Pine City Council adopts public art ordinance in split 3-2 vote

The Pine City Council voted to adopt a public art ordinance in a split 3-2 vote at a meeting earlier this month.

In December, East Central Minnesota Pride planning committee chair Aaron Bombard proposed a project to paint the crosswalk at Third Avenue and 5th Street Southwest.

After that proposal was sent to Pine City’s public works and ordinance committees, city staff drafted a general public art ordinance.

The ordinance states that the council will review each public art application for a possible permit, and designs must comply with city and state codes, ordinances, and laws.

Maintenance and restoration are the responsibility of the artist or organization, and right-of-way permits are required if a sidewalk, intersection, or traffic lane is used or closed for installation.

Council member Gina Pettie said community art can help foster a sense of safety for Pine City residents.

"Public art can also just make a member of the community feel welcomed and safe, so that was important to me," Pettie said.

She also said drawing attention to crosswalks is a "positive thing," after mentioning that her son was hit by a car in a crosswalk when he first went to junior high.

Council member Dan Swanson said public art is an effective way to build community.

"It came to us as a colored crosswalk, and has developed into this public art potential for our community," Swanson said, "For people to have another way for freedom of speech, and freedom of expression. I think it's a great how, and also opens up a great where."

Swanson also said that public art could benefit the local Pine City economy.

"There are art installations that are economic drivers," he said. 

Council member Kyle Palmer raised concerns about safety in regards to painted crosswalks, and about the council's authority to determine the eligibility of projects.

"I don't want to put the council where they're having to use their opinion on what they deem is worthy and what is not worthy," Palmer said. "I want to just have an ordinance that says you meet the criteria, let's do it, or you don't meet the criteria, because it's full of hate speech or something, so you're not eligible."

At a March meeting of the public works committee, the committee recommended drafting a policy to prohibit any changes in the transportation right-of-way due to safety concerns.

Palmer said he liked the ordinance as a framework, but was not comfortable with approving it without making revisions.

"I'd also like to have some criteria in there where, again, if you meet the checklist, you're coming into the council for basically a consent item," Palmer said. "Not where we're going to have a political battle on who we're endorsing or not endorsing, and then lead into one big debacle."

Council member Dave Hill expressed his own concerns about the prospect of vandalism, and its costs to the city.

The vote passed 3-2, with Swanson, Kent Bombard, and Gina Pettie voting yes, and Palmer and Hill voting no.