastal Art Plan also addresses and fulfills the Issues
mIsed m Coastal Act Section 30213 by encouragmg low cost public recreation and
edUcatIOnal opportunities, and SectIon 30251 concemmg visual compatibilIty and the
restoration of degraded areas for public access.
At present, the coastal zone of Santa Monica mcludes twenty-one CIty-Sponsored public art
mstallations These projects range from formal sculpture such as "Samt MOnIca" m PalISades
Park and "Cham ReactlOnH m the CIVIC Center~ to ambitious ecolOgIcal statements such as
"Callforma Wash' From the Mountains to the Sea" sited at the tenninus of PICO Boulevard
EXCIting pubbc murals enhance both pedestrIan and motoring expenences ArtIst designed
functional objects such as benches and stairs help create a sense of place
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The lllilior component of the Local Coastal Art Plan is to be the Natural Elements Sculpture
(NES) Park Under the NES Park concept, site specific artwork IS to be placed at regular and
appropriate mtervals along the three-mile stretch of the Santa Moruca State Beach. The art
installations m NES Park ",ill take advantage of the natural elements vvithin the coastal
environment such as sand.. ",met, light, the honzon lme, the ocean's force~ and the seasonal
SolstIces. NES Park ,,,111 COnsIst of a total of ten artworks, two of wluch are already m place
In addItion to the Santa Moruca State Beach, other affected areas of the Local Coastal Art
Plan include the Santa Monica PIer, PalIsades Park and the CIVIC Center. Public art projects
planned for these locations are unified by their SIte speCIfic SensItIVIty to the coastal zone
enVIronment. NES Park and the other amvorks that form the Local Coastal Art Plan, ",ill
complement and promote the Coastal Act's goals by makmg available to the entire commuruty
a nch and varied cultural resource
The Santa Moruca Local Coastal Art Plan is diVIded mto four chapters. Chapter I descnbes
the purpose and intent of the Local Coastal Art Plan It e).l'lains how the Plan complements
the goals and policies of Santa Monica's Local Coastal Plan TIns chapter charactenzes land
uses and special features of the coastal zone, mcludmg beach facilities, and existing
development along the coast.
Chapter II establIshes goals that address potential issues assocIated WIth the art mstallatlOns,
such as safety. visual impacts, ftmctional requirements~ and mterachon '\-'Vith beach and coastal
zone actIVItIes
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Chapter III descnbes all the artwork included in the Local Coastal Art Plan. This chapter
outlmes the evolutIon of the NES Park concept Descnptions of the twenty-one existing and
rune proposed artworks are gIVen, as well as information on the artists The artworks and
their eXIsting or planned locatIons are depIcted graphically, where poSSIble.
Chapter IV explams how the Local Coastal Art Plan vvlll be nnplemented It sets forth the
process for selectmg the works of art, pubhc notification and governmental approval
Anticipated funding sources for the artworks are descnbed as well as the estimated time
frame for full nnplementabon of the Plan.
The City of Santa Monica has developed the Local Coastal Art Plan to aid m the
implementatIOn of an outdoor pubhc art program \\ithm the City's coastal zone The Local
Coastal Art Plan "111 integrate all aspects of pohcy and adnnmstrative guIdance for the
installation of outdoor art works m the coastal zone. With the Local Coastal Art PlaI\ Santa
Monica has the unique opporturuty to present public art of aesthetic, hwnanistIc, educational.
socml, and ecological value, ,\'hich provide the comnuunty "vi.th msight into the essence of the
coastal zone
BlJIXiET/FINANCIAL
Adoptlon of the Local Coastal Art Plan does not have CIty budget or finanCIal unpact
Specific projects developed under the Plan's directIon W111 be brought before the Arts
ConmnsslOn and the City COlU1CIl before any expendItures are incurred
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the CIty Council adopt the Santa Momca Local Coastal Art Plan as
approved by the Arts Comnussion, PIer Restoration Corporation and RecreatlOn and Parks
Commission
Prepared by" Susan McCarthy
DIrector, Cultural and RecreatIon Services
Mana Luisa de Herrera
Cultural Arts Administrator
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