‘Whaling Wall’ Can Be Painted Over, Laguna Says

Calling it an issue of property rights, the City Council said Tuesday that it had no choice but to allow Hotel Laguna owners to paint over the city’s famous “Whaling Wall.”

But the council members voted 4 to 1 to delay action for 60 days, in the hope that hotel owners and artist Wyland could come to some terms over the wall. “These two boys have got to get along with each other,” said Mayor Wayne L. Peterson. “These two need to grow up and learn to work with each other.”

The council discussed several ideas on how to force hotel owners and the artist to work out a compromise but finally decided that short of eminent domain action, in which the city would take possession of the wall, there was little it could do.

The 170-foot mural, depicting two gray whales on a background of blue, was painted by artist Wyland 15 years ago, launching a career that made him internationally famous. It was the first of 67 such murals across the nation and in other countries, all painted for free to call attention to the plight of the whale.

Wyland’s attorney, who represented the artist at the meeting, said this was the first of what will eventually be 100 whaling walls around the world. “What a tragedy to destroy the first whaling wall and give Laguna Beach a black eye in the world,” Bruce D. Praet said.

Claes Andersen, who leases and operates Hotel Laguna, has argued that the chipping, weathered mural that overlooks the hotel parking lot has become an eyesore. He has proposed to paint it cream with terra-cotta trim.

Anderson said at the meeting that the council was powerless to do anything, saying, “We want the right to do whatever we do, because it’s our property. We have future plans to expand the hotel. The condition of the wall right now is very bad.”

Wyland has offered to restore the wall in a tile that would not fade with the effects of the elements. A petition supporting the mural has been signed by 4,000 people. About 30 people attended the meeting, many wearing “Save the Whale” T-shirts, but only a few spoke.

The top of the mural was destroyed when Wyland himself bought the building next door, the historic Fahrenheit 451 bookstore, and demolished it to build a gallery and studio.