Burbank Refuses to Put Arts-Fee Measure on Ballot

The Burbank City Council on Tuesday night refused for the second time to put on the municipal ballot a measure requiring developers to pay for cultural and arts projects.

The council voted 3 to 2 to reject the Fine Arts Federation of Burbank’s request for a February, 1989, ballot measure to force developers to spend 1% of project costs over $500,000 on the arts. Opponents argued that the ordinance would discriminate against builders.

The council rejected such a measure last June, prompting a six-month petition drive by the federation. But city officials said the leaders of the group, Kate and Jim Higgins, failed to make a deadline for filing the more than 4,600 signatures they had collected.

The couple delivered the group’s petitions to City Clerk Merle Mauer’s house at 11:45 p.m. on Jan. 27, officials said. Kate Higgins said she and her husband had realized at 11 p.m. that it was the last day they could turn in the signatures to qualify for the February, 1989, ballot.

City Atty. Douglas C. Holland later ruled that the city would not accept the petitions because they were not filed with Mauer at City Hall during office hours.