March 29, 2013

To: The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA), Central City Action Committee,

United Painters and Public Artist, Mictlan Murals, Venice Arts Council, Tanner Blackman

From: William F. Herron III

Re: Meeting with 12^th District Councilmember, Mitchell Englander, regarding

Proposed Mural Ordinance from 01.15.13

Dear Associates,

On Tuesday, March 27, 2013, at 3pm, a meeting with Councilmember Mitchell Englander was arranged by executive director, Isabel Rojas-Williams of MCLA to discuss the 01.15.13 proposed Mural Ordinance. Attending with Englander was Deputy Phyllis Winger, 12^th District Chief Planning and Land Use, Isabel Rojas-Williams, Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles and William F Herron, Director/Co-Founder of Conservancy of Urban Art.

Mrs. Rojas-Williams and I, William F. Herron III raised the following concerns:

1. If decorative art murals (not defined by content) on exterior walls of a single family unit or zone become illegal in all 15 Districts, the following and existing walls will have to be painted out erased or removed by property owner (@ owner’s expense), if property owner does not comply after a city citation is served (additional work for city employees) city graffiti abatement units will have to bear the extra work load @ tax payer’s expense.

1. All existing fences, low walls, surrounding property line walls, alleyways, front court yards and entry’s, car ports, garage doors and retainer walls with decorative art murals, vines and community beautification graffiti deterrent images or designs.

2. All walls with existing decorative art murals not grandfathered, vintage or in registered status.

3. All existing walls with decorative art mural finishes including all faux finishes, all tile borders, stone and sculpted rock wall reliefs, wall fountains and wall garden décor, venetian wall plaster or stucco finishes, decorative wall ageing and all wall trompe l’oeil .

2. The annual budgets for the 15 districts will have to increase in order to implement the removal of a, b, c and the removal of graffiti and vandalism that will be provoked following the decorative art mural removals, in particular, walls with easy street access will attract additional unwanted vandal graffiti.

In conclusion, in order to avoid increasing taxes and in the immediate future, saving millions in tax payer dollars, Mrs. Rojas-Williams and I recommended allowing decorative wall murals on a single family unit or zone, classifying existing decorative wall murals as Vintage (for Grandfathering status), and exempting them from a registration fee. Also, upon the effective date of the new mural ordinance, all new decorative wall murals will have to comply with the new regulations, registration, and fees.

William F. Herron III

Conservancy of Urban Art 

Mural Graffiti Abatement Technician