L.A. City Council votes to lift ban on outdoor murals
The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to lift a decadeold ban on outdoor murals. The Times’ L.A. Now blog reported that the council voted 13-2 in favor of removing the ban, though it must still vote to approve new rules regulating the creation of murals.
If approved, the new rules would allow artists to create outdoor murals in business and industrial zones. Artists would have to register projects with the city and pay a $60 application fee. In an attempt to control outdoor advertising, the rules would prohibit commercial messages and works must remain for at least two years.
ART: Can you guess the high price?
L.A. Now also reported that residential areas will be allowed to “opt in” to the mural program by petitioning the city. The two dissenting votes Wednesday came from Councilmen Paul Koretz and Bob Blumenfield, who argued that neighborhoods that don’t want murals would not have enough say in where they go.
Despite the ban, murals have continued to thrive in L.A. due to uneven enforcement of existing rules. The driving force behind the new rules was Eastside Councilman José Huizar.
ALSO:
Kent Twitchell: Once, there were murals
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
