Arts Commission backs Coast Highway ‘Charming’ mural that lacks a permit

An international street artist’s mural painted on the side of a north Laguna apartment building last summer without a city permit should remain, the Laguna Beach Arts Commission decided Monday night.

Commissioners voted 5 to 1 their support of Ben Eine’s work “Charming,” but added that artists need to know they can’t skirt the rules. The city’s Design Review Board will consider the commission’s recommendation at a future meeting.

All but one of seven speakers during the public comment portion supported the mural — made from 72 shades of paint with a 20-year protective coating — on the building at 694 N. Coast Hwy. Eine received permission from the property owner before the first brush stroke.

“The piece transforms a white, faded wall into color,” said Adam Casper, who represented Eine Monday. Eine was in Chicago on business.

When asked why Eine didn’t get a permit before starting work, Casper replied: “It would take two to three years to get through the Design Review Board. This was a gift, a present to Laguna Beach, and self-financed.”

Commissioner Suzanne Mellor cast the dissenting vote. Mellor called the mural “absolutely beautiful,” but said Eine needed to adhere to city policy, which requires artists submit design plans and a maintenance schedule for a mural’s upkeep prior to beginning work.

“I’m old school, respective of laws and permits,” Mellor said. “I’ve gone through Design Review for more than 30 years with three different homes, so I get what it’s like. By trying to get acceptance after the fact puts us in a bad position.”

Eine is perhaps best known for his alphabet lettering on shop shutters throughout London and British Prime Minister David Cameron tabbed him to create a piece for President Barack Obama. Eine painted another mural in Laguna titled “Wonder,” at 880 N. Coast Hwy., but the property owner removed the work after being concerned about long-term maintenance, Laguna’s Cultural Arts Manager Sian Poeschl said.

Artists such as Eine who are allowed to work in Laguna would boost the city’s status as an artists’ colony to another level, Casper said.

Commissioner Carmen Salazar voted for the mural on its physical merits and because a majority of the public who spoke wanted the piece to stay.

Acceptable murals should exemplify high artistic quality of original artwork and not create a public safety issue, according to city code.

“It fits the criteria,” Salazar said. “It’s not a question to me of whether street art is a viable and real type of art form. Cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles are dealing with the same issue. What we’re looking for is broad community support and I’m seeing that. Do I want to encourage unpermitted work? No. But if this came before us [earlier] I would have voted for it.”

Not everyone was pleased with the mural.

“It represents a clear distraction to motorists going northbound on North Coast Highway,” resident Jerry Carminio said. “The artist knew well in advance a permit was required and chose to forego permit process. It shows his contempt for rules of the city.”

Poeschl said there is “some ambiguity” with the city’s current ordinance, originally enacted in 2002, and will ask other cities how they ensure artists receive permits before beginning their projects.

“Street art was not thought of when the mural ordinance was written,” Poeschl said.