Head of Art Program Laid Off by Planned Community Developers

Anticipating a slowdown in construction, officials of the Foothill Ranch planned community development in Saddleback Valley have laid off Maudette M. Ball, who was to have administered an ambitious public art program there.

Chris Downey, vice president and project manager of the 2,700-acre development, northeast of Lake Forest and El Toro, said the officials have laid off about 10 employees overall.

Downey said that officials still expect to install about 100 public artworks over the projected 15-year development but that the acquisitions probably will be delayed.

“We don’t know when the next pieces will be commissioned, but it’s likely to be further out than we had hoped,” Downey said. “Whether that means 90 days or nine months, we don’t know.” However, already commissioned artworks by Eric Orr and John Svenson will be completed, Ball said.

The Foothill Ranch Urban Arts Program has been praised because it is to be funded with fees required by the parent Hon Development Co. of subcontractors building homes and other units. Typically, only local governments have imposed such fees.