This amendment to the contract, given approval by the council at its June 16, 2014 meeting, adds art fabrication and installation services to the existing agreement, bringing the total compensation to $353,552 for all services. The East Stadium bridges art was one of the projects for which the city council left funding in place, when it voted on March 3, 2014 to transfer most of the unspent money from the now defunct Percent for Art funding program back to the funds from which the money was originally drawn.

The June 16 vote approving the funding was unanimous. It was preceded by a presentation, around 11 p.m., by John Kotarski and Bob Miller, the vice chair and chair of the city’s public art commission.

By way of additional background, in early August of 2013, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for this public art project. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's original proposal] The selection panel provided feedback to Widgery and asked that she revise her proposal before it was presented to the Ann Arbor public art commission and then later to the city council for approval.

Members of the panel were Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. [.pdf of panel feedback] The public art commission recommended the project’s approval at its April 23, 2014 meeting.

An image by artist Catherine Widgery for artwork on the East Stadium bridge. This night view shows how the structures would be lit from below, illuminating the images of trees that are etched into louvered glass panels.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along the north side of East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

A detail of the louvers designed by Catherine Widgery. The etched glass panels will be attached to a metal frame.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron.

KT Tomey is working on a project to develop maps for walking or running tours of public art in Ann Arbor. (Photos by the writer.)

“Arbor Winds” by Massachusetts artist Catherine Widgery features elevated, stand-alone louvered glass columns that are etched with images of trees – three on each end of the bridges, on the north side of Stadium Boulevard. The same type of louvered glass panels will also be used under the bridge along South State, affixed to the wall of the underpass – five sets on each side of South State Street. The overall project has a budget of $400,000 and has been in the works since 2011. If approved by council, it will likely be installed in 2015.

Commissioners also expressed enthusiasm for a new effort proposed by KT Tomey, who hopes to develop a mobile app for walking or running routes that highlight public art in Ann Arbor and on the University of Michigan campus. As a runner herself, she noted that people look for running routes when they visit new towns. So the app could be used to promote public art both to visitors and residents alike. Her first step is putting together .pdf maps that will be downloadable from AAPAC’s website.

Another new proposal prompted concerns about process. On the day of the meeting, John Kotarski – AAPAC’s vice chair – circulated an email to commissioners proposing that the city accept three pieces of donated art from Jim Pallas, an established Michigan artist and friend of Kotarski’s. The pieces are proposed to be located in the lobby of the Justice Center, in the atrium of city hall, and outside of city hall. Although commissioners seemed supportive of the idea, some expressed concern that the proposal wasn’t following AAPAC’s guidelines for accepting gifts of art, which include setting up a review committee.

Kotarski pointed out that Pallas is 75 years old. He noted that if artists donate artwork before they die, they can deduct the cost of materials from their taxes. But after they die, their estate is taxed on the market value of that artwork. “So these artists, at this point in their lives, have a financial incentive to find a good place for their artwork,” he said. “If we can make that process simple and easy for Jim – and pleasant – then I’m sure he’s willing to go to his friends” and encourage them to donate too.

He reported that the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority has offered a $500 honorarium to Pallas for each donated piece. Kotarski said the three pieces have a total estimated value of $100,000. He also mentioned that Pallas’ daughter, a law professor, knows city attorney Stephen Postema and that they’ve “made arrangement to resolve any legal issues necessary to facilitate this donation.”

Kotarski told commissioners that he’s tried to assure Pallas that this will work out, but “that’s why I’m a little nervous giving him these assurances, only to have this fall through at the last minute. That’s not going to be pleasant.”

Marsha Chamberlin said she recognized the benefits of encouraging Michigan artists to donate their work. “But we are a public body, and we have procedures. I just think it’s important that we observe those rules because we don’t want to make an exception for one thing, then hold someone’s feet to the fire for something else.”

Commissioners agreed that AAPAC chair Bob Miller would work with Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, to set up a gift selection committee to review this proposal and make a recommendation to AAPAC.

In other action, the commission approved its annual art plan for fiscal 2015, which begins on July 1, 2014. The plan includes projects that are already underway, as well as proposed capital projects to be enhanced with public art. The ongoing projects are: (1) artwork for East Stadium bridges; (2) public art at Arbor Oaks Park; (3) Canoe Imagine Art; and (4) the Coleman Jewett memorial. The proposed enhanced capital projects are street and sidewalk stamping, painting or stenciling in four locations to be determined, for a total cost of $30,000. The city council would need to approve these projects before they would move forward.

Commissioners also approved applying for a $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast Track grant. The money, if awarded, would require matching funds in an equivalent amount from other sources for a public art project at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, located near Bryant Elementary School and the Bryant Community Center.

Fundraising continues for the Coleman Jewett memorial at the Ann Arbor farmers market, but Canoe Imagine Art has stalled. The community art project is intended as a temporary art display in downtown Ann Arbor using old canoes from the city that would be repurposed as public art. The city had hoped that the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau would take administrative responsibility for the project, but the CVB has declined. Chamberlin, who’s taking the lead on this effort, said that if workarounds can’t be found for some of the administrative issues, “we have to kiss this project good-bye.”

East Stadium Bridges Artwork

The April 23 agenda included a resolution recommending approval of “Arbor Winds” artwork for East Stadium bridges, designed by Massachusetts artist Catherine Widgery. [.pdf of proposal]

Catherine Widgery’s rendering of her proposed public artwork for East Stadium bridges. (Image provided in the April 23, 2014 AAPAC meeting packet.)

In early August of 2013, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for this project. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's original proposal]

The selection panel provided feedback to Widgery and asked that she revise her proposal before it was presented to AAPAC and then later to the city council for approval. Members of the panel were Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. [.pdf of panel feedback]

Over the past few weeks, AAPAC chair Bob Miller and vice chair John Kotarski have been presenting her revised proposed to several local public entities, including the city’s park advisory commission, planning commission, and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. They also presented to the Cultural Leaders Forum, and a public forum was held on April 21 at the downtown library to get additional feedback. [More details on the presentation by Kotarski and Miller are included in The Chronicle’s report of the Ann Arbor planning commission’s April 1, 2014 meeting.]

Widgery’s new design for the bridge features elevated, stand-alone louvered glass columns that are etched with images of trees – three on each end of the bridge, on the north side of Stadium Boulevard. The metal support structures are 7 feet tall, with the glass columns rising above that for a total height of 22 feet. The same type of louvered glass panels are also used under the bridge along South State, affixed to the wall of the underpass – five sets on each side of South State Street. The panels will be lit from below, so that the etchings stand out at night. The glass is tempered and laminated for strength.

The artwork is meant to evoke the strength and fragility of this community. From the artist’s statement:

As one drives around Ann Arbor, the gracious stands of trees stand out as a clear expression of the town’s identity so trees have symbolized this arbor town from the beginning.

On a deeper level, the trees as portrayed in the artwork Arbor Winds are a metaphor for our own paradoxical fragility and strength in the context of our life cycles. We speak of having “deep roots” or of “branching out” or of how someone is “blooming”. After a long winter, the return to life of spring is expressed above all through the return of leaves to trees. We all feel the sense of being reborn in the spring with the blossoms and leaves and, in the autumn, the somewhat wistful sadness as the leaves reach their glory of color and then fall.

Arbor Winds evokes not just trees but wind and light as expressions of the energy that surrounds us. In each panel we see the ghostly afterimage as if the wind has blown the tree; we see both moments in time simultaneously. These images etched in glass are like those etched in our memories. We walk through a forest and it is our mental “snapshots” of the branches against the sky or the texture of the thick trunk, or the dense layers of the many trunks silhouetted against the forest underbrush that remain in our memories. Indeed each of these etched images is more the memory of moments rather than a physical reality: a subtle expression of our own ephemeral existence and the light traces we leave behind.

During the April 23 meeting, Kotarski made the same presentation that he and Miller have given to other groups over the past few weeks. He explained the process that’s been undertaken, starting in 2011. “It’s been well-vetted,” he said.

Bob Miller, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

Kotarski noted that the question of “why not a local artist?” comes up in almost every discussion. The reason is that the city attorney has said it’s not legal to limit the proposals to local artists, Kotarski stated. There are world-class artists living in the Ann Arbor area, he noted, so outreach was done to make as many people as possible aware of the opportunity. Seven Michigan artists submitted proposals, but none were selected as finalists.

Miller noted that Widgery will be providing the LED light fixtures, and the city will be paying for the electricity. He reported that a city councilmember had asked whether the lighting will draw on solar power. That’s not a decision that’s within the purview of AAPAC, Miller said, but he liked the suggestion.

Jim Simpson asked what the general reaction has been from people who’ve seen the presentations by Kotarski and Miller. “Everyone loved it,” Kotarski replied. “I have not heard any negative comments – have you, Bob?”

“I have,” Miller said, adding that he’s only heard a couple of criticisms. One person had complained that it was an exorbitant amount to spend on artwork, and that you could buy potentially two homes for that amount. “That was his perspective, and I respected that,” Miller said. And some people just had aesthetic differences, he added. “Everybody has an opinion, and that’s really wonderful about people.”

Kotarski stressed, as he has during other presentations, that “not one single dollar of the money that goes to this artwork could possibly be used to fill potholes.” Although the money comes from the former Percent for Art program’s street millage funds, he contended that potholes are filled by funds from the state’s gas tax. “This is not a war of public art versus potholes,” he said.

Devon Akmon asked about possible glare from the lights. Miller replied that since the lights will be pointing up, they won’t be shining into traffic or nearby homes. Jokes were made about the difference between that and the University of Michigan’s large electronic billboard in the same area.

Simpson asked what happens if a panel is damaged. Would the artist fabricate a new one? Kotarski replied that Widgery will be providing a maintenance schedule, telling the city how to clean the work. She’ll also be giving the city a digital file with the images that are etched on each panel, he said, so that any damaged panel could be re-fabricated. Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, said he’d already asked Seagraves to look into possible replacement costs, and “it’s reasonable.”

The recommendation will be placed on the council’s agenda for its first meeting in June – on June 2. If approved, the art would likely be installed sometime in 2015.

An image by artist Catherine Widgery for artwork on the East Stadium bridge. This night view shows how the structures would be lit from below, illuminating the images of trees that are etched into louvered glass panels.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along the north side of East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

A detail of the louvers designed by Catherine Widgery. The etched glass panels will be attached to a metal frame.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the project for East Stadium bridges. The recommendation will be forwarded to the city council for consideration.

Donated Artwork

At the beginning of the April 23 meeting, Aaron Seagraves – the city’s public art administrator – noted that an item had been added to the agenda since it was first published the previous Friday. Under new business, the item was listed as a presentation of donated artworks. Marsha Chamberlin clarified with Seagraves that it related to an email sent to commissioners earlier in the day on April 23 from John Kotarski, AAPAC’s vice chair. [.pdf of Kotarski's email]

John Kotarski, AAPAC’s vice chair.

Kotarski told commissioners that a friend of his, the artist Jim Pallas, is leaving the state and had asked Kotarski to help place his artwork. [Pallas is based in Applegate, Michigan, on the east side of the state.] Pallas had intended to sell the work, but Kotarski said he persuaded Pallas to consider donating some pieces to the city of Ann Arbor. Kotarski said this idea appealed to Pallas, particularly because Pallas thought his work featuring moons was appropriate for Ann Arbor. “To him, moons are metaphors for dreams and dreamers, and he thought: What better place to situate these moons than Ann Arbor?” Kotarski said. Pallas imagines the city is a place of “dreamers dreaming world-class dreams,” Kotarski said.

The Ann Arbor District Library has agreed to accept a piece, Kotarski reported, as has the University of Michigan North Campus Research Center. [Responding to an email query from The Chronicle, AADL director Josie Parker reported that the Ladies' Library Association has agreed to pay the costs of installing the artwork in the downtown library's garden, near the entry to the children's room.]

Kotarski described Pallas as a world-class artist, and noted that he had emailed commissioners more information on Pallas’ background, including professional references. [.pdf of references and reviews] [.pdf of Pallas resume] He said the work was valued at about $100,000.

Kotarski said he had hoped to bring forward a completed proposal, but hadn’t had time to do that. He’d made the same point in his email, which was provided to The Chronicle after the meeting by Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. The email had included a list of people that he’s already talked with about this donation. From Kotarski’s April 23 email to commissioners:

I had hoped to bring you a donation proposal with proposed locations for artwork which was completely vetted by all stakeholders, however municipal government moves slow and Jim plans to leave the state in four weeks. Hence, the last minute addition to our agenda. I think your knowledge of the process to date and my plans moving forward is appropriate now rather than waiting for a completely vetted proposal.

…

I have kept Craig [Hupy] and Bob [Miller, AAPAC's chair] in the loop as I met with Susan Pollay, Jim Curtis, Colin Smith, and Ken Clein. My plan is to review safety, maintenance, and traffic flow with appropriate Justice Center and City Hall staff to insure all stakeholders are in acceptance of the artwork in the proposed locations. Jim’s daughter, Lydia Loren, is a law professor and international scholar in intellectual property rights who happens to have worked closely with our City Attorney, Steve Postema. Lydia and Mr. Postema have made arrangement to resolve any legal issues necessary to facilitate this donation.

Kotarski said the challenge now is how to proceed. He mentioned that commissioner Marsha Chamberlin had circulated AAPAC’s donation policy in response to his email, but indicated that he had not been aware it had existed. [The policy and process for accepting donated gifts of art, including detailed selection criteria, is included in AAPAC's guidelines, which are posted on the commission's website as a .pdf file.]

The process includes completion of a gift disclosure form and review of the proposed donation by a gift committee. Kotarski suggested that AAPAC could act as that committee, or that he could make recommendations for who would serve on the committee. He said he’s already worked to identify where the three donated pieces could be placed, and to work through any legal issues that the city might have.

Kotarski said the city staff haven’t agreed to yet to the proposed locations, which are in or near city hall and the Justice Center. Here are images of the work, provided in Kotarski’s email:

Fallen Moon by Jim Pallas is proposed to be located outside of city hall.

Luna Maggiore by Jim Pallas is proposed to hang in the atrium of city hall.

This piece by artist Jim Pallas, titled LAW, is proposed to be installed in the lobby of the Justice Center.

Kotarski said he wanted to inform AAPAC about this opportunity. The city won’t accept these pieces without a recommendation from AAPAC, he noted. He wanted to know if commissioners thought they could make that recommendation within four to six weeks. If not, he’d help Pallas place the artwork elsewhere.

Kotarski thought the work would “bring cachet to the city.” He said he’d toured the Justice Center with the building’s architect [Ken Clein of Quinn Evans Architects], and that several spots had been identified as appropriate. “He feels it’s consistent with and would enhance the building,” Kotarski said.

Marsha Chamberlin.

If the city agrees to place the artwork in the proposed locations, and agrees to pay for installation and maintenance, Kotarski said, he hoped that AAPAC would agree to recommend to council that the city accept these donations. Installation and maintenance costs haven’t yet been determined.

Chamberlin noted that much of the information needed for the gift disclosure form is already available. A gift committee would need to be appointed, she said, and that group would make a recommendation to AAPAC. Chamberlin advocated for following this process. “I just think it’s important to be consistent,” she said.

Kotarski said that UM and AADL each have a “committee of one” who makes a recommendation. “If this [AAPAC process] doesn’t mirror that, you might want to think of revising it,” he said.

The proposed locations aren’t debatable, Kotarski added. Chamberlin said that AAPAC’s role is to evaluate the artwork, not to recommend the locations.

Kotarski stressed that “I don’t want to lead Jim on. I want to be upfront with him.”

Bob Miller stated that most of the work has been done, and he thought it would be reasonable to follow the process within the timeframe of four to six weeks. When he suggested that Kotarski could appoint the gift committee, Chamberlin indicated that Kotarski had a conflict of interest. “I would feel that I had one, if I was bringing the artist forward and representing the artist,” she said. Miller replied that he didn’t think so, because Kotarski wasn’t benefiting from it.

Devon Akmon suggested that Miller, as AAPAC’s chair, and Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, should determine the committee members. Seagraves pointed out that the guidelines outline how the committee should be formed. From the guidelines:

Upon receipt of a Gift of Art Disclosure Form, AAPAC will establish a Gift Committee as a subcommittee of AAPAC. The Committee will consist of a minimum of four (4) AAPAC members including: a member of the Committee who will act as chair, an appropriate community representative, an appropriate City representative, an appropriate artist dependent upon the scope of the proposed gift. Members of the Gift Committee will serve two (2) year terms.

Kotarski wasn’t sure there was time to do this, but Miller assured him that it would be possible.

Jim Simpson indicated support for the donation. He noted that it would be a way for the city to highlight Michigan artists. “If you can move quickly and people see that, they tend to get excited about the process as well,” Simpson said. “I think it’s worth it, myself.”

City councilmember Jane Lumm attended AAPAC’s April 23 meeting but did not formally address the group.

Kotarski pointed out that Pallas is 75 years old. He noted that if artists donate artwork before they die, they can deduct the cost of materials from their taxes. But after they die, their estate is taxed on the market value of that artwork. “So these artists, at this point in their lives, have a financial incentive to find a good place for their artwork,” he said. “If we can make that process simple and easy for Jim – and pleasant – then I’m sure he’s willing to go to his friends” and encourage them to donate too.

Kotarski said he’s tried to assure Pallas that this will work out, but “that’s why I’m a little nervous giving him these assurances, only to have this fall through at the last minute. That’s not going to be pleasant.”

Again, Kotarski stressed that AAPAC has the opportunity to get artwork donated by major Michigan artists. He said the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority is willing to give Pallas a $500 honorarium for each of the three donated pieces – “which is only reasonable, to recognize this value,” Kotarski said.

Chamberlin said she recognized the benefits of encouraging Michigan artists to donate their work. “But we are a public body, and we have procedures. I just think it’s important that we observe those rules because we don’t want to make an exception for one thing, then hold someone’s feet to the fire for something else.”

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Public Art Maps

One of the newest art commissioners, KT Tomey, brought forward a proposal for feedback: Maps for walking or running tours of public art.

Detail of a draft map of public art in downtown Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan’s central campus. Links to .pdf of full map.

She’d been inspired by an “art run” that AAPAC chair Bob Miller had put together, which she had used for her running group. “It was wildly popular – people are still talking about it, wanting to do it again this summer,” she said.

In doing research to add to the next run, Tomey said she was surprised that there wasn’t one coherent map of art in Ann Arbor that people could easily access online. There’s a resource for art on the University of Michigan’s north campus, she noted, but it’s not easy to use to find out about the artwork.

Tomey first laid out what she called her “grand vision” for this project. There could be online .pdf maps with links to more information about each piece of art. But she also envisions a mobile app that people could load onto their phones, so that they could look at the map and information about public art as they’re walking or running. Eventually, she’d like to do a video tour that could be self-directed or used to train people who’d give tours in person.

The tours would serve multiple purposes, Tomey said, such as promoting art and increasing connections with the community.

As an initial modest step, Tomey said, she’d made two drafts of maps – one showing public art around downtown Ann Arbor and UM’s central campus, and another for UM’s north campus. [.pdf of Ann Arbor public art map] [.pdf of north campus public art map]

Tomey asked commissioners for feedback on the overall idea, as well as changes that might be made to the draft maps.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, offered to provide support from the city’s GIS staff in designing the maps. He also said the city’s communications staff can help promote the project, when it’s ready.

Commissioners Devon Akmon and Marsha Chamberlin.

Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the project. Devon Akmon suggested looking for partnerships with the UM business school or computer science department to help with the mobile app. Regarding map templates, he noted that D:hive in Detroit has developed brochures and maps that might be helpful.

Akmon also wondered whether Google might be a potential partner, as the company has an office in Ann Arbor. Public art would be a good fit for the Google Cultural Institute project, for example. Finally, he said it’s simple and inexpensive to create an audio tour mobile app, similar to ones that are used by museums. [Akmon is director of the Arab American National Museum.] You can also create .mp3 files that are easily downloadable and could be posted online. It would be amazing to hear artists or people from the community describing the public art in Ann Arbor, he said. “What it always comes down to for me is how do you make it beautiful, and how do you make a big splash.”

John Kotarski suggested contacting UM’s Council for Disability Concerns, which is interesting in making public art accessible for people with disabilities.

Marsha Chamberlin said there might be grants available to support this project from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs. She also thought the project might be of interest to the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is funded in large part by a local accommodation tax.

Tomey said she’d thought about identifying routes of different lengths for runners – both for local residents as well as visitors. “When you visit a city, you look up the running routes,” she said, and that could be another way to promote public art to visitors.

Jim Simpson suggested taking a phased approach, starting with maps that could be put up quickly. He offered to help with implementing the project. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, said .pdf maps could be posted on AAPAC’s website.

Seagraves also recommended that the commission add this project to its list of ongoing work. Chamberlin pointed out that AAPAC no longer has available funding and that staff support is unclear after Seagraves’ contract ends on June 30. She wondered whether AAPAC would be able to get any support from the city for projects like this.

Hupy indicated that there would be some kind of ongoing support for this project.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Annual Public Art Plan

Approval of the annual public art plan for fiscal 2015 had been on the March 26, 2014 agenda for approval, but was postponed because it included some items that several commissioners had not previously seen. The March 26 discussion also resulted in some changes to the plan, so a revised version was on the April 23 agenda for approval. [.pdf of annual public art plan]

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

Commissioners had initially voted to approve a draft annual plan at their Jan. 29, 2014 meeting. They also directed AAPAC vice chair John Kotarski to work with Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, to make final revisions to the plan, based on feedback from their Jan. 29 discussion. [.pdf of draft plan discussed on Jan. 29]

The plan includes projects that are already underway, as well as proposed capital projects to be enhanced with public art. The ongoing projects are: (1) artwork for East Stadium bridges; (2) public art at Arbor Oaks Park; (3) Canoe Imagine Art; and (4) the Coleman Jewett memorial.

The proposed enhanced capital projects are street and sidewalk stamping, painting or stenciling in four locations to be determined, for a total cost of $30,000. The city council would need to approve these projects before they would move forward. City staff would be involved in developing guidelines for these installations to “ensure the artwork will meet all applicable codes, are safe for all pedestrians and are compatible with the maintenance of the infrastructure,” according to the plan.

The document also lists four objectives that the commission will work on in the coming fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2014:

1. Make plans to use gifts, grants, crowd funding and other non-local government funds for public art in Ann Arbor, as the amended Public Art Ordinance allows.
2. Increase public outreach for long-term public art program goals, artwork selection, and artwork education and thus better carry out the duties of the Public Art Commission established by the Ordinance amendment of June, 2013.
3. Refine the selection of potential public art projects by using a project evaluation and prioritization model and base the initiation of projects on the evaluation of primary criteria.
4. Establish an open and regular channel of communication regarding public art program updates with city administration and City Council.

In addition, the plan lists three recommendations from the city council’s task force on public art, noting that the commission will support city staff in achieving these recommendations in the coming fiscal year:

1. Review the location of the arts program within the City of Ann Arbor government and evaluate the possibility of relocating the public art program.
2. Fulfill the Public Art Task Force’s recommendation of creating a position for a full-time public art staff person.
3. Review and revise the Public Art Commission’s Bylaws and Guidelines.

Discussion was brief. Kotarski thanked Seagraves for his work on this plan, saying it shows the work that AAPAC has been doing “even though juggling public criticism.” It tells the council that AAPAC has heard the city council’s charge for the commission, he said.

Seagraves noted that the plan will be sent to the council in time for their deliberations on the FY 2015 budget. City administrator Steve Powers presented a draft budget at the council’s April 21, 2014 meeting. The council will discuss and approve the budget, with possible amendments, at its May 19 meeting.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the FY 2015 annual public art plan. It will be forwarded to the city council.

Grant for Arbor Oaks Project

The April 23 agenda included an item to approve applying for a $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast Track grant. The money, if awarded, would require matching funds in an equivalent amount from other sources for a public art project at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, located near Bryant Elementary School and the Bryant Community Center.

The effort is in partnership with the nonprofit Community Action Network, which runs the Bryant Community Center under contract with the city. The idea is to create concrete and mosaic sculptures near the five entrances to the park, to help link the school and different streets in the neighborhood. The artwork would involve residents and students at Bryant Elementary.

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, described the small- to medium-sized sculptures as wayfinders. The grant application is due on May 8. Nick Zagar is the commissioner who’s taking the lead on this project. He did not attend AAPAC’s April 23 meeting.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the application for this NEA grant.

Project Updates

Commissioners were updated on projects that are currently underway: (1) Canoe Imagine Art; (2) the Coleman Jewett memorial; (3) sculptures at a rain garden at Kingsley & First; and (4) a possible mural at Bach Elementary.

Project Updates: Canoe Imagine Art

Marsha Chamberlin, who’s been leading the Canoe Imagine Art project for AAPAC, reported that the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau has declined to be the project’s administrative “home.”

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator.

The community art project is intended as a temporary art display in downtown Ann Arbor using old canoes from the city that would be repurposed as public art. The installation of an estimated 25-30 canoes was to take place in fiscal 2015 or 2016, depending on funding. The project has received a $21,000 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and organizers plan to raise additional funds from private donors.

AAPAC originally approved $10,000 in funding for the project, at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting. It was to be used as a portion of matching funds for the state grant, with the remaining $11,000 in matching funds to be raised through donations. However, the city council voted to allocate the entire $21,000 in city funds to match the state grant. That action came at the council’s March 3, 2014 meeting.

At AAPAC’s April 23 meeting, Craig Hupy – the city’s public services area administrator – reported that the project was intended as a three-party effort involving the city, the CVB, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. “We are struggling with the other partners not wanting to administer the contract,” Hupy said. As of July 1, which is the start of the city’s next fiscal year, there won’t necessarily be funds for art administration, he noted.

Chamberlin said it wasn’t until December of 2013 that the city attorney’s office informed her that the project couldn’t use a website that was separate from the city’s website, and that an RFP process must be used for seeking artists. Also, she learned that this effort would be required to hire a project manager. At the time, they were hoping to move the project forward more quickly, and so the idea of a “triumvirate” partnership was explored. Now, however, the timeline has been pushed back, but it’s unclear who will lead the project, she said.

Jim Simpson, AAPAC’s newest commissioner.

Hupy added that if another organization takes the lead, then the city’s procurement process – including issuing an RFP – wouldn’t be required. He also noted that the state grant must be spent by the end of September 2014, and it wasn’t clear if that would be possible. And because all the funding hasn’t yet been raised, the city won’t take on responsibility for a project that it doesn’t have the ability to fund completely. “We’re trying to make it work, but I can’t even say that I’m cautiously optimistic at the moment,” he said.

Another issue, Chamberlin noted, is that the city attorney’s staff has said the artwork can’t be sold, because the city’s purchasing policies don’t allow that. The idea had been to sell the pieces after they’d been on display, as a fundraiser. The city’s purchasing policies are perfectly reasonable for typical uses, like buying a truck or generator, she said, “but public art functions differently.”

If they can’t find a workaround for some of these issues, Chamberlin said, “we have to kiss this project good-bye.”

Hupy said that city staff will continue to work to find a solution. “We understand the direness of it,” he said. “I would say as a medical metaphor, it’s on life support at the moment.”

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, reported that a request for proposals (RFP) has been drafted to solicit bids for the Coleman Jewett memorial. The RFP is being reviewed by legal staff.

The memorial will be a bronze replica of an Adirondack chair made by Jewett, to be located at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January of 2013. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the farmers market. AAPAC has committed $5,000 in city funds to the project, which now has a total project budget of $50,000 – up from its original estimate of $36,000. Other funds will be raised from private donations, including a contribution from the Old West Side Association. So far, $18,795 has been raised, not including the city’s $5,000 contribution.

Marsha Chamberlin, who’s spearheading the project, gave an update on fundraising efforts. A second mailing to solicit donations is being sent out this month. An alumni party for Tappan Middle School – where Jewett served as assistant principal – is being planned as a fundraiser, possibly at the Old German. Information will be passed out at the farmers market, although no solicitation is allowed there.

Project Updates: Kingsley Rain Garden

The installation of sculptures in a rain garden at the southeast corner of Kingsley & First will start in May. The entire project, including the rain garden, will be completed by the end of June. The artist, Joshua Wiener, will be coming to Ann Arbor during the first week in June. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, reported that Wiener will be available for a public event, likely on June 3.

Promotion for the project is being planned. As part of that, one idea is to ask the public to name the artwork, Seagraves said. The rain garden is already named after Ruth Williams. It’s considered by the city to be a “stormwater feature,” not a park.

The Denver artist is working with landscapers to incorporate public art into the new rain garden, which is in a floodplain. The project has a $27,000 budget, though the artist’s contract is for $23,380. Wiener’s sculptures show the outlines of five fish. They’re small mouth bass, in different sizes, made of white epoxy-painted steel and pointed toward the Huron River.

Seagraves reported that the original proposal called for some of the fish to appear submerged into the ground. For structural and aesthetic reasons, Wiener has altered that original design somewhat. Although some fish will appear to be diving down, they will be above ground. He provided a revised rendering:

Josh Wiener’s rendering of fish sculptures for the rain garden at First & Ashley.

Project Updates: Bach Elementary Mural

Bob Miller reported that not much progress has been made on a public art project at Bach Elementary School, on the city’s Old West Side. He’s been working with the school principal Hyeuo Min Park, the school’s art department, local artist David Zinn, the AAPS maintenance staff and others to paint a mural on a concrete wall at Bach’s playground. It’s a place that gets tagged with graffiti, he noted. Miller said it could be a pilot for other projects, if it moves forward.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, quipped: “There’s a lot of retaining walls in the city that could be painted.”

Commissioners present: Devon Akmon, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Jim Simpson, Kristin “KT” Tomey. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator and Craig Hupy, public services area administrator.

Absent: Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Nick Zagar.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our artful coverage of public entities like the Ann Arbor public art commission. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

An image by artist Catherine Widgery for artwork on the East Stadium bridge. This night view shows how the structures would be lit from below, illuminating the images of trees that are etched into louvered glass panels.

John Kotarski and Bob Miller of the city’s public art commission presented images of a revised design for public art on the East Stadium bridge, a $400,000 project that includes columns of louvered glass panels on the bridge as well as underneath it, along South State Street. The artist – Catherine Widgery, who’s based in Massachusetts – had changed her original proposal at the request of a selection committee. The public art commission is seeking feedback on this new design, including at a public forum on Monday, April 21 at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library.

The public art commission likely will vote on a recommendation at its April 23 meeting. The proposal would then be forwarded to the city council for approval.

Also heading to city council is the site plan for a new Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which planning commissioners voted to recommend on April 1. The plan involves major renovations to the existing building at 314 S. Fourth Ave., which most recently housed the Dream Nite Club that closed in 2012. The renovations include adding a second-floor mezzanine level to the front of the building.

Part of the planning commission’s discussion focused on whether there might be outdoor dining in front of the restaurant. The project’s architect, Stephen Fry, indicated that at this point, outdoor seating wouldn’t be appropriate, in part because of bus traffic. The building is located near the Blake Transit Center, a hub for public transportation. “Ruth’s Chris is about a known and consistent dining experience,” Fry said, “and we just don’t feel we can control it out there.”

Fry also reported that the restaurant will likely be using valet parking, with valets positioned in front of the building. “So we’re going to activate the street with humans that are dressed up and looking good,” he said.

Commissioners also reviewed proposed ordinance revisions related to drive-thrus, and recommended that the city council approve the changes. The amendments would add a definition of a “drive-thru facility” to Chapter 55 of the city code. Currently, the term used throughout the code is “drive-in,” which is not explicitly defined in the code.

In addition, the changes would require that drive-thru projects obtain a special exception use from the planning commission, and would be allowed only in the O (office), C2B (business service) and C3 (fringe commercial) zoning districts. Basic layout requirements would also be added to the ordinance. Currently, drive-thrus are allowed in C3 districts without a special exception use. They are allowed as special exception uses in the C2B district.

The changes will give planning commissioners more discretion in approving drive-thru businesses, including restaurants, banks, pharmacies and other types of drive-thrus.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

The planning commission’s April 1 agenda included review of the site plan for Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Proposed facade of Ruth’s Chris Steak House at 314 S. Fourth Ave.

The site plan calls for renovating the single-story building at 314 S. Fourth Ave. and putting up a 1,943-square-foot second-floor mezzanine addition over the front part of the existing building. An open space in front of the building – about 220 square feet – would also be filled in as part of the new addition.

The current structure is 8,024 square feet, and most recently housed the Dream Nite Club, which closed in 2012. The property owner is Dean Zahn Properties in Saline. The project is estimated to cost $2.2 million. [.pdf of staff report]

The recommendation of approval is contingent on addressing the following issues: (1) a discrepancy in the property legal description; (2) a license agreement for emergency egress across the front of the Fourth & William parking structure; and (3) construction of one bicycle parking space in the Fourth & William parking structure or payment to the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to install the space.

Because the site is within the D-1 zoning district, it’s exempt from vehicle parking requirements. No outdoor dining is proposed.

No one spoke during the public hearing on this project. The planning staff recommended approval of the site plan.

This would be the first Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Ann Arbor. The chain is based in Florida, with locations nationwide.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Commission Discussion – Fire, Water

Wendy Woods asked about fire suppression, pointing to comments in the staff report:

If an automatic sprinkler system is not being required by the Building Official, there will be no fire department connection (FDC) on this building, making the location of the FDC in relation to a supporting fire hydrant null. However, should a sprinkler system be installed, according to City Standards, the FDC is required within 100 feet of a supporting hydrant. With that said, the hydrant located on the southwest corner of E. Liberty and S. Fourth Ave is approximately 135-150 feet from the proposed FDC for Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. This does not meet City Standards.

If the building was to be suppressed, in the interest of public safety and welfare, and adding an additional hydrant in order to meet the 100 foot requirement negatively impacts other aspects of the street layout and accessibility of parking and pedestrian traffic, then the current distance from the E. Liberty/S. Fourth Ave. hydrant to the proposed FDC would be considered acceptable in the Fire Marshal’s review.

Stephen Fry of Concept Design, the Grand Rapids firm that’s designing this building, said there was a question about whether building code required this renovation to include an automatic sprinkler system, because there isn’t going to be a change of use – it was a restaurant, and it will remain a restaurant. After talking to city building officials, Fry said, he believes a fire suppression system will be required. It will add more than $100,000 to the project, he said.

Stephen Fry of Concept Design, a Grand Rapids architectural firm that’s designing the Ann Arbor Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

That requirement might also entail putting in another fire hydrant, Fry added, but he’s been working with the fire department and believed they were close to agreeing that existing fire hydrants in the area will suffice. However, he said, “if they want one, then we’ll provide it.”

Sabra Briere asked Fry to explain the emergency egress issue. Currently, Fry replied, there’s a five-foot-wide egress area on the southeast corner of the site. Because the building will have a second floor, it needs a second means of egress that goes to the public right-of-way, he explained. Fry didn’t want to put an exit along the front of the building, so he’s planning to tuck it onto the building’s south side. To do that, a revocable easement from the city needs to be obtained. If the city ever revokes the easement, he said, then the restaurant would need to install an exit door on the front. “It’s a technical issue that we need to legally take care of,” Fry said.

Bonnie Bona asked about stormwater management, saying it’s nice when an existing building can contribute to the “first flush” stormwater treatment. She asked how it would be done – would they cut through the slab and install an infiltration system? Fry responded by saying that “this building is in a significant state of disrepair.” Between 50-100% of the floors will be removed, and most of the building will be gutted. The back doors don’t open, so they’ll be putting in new doors. If they need to make the door big enough to bring in large concrete basins, “that’s what we’ll do,” he said.

The concept is that the roof water will be fed from the roof directly to two tanks buried below the floor in the rear of the building, near the alley. The tanks will slow down the runoff rate from stormwater that flows from the roof, before entering the city’s stormwater system. If the rainfall is too fast for the tanks to contain, the water will overflow into the stormwater system.

Bona asked what the potential is for actual infiltration. Fry said he had mixed emotions about this approach, saying that he knows the city’s engineering staff really wants to locate infiltration tanks on the site. “But this is a 66-year-old building,” Fry said, “and architecturally, I’m a little bit concerned about inducing water around foundations that have been there that long, that I don’t know what condition they’re in.” There are impervious surfaces in every direction for miles, he noted. “It makes me architecturally nervous about the structure,” he said.

Fry hopes to reach a compromise with the city about how to handle the infiltration. Given the age of the building, the current proposal “is just asking for trouble,” he said. An architect typically has three problems, Fry added: “Water, water and water.” Part of the process will entail excavating that part of the building to see what’s there, he noted. Until that happens, it’s hard to know what they’re dealing with. “The commitment is there for [stormwater] detention,” he said. “We’ll do our best for infiltration.”

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Commission Discussion – Design

Woods asked if the rendering of the building would actually be what the structure looked like after it was built. Fry replied that it would be very close to that. Adding a second floor will make the building “feel more at home in a very large monumental sort of neighborhood,” he said. “This is a tough street.”

Bonnie Bona.

Fry said he had to convince investors to even look at the building. The location includes a lot of bus traffic but no other retail, he noted. So Ruth’s Chris will be a good transitional use, because it’s a destination restaurant and doesn’t rely on foot traffic as much, he said. They can control what happens inside the building, Fry added, so what’s going on outside isn’t as important.

Bona noted that the proposal is a fairly small second-floor addition to a downtown building. Current downtown zoning doesn’t allow for a one-story building if it’s new construction, she said. Is there any potential for further additions on top of the existing building? Fry replied that the existing building won’t support a second floor, so they’ll be building new support structure for the addition. The design is also nearly the maximum allowable square footage that doesn’t require an elevator, which would be a significant cost, he said.

Fry also reported that a single-floor roof allows for economical kitchen venting – that’s one reason why this building was chosen. He noted that some of the investors didn’t even want to add any second floor, but Fry thought it was the only way to make the restaurant successful. “The private dining sector in this town seems to be very strong, and Ruth’s Chris is certainly a player in that,” he said.

Bona thought the second-floor facade added a lot to the streetscape. She appreciated that it would be a real second floor, saying that there’s a restaurant nearby with a second floor “that’s just open space to the first floor. It’s basically a fake second floor.” [She was referring to Tios, at 401 E. Liberty.]

Regarding the streetscape, Bona asked Fry for his thoughts on the use of the sidewalk. Fry noted that there’s some broken concrete that needs to be repaired. He said the restaurant would be a good neighbor for that area, and would likely make seasonal changes to the planters in front of the building. The restaurant is very serious about having a valet service, Fry added, “so we’re going to activate the street with humans that are dressed up and looking good.”

The sidewalk is only 12 feet wide, Fry noted, so there’s not a lot of room. The restaurant would likely go along with whatever improvements are proposed for that block. There’s a lot of activity on the sidewalk during the day, but the restaurant doesn’t intend to be open for lunch initially, Fry said. He added that the restaurant hopes to bring more activity at night, so lighting will be critical to make the sidewalk safe.

Paras Parekh asked about the potential for outdoor seating. There’s no restaurant policy against it, Fry replied, but “we do not think it’s appropriate for this location.” The sun never hits that east wall, he said, and it’s difficult for the restaurant to control the outdoor setting. “Ruth’s Chris is about a known and consistent dining experience,” Fry said, “and we just don’t feel we can control it out there.” He wasn’t sure there’d be room for tables anyway, given the valet service.

Kirk Westphal.

Kirk Westphal followed up, asking whether the design would be flexible enough to allow outdoor seating in the future, if the restaurant decided to do that. There’s nothing to preclude it, Fry replied. He noted that the Ruth’s Chris in Grand Rapids has a really nice sidewalk in front and is in a location with a nice environment, so there is outdoor dining. “If there’s a need, we will certainly evaluate that,” Fry said.

The restaurant’s biggest concern is the bus traffic on Fourth Avenue, which causes significant noise, Fry told commissioners. There’s also not a lot to look at, he added – just the wall of the federal building across the street. Westphal noted that the buses stop running at night.

Diane Giannola wondered if the architect had considered having a rooftop deck. Yes, Fry said, but again it came down to whether the restaurant could control the outside environment. There would be kitchen exhaust and other noise, he said, so it didn’t seem to make sense at this location.

Ken Clein said he’d like to see outdoor dining too, but agreed that it probably wasn’t the best location to do that. As a destination restaurant, Clein thought it was a good use of the site, especially considering that it’s been vacant for a long time. “I’m a vegetarian, and I’m still supportive of it,” Clein joked. Fry replied that there’d be options for vegetarians, too.

Clein, who is also an architect, asked about the building materials, which Fry described. There would be some tweaks to respond to recommendations from the city’s design review board regarding the colors of the facade, Fry said. “It all needs to reflect quality and craftsmanship – that’s the idea.” The company doesn’t dictate the design of the franchises, he added, so every building is unique. Fry said he designed the Ruth’s Chris restaurant in Grand Rapids too, which is located inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Commission Discussion – Misc.

Responding to a query from Woods, Fry said that the bicycle parking in the Fourth & William structure is visible from the sidewalk.

City planner Matt Kowalski.

Briere asked if a citizens participation meeting had been required for this project. No, Fry replied, but they did mail out some notifications to surrounding property owners. There were no responses.

Jeremy Peters asked about the staff memo regarding a discrepancy in the property line. The current legal description does not include the western 8 feet at the back of the property, adjacent to the alley. City planner Matt Kowalski explained that it appears to be a clerical error when the deed was drawn up more than 60 years ago. There’s no question about who owns it – it’s clearly part of the lot, he said.

Fry added that it can’t be changed without filing a lawsuit, and that’s being done. “I understand that our odds are extremely high that it’s going to go through,” he said, because the owner has been paying taxes on that portion of the property for decades.

Westphal asked about shielding noise from the restaurant’s mechanical systems. Fry indicated that the noise would be very similar or less than previous restaurants located in that same building. The kitchen, which was built for Maude’s restaurant, is huge, Fry said.

Planning manager Wendy Rampson said the city’s challenge is that it’s difficult to enforce the noise standards – especially after equipment has been installed – other than sending police to respond to complaints. Fry noted that the site is surrounded by a parking structure to the south, a surface parking lot to the north, and an alley on the west. The noise would be shielded in the front by the new second floor addition, he said. Westphal suggested exploring quieter models of mechanical systems, if possible.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the site plan. It will be forwarded to the city council for consideration.

Drive-Thru Zoning Changes

Commissioners considered several amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance related to drive-thrus. The amendments would add a definition of a “drive-thru facility” to Chapter 55 of the city code. Currently, the term used throughout the code is “drive-in,” which is not explicitly defined in the code.

The proposed revisions define a drive-thru in this way: “Any building or structure, or portion thereof, that is constructed or operated for the purpose of providing goods or services to customers who remain in their vehicle during the course of the transaction.” The revisions also clarify that a drive-thru is an accessory use, not the principle use of the building. A project in which a drive-thru would be the principle use would not be allowed. Basic layout requirements would also be added to the ordinance.

In addition, the changes would require drive-thrus to obtain special exception use permits, which would be allowed only in the O (office), C2B (business service) and C3 (fringe commercial) zoning districts. Drive-thrus would not be allowed in the C1, D1, D2, and other commercial districts.

Currently, drive-thrus are allowed in C3 districts without a special exception use. They are allowed as special exception uses in the C2B district.

When considering whether to grant a special exception use – which does not require additional city council approval – the planning commission considers these issues:

1. Is the location, size and character of the proposed use compatible with the principal uses of the district and adjacent districts? Is it consistent with the Master Plan? Is it consistent with the surrounding area? Will it have any detrimental effects to the use or value of surrounding area, or the natural environment?

2. Is the location, size, character, layout, access and traffic generated by the use hazardous or inconvenient or conflicting with the normal traffic of the neighborhood? Is off-street parking safe for pedestrians? Do the necessary vehicular turning movements block normal traffic flow? Are any additional public services or facilities needed by the use, and will they be detrimental to the community?

3. Is the maximum density and minimum required open space at least equal to the standards normally required by the Zoning Ordinance for the district?

The changes will give planning commissioners more discretion in approving drive-thru businesses, including restaurants, banks, pharmacies and other types of drive-thrus.

The proposed amendments were first reviewed by the commission’s ordinance revisions committee in 2007, but never moved forward to the full commission for consideration. The ORC most recently reviewed these changes in March of 2014. [.pdf of staff memo and proposed amendments]

Planning manager Wendy Rampson.

In introducing the proposal, planning manager Wendy Rampson noted that planning commission chair Kirk Westphal had requested that staff look into these changes. The issue has been around for a long time, she said.

Since the changes were first considered in 2007, the city’s South State Street corridor plan has been approved, Rampson noted. [It was added to the city's master plan in 2013.] There’s been discussion about how to make the city’s major commercial corridors more pedestrian friendly, she said, by bringing buildings closer to the front of properties and reducing the impact of vehicles. So it made sense to bring forward these proposed revisions related to drive-thrus, she said.

Rampson pointed out that these changes would not preclude having drive-thrus in office, C2B or C3 zoning districts. Rather, it would give planning commissioners the opportunity to look at the layout of the site, though there are some design restrictions. For example, the ordinance revisions would prevent a drive-thru window from being located between a sidewalk and the main building.

These proposed changes, coupled with revisions that the city made two years ago in the off-street parking ordinance, should help minimize the impact of a drive-thru, Rampson said.

Finally, the changes would also give the planning commission the discretion to reject a drive-thru proposal, if it’s in a location that commissioners feel isn’t appropriate, Rampson noted. The intent is to give commissioners the tools they need to make sure a drive-thru works on a particular property, she said.

The biggest impact will likely be on banks that are built in the future, Rampson said, because currently regulations related to drive-thrus haven’t applied to banks at all.

No one spoke during the public hearing on this item.

Drive-Thru Zoning Changes: Commission Discussion – Definition, Use

Ken Clein asked whether these revisions would impact car washes. No, Rampson replied, because car washes are considered a separate use. She noted that in C2B districts, car washes, automobile service stations and filling stations are allowed as special exception uses.

Wendy Woods.

In the definition of a drive-thru, Clein wondered whether the word “motor” should be added in front of “vehicle” – in case some “intrepid entrepreneur” wanted to have a bicycle or skateboard drive-thru at some point. Rampson noted that the definition describes “customers who remain in their vehicle.” She thought it would be hard to say that someone is “in a skateboard” or “in a bike.” There are also motorized bicycles, she noted.

But Rampson agreed that Clein’s suggestion to add the word “motor” would allow more clarity. If someone proposed a different kind of drive-thru – or a walk-up window, for example – she didn’t think the city would be concerned about that.

Clein proposed an amendment to add the word “motor” to the definition. The revised definition would state: “Any building or structure, or portion thereof, that is constructed or operated for the purpose of providing goods or services to customers who remain in their motor vehicle during the course of the transaction.”

Bonnie Bona agreed that there would be no problem with a walk-up or bike-up window, because those wouldn’t cause conflicts with sidewalks and pedestrians.

Outcome on amendment: It passed unanimously.

Wendy Woods noted that there are drive-thru funeral homes, including some in Detroit. That’s another kind of use, though she hoped it wouldn’t come to Ann Arbor. She asked whether the ordinance needed to mention that use.

Rampson replied that the advantage of the proposed approach is that the drive-thru is associated with many different uses. It’s only the drive-thru component that would trigger the special exception use requirement.

Drive-Thru Zoning Changes: Commission Discussion – Past Projects

Bona asked Rampson to share an example that had been discussed at the ordinance revisions committee – a drive-thru on Plymouth Road, near the Holiday Inn North Campus hotel. In that project, the back doors of the building faced Plymouth Road, Bona noted. How would the proposed ordinance revisions have helped the planning commission deal with that project?

Paras Parekh.

[Bona was referring to a project that the planning commission recommended for approval at its Jan. 15, 2013 meeting. The retail development – called The Shoppes at 3600 – is located at 3600 Plymouth Road, just west of US-23.]

Rampson told commissioners that if the proposed ordinance revisions had been in place at that time, the project would have required the commission to grant a special exception use. The drive-thru could not be located between the main building and a public right-of-way. For that project, the window was actually located on the side of the building, Rampson noted, so it wasn’t between the main building and the sidewalk. Commissioners had been more critical of the exiting driveway that led around the back of the building, between the building and the Plymouth Road sidewalk.

However, Rampson said, commissioners could have applied other standards of the special exception use to require modifications to the project.

Rampson also pointed to the drive-thru at the Tim Horton’s on Ellsworth Road, which planning commissioners recommended for approval on March 6, 2012. In that case, the drive-thru window is facing Ellsworth. So if the proposed ordinance revisions had been in place at that time, the city would have required that the building or the window be reoriented.

Woods noted that other drive-thru projects have created problems, like the Walgreens at the corner of Washtenaw and Huron Parkway. It’s very difficult to use the drive-thru, she said, because of traffic coming in from Huron Parkway. And pedestrians “pretty much take their life in their own hands when they want to cross the street to get over there,” she added.

Drive-Thru Zoning Changes: Commission Discussion – Special Exception Use

Bona said the special exception use allows the developer to be creative about how to solve the problem. She indicated that she preferred this approach, rather than requiring specific design restrictions. The intent is to not prioritize cars over the pedestrian experience, she said.

Jeremy Peters agreed, saying that the standards outlined in the special exception use might yield better designs. He said he was a fan of taking this approach, instead of banning drive-thrus completely. Businesses that have the need for a drive-thru still have that option.

Responding to a query from Kirk Westphal, Rampson said that if existing drive-thrus need renovations that require an administrative amendment to the site plan or planning commission approval, it’s considered a pre-existing, special exception use. But if a project requires going to city council to get site plan approval, then the special exception use would need to be re-established by the planning commission.

Ken Clein agreed that the special exception use was a good tool for this purpose. It raised the bar a little, in terms of the planning commission’s expectations, he said.

Outcome: Commissioners recommended approval of the ordinance revisions. The proposal will be forwarded to the city council for consideration.

Stadium Bridge Artwork

John Kotarski, vice chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission, gave a presentation to commissioners about the proposed artwork for East Stadium bridge. Also on hand were AAPAC chair Bob Miller and Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

John Kotarski, vice chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission. Seated in the background are AAPAC chair Bob Miller and Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

In early August of 2013, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for public art on the East Stadium bridge in Ann Arbor. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's original proposal]

The selection panel provided feedback to Widgery and asked that she revise her proposal before it’s presented to AAPAC and then later to the city council for approval. Members of the panel are Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. [.pdf of panel feedback]

Kotarski reviewed the process, which started in November 2011. The goal had been to unify the East Stadium bridge overpass and the South State Street underpass, and connect to the neighborhoods. The artwork was intended to connect with different modes of transportation, to be viewed by people walking, biking or in cars. A total of 32 proposals had been originally received.

Kotarski said AAPAC “constantly” is asked the question: Why not pick a local artist? “The short answer is the city attorney said we can’t,” Kotarski told commissioners. The city can’t have an open competition and restrict artists to only ones who live in this area, he said. However, he added that AAPAC did extensive outreach to local artists, contacting local organizations and asking them to spread the word about the request for proposals. Seven Michigan artists presented proposals, but none were selected as finalists.

Although Widgery’s work stood out in many ways, Kotarski said, the selection panel wanted her to refine it. For example, her original proposal called for 12 four-by-six-foot acrylic/aluminum or glass banners etched with images of trees, to be hung from existing lightpoles on the bridge. It would have required the lightpoles to be reinforced in some way. The panelists also wanted a more dramatic structure, Kotarski said.

Widgery’s new design for the bridge features stand-alone, louvered glass columns that are etched with images of trees. The same type of louvered glass panels are also used under the bridge along South State, affixed to the wall of the underpass. The panels are lit, so that the etchings stand out at night, Kotarski explained.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

A detail of the louvers designed by Catherine Widgery. The etched glass panels will be attached to a metal frame.

Kotarski noted that he and Miller will be making similar presentations at a public forum and at meetings of local groups like the planning commission. The public forum will be held on Monday, April 21 at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. starting at 7 p.m.

AAPAC will review the input and likely vote on a recommendation for the project at its April 23 meeting, Kotarski said. That recommendation would then be forwarded to the city council for approval. The hope is to have the artwork installed by the fall of 2014 or early spring of 2015.

Kotarski concluded by saying that “not one penny of the money spent on this artwork could be spent on potholes. This is a completely different fund.” He said the money to fix potholes comes from state revenue, not local taxes. “So this is not art versus potholes – I want to assure you of that,” he said.

The funds for the East Stadium bridge artwork are from the city’s former Percent for Art program, which the city council eliminated at its June 3, 2013 meeting. The project’s budget had been approved prior to the council’s decision to suspend funding for new projects. That decision occurred on Dec. 3, 2012.

The specific Percent for Art money for this project comes from street millage revenues. The Percent for Art funding mechanism set aside 1% for public art from the budget of each of the city’s capital projects, such as street work.

Stadium Bridge Artwork: Commission Discussion

Sabra Briere confirmed with John Kotarski that the structures would be lit from below. She wondered if the lighting would be solar-powered. Bob Miller replied that the city is getting estimates from the electrician, but the structures won’t be lit with solar power. Briere asked if it would connect with the same electrical system that’s heating the stairs coming up to the bridge from South State. Miller wasn’t sure.

Sabra Briere.

When Briere expressed disappointment that the lighting wouldn’t be solar, Miller said that it would be possible, if the city wanted it.

Miller highlighted the fact that these structures will be on both the east and west ends of the bridge – along the north side.

Ken Clein said he’d seen the previous designs, and thought this version was a great improvement. The lighting makes a big difference. He thanked AAPAC for its work.

Briere noted that the structures on the bridge are adjacent to sidewalks, and thus are removed from traffic. Miller replied that a previous iteration had positioned the structures in a landscaped area on the east end. But feedback from neighbors, who didn’t want the landscaping disturbed, resulted in moving the structures out of that area, but next to the sidewalk.

Briere hoped there would be less risk of vehicular accidents in the proposed location. Miller replied: “I didn’t know there was a risk to begin with.”

Briere said there are always risks, so she wanted to make sure the structures were separated from traffic.

Kirk Westphal asked about maintenance costs, citing the example of a car hitting one of the structures. Miller replied that the artist has been asked to provide a maintenance schedule. That will be part of the final proposal.

Westphal asked if there would be a plaque identifying the artist. Aaron Seagraves indicated that there would be a plaque of some sort.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Meeting Schedule

Commissioners were asked to approve their meeting schedule for fiscal 2015, which runs from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. [.pdf of meeting schedule]

Ann Arbor planning commissioners.

The planning commission meetings are held on Tuesdays. During the week of an election, the meetings are typically rescheduled for a Thursday. However for the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2014, the planning staff is recommending that the planning commission meetings be moved to Wednesday after an election, rather than to Thursday.

Sabra Briere asked whether there would be any conflicts with Wednesday meetings. Briere said she was thinking about all the neighborhood and citizen meetings that occur on Wednesdays, and trying to determine “how to adjust my mental schedule.” Planning manager Wendy Rampson thought they’d encounter the same potential conflicts on Thursdays. There are only a limited number of options, she noted, and the staff tries not to conflict with other city boards and commissions.

Rampson reported that city staff hadn’t anticipated the Tuesday, May 6 election. [The election is being held for the sole purpose of voting on a transit tax, which was put on the ballot by the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority.] The elections staff will be using the hallways outside of council chambers on May 6, she noted. The planning staff felt that there would likely be too much noise, so they’ve scheduled the May 6 meeting to be held in the Washtenaw County boardroom, at 220 N. Main St.

That change of venue will get planning commissioners accustomed to the new location, Rampson said. Later in the calendar year, their meetings will be held at that location while asbestos abatement occurs on the second floor of city hall, where the council chambers are located.

Outcome: Commissioners approved their meeting schedule.

Communications & Commentary

Every meeting includes several opportunities for communications from planning staff and commissioners, as well as two opportunities for public commentary. No one spoke during public commentary on April 1.

Communications & Commentary: City Council

Planning manager Wendy Rampson reported that the city council’s April 7 agenda will include the joint resolution regarding the former Edwards Brothers property, which planning commissioners passed at their March 18, 2014 meeting.

The resolution included recommendations on uses for the site on South State Street, which the University of Michigan is acquiring. The intent is to encourage representatives from the city and UM to discuss their mutual interests in that area – weighing the university’s need to expand its facilities against the city’s interest in strengthening its tax base.

Issues include the possible private development of the section that fronts South State, impact on the park-and-ride lot in that area, and the extension of Oakbrook Drive from South State to South Main, through UM property. The council will be considering the same resolution.

The council’s April 7 agenda will also include the planning commission’s resolution about the use of the Library Lane surface, which commissioners also approved on March 18, 2014. That resolution will be attached to the agenda as an item of communication, Rampson said.

Communications & Commentary: ZORO

Wendy Rampson reported that the city attorney’s office and city planner Alexis DiLeo have been working on the Zoning Ordinance Reorganization (ZORO) project. “I just thought you’d be excited to hear that,” she joked. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but the staff is trying to move it forward, she added.

ZORO began in 2009. The goal is to do a comprehensive review of 11 chapters of the city code that are related to development, and to present the material in a more concise, user-friendly way, clarifying terminology, and eliminating inconsistencies and outdated material. The project is being overseen by the city attorney’s office, with support from planning staff and work by an outside consultant. Assistant city attorney Kevin McDonald is the lead staff person for ZORO.

At a Jan. 7, 2014 planning commission work session, Rampson had reported that the project had been stalled for about six months. The slow progress has been a point of frustration for commissioners over the years.

Communications & Commentary: Downtown Zoning

Bonnie Bona reported that the commission’s ordinance revisions committee (ORC) is working on revisions to the downtown zoning ordinance. The planning commission had made recommendations about the revisions at its Dec. 2, 2013 meeting. Those recommendations were subsequently approved by the city council on Jan. 21, 2014, when the council directed the planning commission to craft the corresponding zoning ordinance language to reflect the recommendations.

The ORC started with the rezoning of property at Main and William to D2, Bona said, and that will be on the planning commission’s agenda in May. The next piece is to look at the area north of Huron Street, including potentially rezoning some sites and adjusting the overlay district in that area.

Communications & Commentary: DDA Streetscape Framework

Ken Clein, who represents the planning commission on the partnerships committee of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, reported that the DDA is kicking off its streetscape framework project. He’ll be representing the planning commission as part of that effort. [The DDA board authorized a $200,000 contract for development of a streetscape framework plan at its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting.]

Ken Clein.

In response to a query from Wendy Woods, planning manager Wendy Rampson said the framework will include an economic evaluation of the use of sidewalks – whether it’s for dining, outdoor sales, or other activities. The intent is to help provide better guidance about what should be allowed on the sidewalks.

Related to downtown sidewalks, Sabra Briere said she keeps hearing from constituents about problems with handicapped accessibility. In many locations, it’s difficult or impossible for someone in a wheelchair to maneuver, she said. Many times, outdoor seating is marked off with a fence that blocks access at a handicapped parking spot, Briere noted. Any time there are barriers put in place unknowingly, “we’re making a mistake,” she said.

The city should be really sensitive to the situation, so she hoped that Clein could bring that up as the streetscape project moves forward.

Present: Eleanore Adenekan, Bonnie Bona, Sabra Briere, Ken Clein, Diane Giannola, Jeremy Peters, Paras Parekh, Kirk Westphal, Wendy Woods. Also: City planning manager Wendy Rampson.

Next meeting: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the second floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [Check Chronicle event listings to confirm date]

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A drawing of Joshua Wiener’s proposed rain garden sculptures at First & Kingsley. (Image provided in the AAPAC Aug. 28, 2013 meeting packet.)

His proposal entails creating white metal images of five small mouth bass, in varying sizes, that appear to be emerging from the landscape and pointed toward the Huron River. Two of the sculptures will be large enough to serve as benches.

Because the artist’s contract of $23,380 is less than $25,000, it does not require city council approval. The sculptures would likely be installed during the spring of 2014.

Commissioners also received several updates during the meeting, and reviewed a new spreadsheet designed to track more effectively current and potential projects. [.xls file project tracker] Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, reported that a selection panel picked Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass., as the artist for a major public art project on the East Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor. However, the panel is asking Widgery to revise her proposal before presenting it to AAPAC and the city council for approval. The project has a $400,000 total budget.

Other updates covered projects at Argo Cascades, the city’s wastewater treatment plant, Arbor Oaks Park, a memorial for Coleman Jewett at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and the “Canoe Imagine Art” community project. Additional potential projects were mentioned, including possible artwork for the new bike share program and the public skatepark, which is now under construction at Veterans Memorial Park.

Commissioners also viewed a short video produced by Ashlee Arder, one of the newest members of AAPAC. The intent is to promote the commission and the city’s public art program. The video is already available on YouTube, and Arder plans to post it on the commission’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account, @AAPublicArt.

The meeting was attended by six of the seven commissioners, including Marsha Chamberlin, who participated via conference call. There are two vacancies on the nine-member commission. At the city council’s Aug. 19, 2013 meeting, Devon Akmon was nominated to fill one of the vacancies. Akmon is an Ann Arbor resident and the new director of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. At its Sept. 3 meeting, the city council is expected to vote on Akmon’s confirmation to AAPAC .

No name has been put forward publicly for the second vacancy. One of the two vacancies resulted when Tony Derezinski was not reappointed. The other stemmed from Wiltrud Simbuerger’s resignation earlier this year. Her term would have ended Dec. 31, 2013.

First & Kingsley Rain Garden

Commissioners were asked to vote on Joshua Wiener‘s schematic design for public art at a planned rain garden, to be located at the southeast corner of First & Kingsley. [.pdf of staff memo, including itemized budget]

At AAPAC’s March 27, 2013 meeting, commissioners had selected the Denver artist to work with landscapers and incorporate public art into a new rain garden at that location, which is in a floodplain. The project has a $27,000 budget, though the artist’s contract would be for $23,380.

Wiener visited Ann Arbor on July 15 to present his design to the public. He gave a presentation at city hall, and attended the Townie Party to talk with community members about the project. His proposal is for sculptures showing the outlines of five fish. They’re small mouth bass, in different sizes, made of white epoxy-painted steel and pointed toward the Huron River. The largest sculpture will be just under 8 feet tall, 20 feet wide and about 5 feet deep. Two of the fish will be large enough to serve as benches.

From the artist’s statement:

The significance of water on this site is represented by having fish on the land. They are emerging to articulate how this rain garden is an extension of the river. The fish evoke water and the shape of their bodies creates waves that give an additional suggestion of water on the land. As the audience passes the piece, the fish will change positions in relation to one another. The sculpture will have a kinetic feel without any moving parts. The fish will appear to be swimming and the outline of their fins will create overlapping waves, adding to the feeling that water is moving on this site. The landscape and the art have been woven together. The plants will be placed in a way that conveys the surface of water with long flowing lines along the same orientation as the fish. There are also shapes in the landscape that suggest shadows of the fish.

Kingsley & First Rain Garden: Commission Discussion

At the Aug. 28 meeting, Bob Miller expressed surprise at some of the items included in the staff memo, which indicated that the artist would need to provide a plan for removing graffiti and proof that the sculptures would remain secure and permanent. Where did those items come from?

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, indicated that those were the result of questions raised by the task force that had recommended Wiener for the work. [Task force members are Connie Brown, Jerry Hancock, Claudette Stern, John Walters and Jeff Kahan.]

John Kotarski asked about the color of the fish sculptures. The artist had proposed white, but some members of the public had indicated a preference for cor-ten steel, which is a rusty brown. Cor-ten is a more expensive material, Kotarski noted, so that would have meant fewer fish sculptures, but the rusty brown color would stand out more in the winter.

Connie Brown reported that the task force had discussed this issue at some length, but opted to go with the artist’s preference. Miller said his only concern was about the maintenance of powder coating, which is the process that will be used to paint these sculptures. Brown replied that the artist has been directed to provide something that’s as maintenance-free as possible, with the understanding that every kind of artwork needs some kind of maintenance. Wiener will be developing a maintenance program for this work, she said.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, pointed out that because the artist’s contract is less than $25,000, it does not require approval by the city council. However, he recommended that AAPAC provide a formal communication to the council about the project.

Outcome: Commissioner unanimously approved Joshua Wiener’s schematic design for the rain garden sculptures.

Life after Percent for Art

Bob Miller, chair of the public art commission, reported that he and John Kotarski had been meeting with Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, to talk about how to move forward following the elimination of the city’s Percent for Art program earlier this summer.

Bob Miller, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

From 2007 until this June, the city had funded public art through a Percent for Art mechanism, which set aside 1% of the budget for each of the city’s capital projects for public art – up to a cap of $250,000. However, at its June 3, 2013 meeting, the city council voted to eliminate the Percent for Art approach in favor of one that allows for discretionary incorporation of public art into a particular project.

Now, city staff will work to determine whether a specific capital improvement should have enhanced design features “baked in” to the project – either enhanced architectural work or specific public art. The funding for any of the enhanced features would be included in the project’s budget and incorporated into the RFP (request for proposals) process for the capital project.

On Aug. 28, Miller described the conversations with city staff as positive, but noted that there’s no clear process in place. He hoped to invite Deb Gosselin, who handles the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP), to AAPAC’s Sept. 25 meeting. Gosselin had attended AAPAC’s Feb. 27, 2013 session to explain how the CIP process works.

Life after Percent for Art: Project Spreadsheet

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, passed out a new spreadsheet to use for tracking public art projects. [.xls file project tracker] The spreadsheet is divided into three categories: (1) projects that have already been approved under the former Percent for Art program, with funding identified; (2) potential projects, either using remaining Percent for Art funds or private funding; and (3) potential capital projects that could be “enhanced” with public art under the new public art program. About $840,000 in Percent for Art funds are unspent.

In the third category, the potential “enhanced” capital projects are in the pipeline for the fiscal year 2016 and beyond. The idea is to identify those projects early on, so that AAPAC can work with staff to incorporate public art into the design process. Examples of those potential projects include:

• Decorative “stamping” for new sidewalks.
• Decorative “street access” (manhole) covers.
• Stadium Boulevard reconstruction, from Hutchins to Kipke.
• Improvements at the intersection of Dhu Varren & Nixon.
• Detroit Street improvements.
• East Ellsworth reconstruction, from South State to Platt.
• South State Street improvements.
• Improvements at Cobblestone Farm and Leslie Science & Nature Center.

Projects that have already received preliminary approval from AAPAC, which could be funded with remaining Percent for Art funds, include a mural program, as well as artwork at the city’s new wastewater treatment plant, Arbor Oaks Park, the new roundabout at South State and Ellsworth, and the Forest Avenue plaza. A memorial for Coleman Jewett and a community project called “Canoe Imagine Art” also might be eligible for remaining Percent for Art funds, although the primary source of funding would be from private donors.

Seagraves also listed a range of other potential projects that have not yet received approval from AAPAC. Those include artwork at the Ann Arbor skatepark, which recently began construction, as well as art for the new bike share program, street and sidewalk stamping, utility boxes (signal control cabinets), fences (including a section next to new sidewalks along a stretch of Scio Church Road), and “permission walls” for graffiti.

For each project, the spreadsheet includes a traffic count at the closest intersection, to indicate how visible the location might be. Also indicated is the general geographical quadrant for each project’s location – for example, whether the project is in the southeast, central, north or west quadrant of the city.

Commissioners were supportive of the new approach. Connie Brown asked for information to be added about each project’s potential timeline.

Ann Arbor public art commissioner Connie Brown.

Nick Zagar asked about the skatepark project. Brown reported that when initially approached, skatepark organizers were “not very receptive” to the idea of incorporating public art into the project’s design. “They might have a different mindset now,” she said. [The skatepark, to be located in the northwest corner of Veterans Memorial Park, broke ground earlier this month.]

Zagar thought it would be a great location for a “permission wall” – a place where graffiti is allowed. “It seems like it’ll be unpermissionedly tagged up anyway,” he said. Seagraves noted that if art is located in the skatepark, it would be the only public art so far that’s located west of Seventh Street.

Bob Miller suggested a “permission wall” out by Argo Cascades, pointing to the wall under the trestle there that currently is covered with graffiti.

Marsha Chamberlin said she was the impetus for this new spreadsheet, as a way to help push projects forward and allocate remaining Percent for Art funds. She noted that two projects she’s working on that are mostly funded with private donations – the Coleman Jewett memorial and the “Canoe Imagine Art” community project – would benefit from public art funding. If the city commits funds to such projects, she added, it’s easier to raise money from private donors. “Money upfront gets more money.”

She hoped that AAPAC could make some funding decisions soon. “Craig [Hupy] has been telling us since April that we need to pay attention to allocating those [Percent for Art] funds,” Chamberlin said.

John Kotarski reminded commissioners that there are constraints associated with Percent for Art funding. The Percent for Art mechanism set aside funds for public art that were originally designated for infrastructure like roads or utilities. Because the money was taken from restricted funds, a thematic or geographic link must exist between the funding source and the public art expenditure. “It’s just not money that we can allocate at will for something we’d like to see brought forward,” Kotarski said.

Chamberlin pointed out that the spreadsheet indicates what category of Percent for Art funding could be used for each project.

Miller said it might be possible to vote on funding allocations for some of these projects at AAPAC’s September meeting.

AAPAC Video

Ashlee Arder recently finished a short video to promote AAPAC and the city’s public art program. She had shot footage of commissioners at their June 26, 2013 meeting, as well as at their booth at the July Townie Party.

Screenshot from a video by Ann Arbor public art commissioner Ashlee Arder. The film is black and white, with spot color. This poster was part of AAPAC’s booth at the July 15 Townie Party. (Image links to the video on YouTube.)

Commissioners watched the roughly 2-minute video at the end of their Aug. 28 meeting. Arder plans to post it on the commission’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account, @AAPublicArt. It’s also posted on YouTube.

Commissioners also spent part of their Aug. 28 meeting watching a video presentation of national public art projects that have won awards from the Americans for the Arts. Marsha Chamberlin, who participated in the meeting via conference call, gave a brief introduction to describe the annual awards process. The presentation included the award-winning work Cloudbreak by Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass., who was recently selected by an AAPAC task force for a major public art project at the East Stadium bridges. [An update on that project is provided later in this article.]

Project Updates

Several projects were discussed briefly during the Aug. 28 meeting, by way of updates. Additional information was also included in a written report by Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. [.pdf of Seagraves' report] These projects were either already in progress when the city council temporarily halted spending on public art late last year, or don’t use Percent for Art funds.

Here are some highlights.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridges

In early August, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for public art on the East Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's proposal]

Seagraves reported that the selection panel is providing feedback to Widgery and is asking that she revise her proposal before it’s presented to AAPAC and then later to the city council for approval. Members of the panel are Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. A conference call with the artist has been scheduled for Sept. 6 with panel members to discuss the proposal. [.pdf of panel feedback]

Revisions to her proposal are due by Oct. 4. Bob Miller reported that the selection panel is trying to focus her work on the connections between East Stadium Boulevard and South State Street, which runs below the bridge.

Seagraves indicated that Widgery’s revised proposal would likely be presented to some of the city’s boards and commissioners for feedback, before presentation to AAPAC. Connie Brown praised the outreach efforts that Bob Miller and John Kotarski have already undertaken for this project. They’ve made presentations to various groups, including the Ann Arbor District Library board and the park advisory commission, among others. The intent is to create community buy-in before a project is finalized.

Project Updates: Bike Share Program

Seagraves reported that he met with staff from the Clean Energy Coalition about a new bike share program that CEC is managing, with a targeted launch of April 2014. They talked about the possibility of including public art at the bike share station locations, he said, or possibly on the bikes as well. The CEC team is interested in drafting a proposal to present to AAPAC in the future, he said.

A detailed presentation about the program was made to the Ann Arbor District Library board on Aug. 19. See Chronicle coverage: “Library Board Briefed on Bike Share Program.”

Project Updates: Argo Cascades

Three finalists had been selected for artwork at the Argo Cascades, but one of them – Andy Dufford of Denver, Colo. – subsequently dropped out, Seagraves said. The remaining two finalists are Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland and Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass. [.pdf of staff memo on Argo Cascades public art]

Aaron Seagraves, Ann Arbor’s public art commissioner.

The artists came to town in early August to meet with the public – including a presentation at the Workantile on Main Street, and a reception at Argo Cascades. John Kotarski reported that the artists had the chance to kayak through the cascades while they were here, as did he.

Proposals will be due in early October, with presentations by the artists during the week of Oct. 14, with a specific date to be determined.

AAPAC had approved a $150,000 total budget for the Argo Cascades project on April 25, 2012.

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett Memorial

At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to accept a memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project. The original proposal was for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private foundation has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

A memorandum of understanding has been negotiated between the Jewett family, the city, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, which will act as a fiduciary for fundraising. The plan now calls for two full-sized replicas in bronze, at an estimated cost of $15,000 each. Materials for fundraising are being developed. Marsha Chamberlin, who is taking the lead on this project, said about 300 personalized letters to potential donors will be sent out within the next week or so.

The next step will be to write a formal request for proposals (RFP) for doing the work.

Project Updates: Canoe Imagine Art

Marsha Chamberlin has been working on a canoe art project with other local organizations, called Canoe Imagine Art. The project will use old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which artists and community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC). Task force members are Chamberlin; Cheryl Saam, the city’s canoe livery supervisor; Shoshana Hurand of the Arts Alliance; Mary Kerr of the CVB; Maura Thomson of the MSAA; and Laura Rubin of HRWC.

Seagraves reported that a formal agreement has been reached between the city and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, which will act as fiduciary for the funds raised on this project. Fundraising materials are being developed.

Project Updates: Arbor Oaks Park

The first task force meeting for possible artwork in the Arbor Oaks Park is set for Sept. 5. At AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting, commissioners approved setting up an exploratory task force for this project, located in the Bryant neighborhood on the city’s southeast side. Members include public art commissioners Malverne Winborne and Nick Zagar; Derek Miller, deputy director of the nonprofit Community Action Network (CAN); and CAN board member David Jones.

It’s being conceived of as a community art project, Seagraves reported.

Project Updates: Wastewater Treatment Plant

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, had approached AAPAC earlier this year about the possibility of incorporating public art into the wastewater treatment project. The city is building a new wastewater treatment facility and renovating its existing facility in Ann Arbor Township, at 49 S. Dixboro Road. [.pdf of memo describing the wastewater treatment plant renovations]

Hupy had noted that of the remaining amount in the Percent for Art funds, much of it – about $448,000 – came from wastewater-related projects, and must be spent on public art with a “nexus” to wastewater.

John Kotarski is taking the lead on this project. He reported that he met recently with Hupy and Earl Kenzie, manager of the treatment plant. He’s also been in touch with the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum and University of Michigan, about possible participation in this project. The intent of any artwork would be to “train, teach, entertain and inspire,” he said.

Commissioners talked about the possibility of taking a field trip to the plant site, which is still under construction.

Project Updates: Fencing on Scio Church

At AAPAC’s June 26 meeting, Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, suggested a possible public art project related to fencing. The city is putting in sidewalks along a stretch of Scio Church Road, and will also be installing a fence there. The city staff was planning to install the kind of chain link fence that they usually use, but Hupy thought there might be an opportunity for something more creative, if AAPAC wanted to explore that possibility. The construction work would likely occur next summer.

On Aug. 28, Marsha Chamberlin reported that she has collected about 30 examples of different fencing designs used in other municipalities. Bob Miller suggested that Chamberlin could present that information at AAPAC’s next meeting.

Commissioners present: Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin (via conference call), John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Nick Zagar. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, and Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator.

Absent: Malverne Winborne.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

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Catherine Widgery’s “Arbor Winds” proposal for East Stadium bridge includes 12 four-by-six-foot acrylic/aluminum or glass banners etched with images of trees. There would also be etched granite panels on the South State underpass, lit with LED lights, as well as etched glass “windscreens” by Rose White Park.

Over the past few weeks, John Kotarski and Bob Miller of the Ann Arbor public art commission have been making presentations to local groups, getting feedback about the four final proposals. The four artists had been brought to town in early April to look at the site and attend an open house for the public at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. The finalists then developed formal proposals for the site. They subsequently returned to town in June to make public presentations of their proposals. Input on the proposals was also collected via an online survey.

According to a press release issued by the city on Aug. 5, the public art commission and selection panel will work with Widgery to refine her concept to a final design. It must then be recommended for approval by the commission and secure final approval from the city council. The art commission’s next meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 28. However, according to Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, it’s unlikely they’ll be considering the project for approval until later this year.

Of the $400,000 budget originally approved by the council for this project, a $360,000 limit has been set for the design, fabrication and installation of the artwork. The funds remain from the city’s former Percent for Art program, which the city council eliminated at its June 3, 2013 meeting. The project’s budget had been approved prior to the council’s decision to suspend funding for new projects. That decision occurred on Dec. 3, 2012.

Ann Arbor public art commissioners John Kotarski and Ashlee Arder at AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting. Arder was shooting B-roll for a video she’s making about the commission. (Photos by the writer.)

As part of that, a proposal to overhaul the Golden Paintbrush awards – the city’s annual recognition of individuals and organizations who support public art in Ann Arbor – received the most attention. Commissioners John Kotarski and Connie Brown had recommended four categories of public recognition to replace the Golden Paintbrush, including a lifetime achievement award, a “Random Acts of Art” award, and public art awards to be presented at a formal social event that was described as an “Academy Awards-type” ceremony.

Although there was general consensus that the Golden Paintbrush needs to be improved, some commissioners felt that the proposed public recognition program was overreaching at this point. Malverne Winborne worried about “scope creep” – going too far afield of AAPAC’s role. Marsha Chamberlin thought that making some changes to the Golden Paintbrush, including a new name, could serve the same purpose. Ultimately, commissioners decided to give the proposal more thought before acting on it.

Also related to public engagement, Kotarski and AAPAC chair Bob Miller reported on efforts to get input on proposals by four finalists for artwork at the East Stadium bridges. The two men have been making presentations to a variety of groups, and are seeking feedback via two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall. Commissioners also talked about having a regular table at the Sunday artisan market and increasing their use of social media, including the commission’s Facebook page and Twitter account – @AAPublicArt. AAPAC also will have a table at the July 15 Townie Street Party.

In other action, commissioners voted to create exploratory task forces for possible projects at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, and at the wastewater treatment plant on Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor Township. Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, had approached AAPAC about the possibility of incorporating public art into the wastewater treatment project. He noted that of the remaining amount in the Percent for Art funds, much of it came from wastewater-related projects, and must be spent on public art with a “nexus” to wastewater.

Art Awards: Rethinking the Golden Paintbrush

The city’s annual Golden Paintbrush awards, given out for the past 14 years, are meant to recognize people and organizations who contribute to public art works that “add interest to our cityscape, beautify the community and create a sense of place.” This year’s awards were announced at the city council’s June 17 meeting, and given to: (1) John Carver, who commissioned “Spirit of Ann Arbor” by Detroit artist Charles McGee for the outside of the Carver-Gunn Building on Liberty Street; and (2) Vic Strecher and Jeri Rosenberg for their support of events like FestiFools and FoolMoon.

The public art commission is now responsible for selecting the winners, but some commissioners in the past have expressed frustration that the awards don’t adequately highlight accomplishments of local artists and patrons of the arts. Two commissioners, John Kotarski and Connie Brown, prepared some alternative ideas for a public recognition program that they presented at AAPAC’s June 26 meeting. [.pdf of public recognition memo]

They proposed four new award/recognition categories:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Given to end-of-career artists/art administrators/art promoters at a public event hosted by AAPAC. The award would be given to someone whose work has impacted art in public places, and the awardee would need to be nominated by at least three community members.
• Ann Arbor Public Art Award: Given for more classically identified public art, such as monument art, streetscapes, or installation art. It would replace the current Golden Paintbrush award. Winners would be given a medallion or statuette, to be presented at an Academy Awards-type event – not simply presented in front of city council, as the current awards are.
• Random Acts of Art: Given “randomly and covertly” to more temporary work, such as snow sculptures, landscaping, or “guerrilla” art. Winners would be given a gift certificate and also recognized publicly.
• Resolution of Support: Given by AAPAC to publicly support projects that the city doesn’t fund. It would be given only in response to requests, and if the project fits into AAPAC’s vision for Ann Arbor’s public art program.

Kotarski introduced the proposal, saying that the issue of adequate public recognition had arisen as he’d tried to solicit nominations for this year’s Golden Paintbrush awards. Public recognition is a very effective tool, he noted – saying it’s cheap, and it matters to people.

Regarding the resolution of support, Brown told commissioners that the intent is to tell people that AAPAC appreciates artmaking efforts in the community. It’s a way to “give an ‘attaboy’ without taking the project under our wings,” she said. Brown acknowledged that AAPAC had struggled in the past with the idea of giving endorsements, but she said it was important to recognize non-AAPAC projects in some way.

Art Awards: Rethinking the Golden Paintbrush – Lifetime Achievement

Kotarski wanted commissioners to adopt the lifetime achievement award at their June 26 meeting, saying that some recommendations had already been made to him for potential awardees. The other items could be considered at a later date. He made a formal motion to adopt the lifetime achievement award.

Ann Arbor public art commissioner Connie Brown.

Malverne Winborne cautioned that these awards in general represented “scope creep.” The commission is still figuring out its role, he noted, yet now they’re considering additional work.

Marsha Chamberlin, AAPAC’s longest-serving member, pointed out that the Golden Paintbrush awards can be given in several categories, including one that recognizes substantial contributions to public art – similar to a lifetime achievement award, she said. Margaret Parker and Jan Onder have been recipients of that award.

In addition, AAPAC’s charge is focused on public art, Chamberlin noted. How many lifetime achievement awards can be given in that category, for a community this size? She questioned the assumption that AAPAC had the authority to give out awards for arts achievements generally, given its purview of public art, and said the broader awards might subject the commission to criticism.

Winborne supported possibly partnering with other groups, such as the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance – if the goal is to give general arts-related awards. Otherwise, it would move AAPAC too far away from its main mission of public art, he said.

The commission gets involved in so many things, Winborne said, then “gets in the weeds” and loses its momentum. The public recognition proposal includes some great ideas, he added, but AAPAC has limited resources. He liked the concept, but wanted to evaluate it more before voting – noting that he never buys a car the first time he walks into the dealership’s showroom.

Kotarski countered by saying that these awards directly address at least 30% of AAPAC’s task, as defined in the city’s public art ordinance – to promote public art. It doesn’t cost a dime, he said, and it would be in collaboration with others. He suggested that community members who nominate someone for a lifetime achievement award, for example, could take on the task for organizing the awards ceremony.

The current Golden Paintbrush awards lump everything together, Kotarski said. This new approach attempts to draw out and highlight different categories of achievement, he said, to get “more bang for our buck” in promoting public art. He noted that the lifetime achievement award wouldn’t need to be given annually – it would only be awarded if someone worthy is nominated for it.

Chamberlin gave a brief history of the Golden Paintbrush awards. The concept was modeled after the Ann Arbor park system’s Golden Trowel award, she noted, and was designed to pay tribute to individuals and organizations, as well as to publicize public art in general. Prior to the creation of AAPAC, the awards were originally given by the Washtenaw Council for the Arts – now called the Arts Alliance.

Chamberlin questioned AAPAC’s organizational capacity to pull off a major awards event, especially in the context of recent changes to the public art program. Renaming the Golden Paintbrush awards was fine, she added, but she didn’t feel the commission could take on a project like this now.

Winborne agreed with renaming the Golden Paintbrush – because to him, it seemed too specific to painters, not general public art.

Ashlee Arder, one of the newest public art commissioners, called the public recognition proposal a “noble concept,” but thought that AAPAC needed to figure out its capacity first. People in the arts community – including those at the University of Michigan, as well as arts patrons – would expect a certain caliber of event, she noted. If an awards ceremony fell short of that expectation, “it would do more harm than good,” she said.

If commissioners didn’t feel that the Golden Paintbrush awards were sufficient, then perhaps they needed to step back and think about ways to improve and promote those awards, Arder said. Chamberlin suggested holding a more formal reception after the awards are presented at the city council meeting. Winborne volunteered to wear his tuxedo.

Outcome: Kotarski withdrew the motion to create a lifetime achievement award, with the consensus that commissioners would consider the overall awards/recognition proposal and discuss it at a future meeting.

Outreach & Social Media

At several points throughout the June 26 meeting, commissioners discussed issues related to public outreach and engagement.

Ashlee Arder, one of the newest public art commissioners.

Ashlee Arder reported that she, Bob Miller and Aaron Seagraves had spent some time at a recent Sunday artisan market, talking with people about the city’s public art program and the East Stadium bridges proposals. They’d had some good conversations about visibility, she said. It’s importance for the community to know that the public art commissioners aren’t just figureheads making decisions – they’re people.

So to help make that point, Arder is making a video montage that includes images of commissioners. She shot some of those images during the June 26 meeting. [Arder is programs coordinator for ArtServe Michigan, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and while there was heavily involved in other arts advocacy efforts. She recently participated in the UM Museum of Arts "Many Voices" project, in which participants created short videos inspired by artwork at UMMA. Her video is called "Boy" – and it explores the theme of young male energy in West African and Western cultures.]

Commissioners also talked about using social media to engage the public – specifically, the commission’s Facebook page and Twitter account, which is @AAPublicArt. Arder explained the different purposes served by these two social media platforms, and commissioners discussed whether they should all make posts or only have a couple of commissioners handle that task. Arder noted that social media is another way to humanize the commission. She reported that a woman showed up to the Sunday artisan market because she’d seen an @AAPublicArt tweet. “It works,” Arder said.

Related to other outreach tools, AAPAC is using two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall – to solicit feedback on four finalists for artwork at East Stadium bridges.

Commissioners also discussed whether to participate in the upcoming Ann Arbor art fairs, which run from July 17-20. A table costs $90, and would need to be staffed with commissioners and other volunteers for those four days. There was some uncertainty about whether funds would be available, given the change in funding for the city’s public art program.

Marsha Chamberlin reported that from her experience, a huge percentage of visitors to the art fairs are from out of town and “don’t give a damn” about local programs. [Chamberlin recently retired as the long-time president of the Ann Arbor Art Center.] She also noted that “it is the nastiest four days to spend on the street.” She said she’d rather see AAPAC’s resources at the artisan market or farmers market on a regular basis.

This poster, standing about five feet high, was painted last year by Hannah Nathans, a University of Michigan undergraduate who was an intern with the city. It’s based on a mural by Richard Wolk on East Liberty near State Street. The poster was part of the Ann Arbor public art commission’s booth at last year’s Townie Street Party, and AAPAC plans to use it again this year.

Malverne Winborne expressed support for doing something at the art fairs, but the general consensus was to organize a regular table at the Sunday artisan market, perhaps once a month.

However, AAPAC will have a table at the July 15 Townie Street Party, as it has in the past. Commissioners plan to re-use a large poster made last year by Hannah Nathans, who worked for the city as an intern. The poster was a popular interactive feature at last year’s Townie Street Party. People poked their faces through cut-out holes and got their pictures taken, which were then posted on AAPAC’s Facebook page. The poster is based on a mural by Richard Wolk on East Liberty near State Street, with stylized portraits of Woody Allen, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Hesse, Franz Kafka, and Anaïs Nin.

During the June 26 meeting, commissioners also voted on appointments related to outreach – making John Kotarski responsible for community outreach and engagement, and Marsha Chamberlin for media relations.

Those roles were not defined, and do not appear to be connected to existing AAPAC committees. Chamberlin asked for clarification of what media relations meant, saying “I’m old-school enough to think it meant working with the press.” Based on the ensuing conversation, it appears the focus will be more on social media like Facebook and Twitter, as well as an emailed newsletter.

Kotarski pointed out that many people don’t use social media, or even email. Those people are still remorseful over the loss of a real newspaper, he noted. Chamberlin replied that AAPAC has limited capacity, both as a commission and as individuals, so they need to prioritize. She thought that Facebook and the newsletter should be among the priorities.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint John Kotarski to community outreach and engagement, and Marsha Chamberlin to media relations.

New Exploratory Task Forces

Two proposals were on the agenda to create exploratory task forces for possible projects at Arbor Oaks Park in southeast Ann Arbor, and at the wastewater treatment plant on Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor Township.

New Exploratory Task Forces: Arbor Oaks Park

Malverne Winborne reported that he and Seagraves had met in mid-June with David Jones, a board member of the Community Action Network (CAN). The nonprofit, under contract with the city, manages several community centers in Ann Arbor, including the Bryant Community Center in the Arbor Oaks neighborhood. There’s interest in putting some kind of public art in the Arbor Oaks Park, Winborne said, so the plan was to bring the idea to AAPAC, then form a task force to explore the possibility.

Task force members would include Winborne, Jones, AAPAC member Nick Zagar, and Derek Miller, CAN’s deputy director, as well as other members of the neighborhood and the arts community to be determined.

Connie Brown noted that there are several youth in that neighborhood who are interested in getting involved. She suggested that some of them could be part of the task force.

Outcome: AAPAC voted to create an exploratory task force for public art at Arbor Oaks Park.

New Exploratory Task Forces: Wastewater Treatment

The city is building a new wastewater treatment facility and renovating its existing facility in Ann Arbor Township, at 49 S. Dixboro Road. [.pdf of memo describing the wastewater treatment plant renovations] Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, had approached AAPAC about the possibility of incorporating public art into the project.

John Kotarski told commissioners that he’d be taking the lead on this. People from the community – including elementary school students – take tours of the facility, he said, so it’s an opportunity to make public art that’s engaging, educational and that gives “memorable impressions of that plant and the process contained within it.”

He described the renovations as a large project, with the opportunity for AAPAC to get involved at the beginning. Hupy, who attended the June 26 meeting, clarified that the project was already well underway.

Hupy also noted that of the remaining amount in the Percent for Art funds, much of it came from wastewater-related projects, and must be spent on public art with a “nexus” to wastewater.

By way of background, starting in 2007 and until this year, the city had funded public art through a Percent for Art mechanism, which set aside 1% of the budget for each of the city’s capital projects – up to a cap of $250,000 – for public art. However, at its June 3, 2013 meeting, the city council voted to eliminate the Percent for Art approach. At that time, amounts remaining in the respective funds totaled $845,029:

• 002-Energy $3,112
• 0042-Water Supply System $61,358
• 0043-Sewage Disposal System $451,956
• 0048-Airport $6,416
• 0069-Stormwater $20,844
• 0062-Street Millage $237,314
• 0071-Parks Millage $28,492
• 0072-Solid Waste $35,529

Of that total, the council voted to restore a portion to their funds of origin – which returned the additional amounts that had been set aside for the fiscal year 2014 budget:

• 0042-Water Supply System $113,500
• 0043-Sewage Disposal System $50,050
• 0069-Stormwater $33,500
• 0062-Street Millage $120,700
• 0071-Parks Millage $8,714

So about $402,000 is available for public art from the sewage disposal system (wastewater) fund.

Connie Brown had some concern about spending a large amount of money on a project like this, in what seemed to her like an ad hoc approach. Feedback she’s heard from the community indicates the desire for smaller work that’s integrated into neighborhoods, not large-scale projects. She wondered if it made more sense to have a committee look into the full range of possible projects for wastewater treatment funds, not just one at the main facility.

Kotarski noted that the task force is described as exploratory – it’s not a commitment to doing the project at the treatment plant. He invited Brown to join the task force, too.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to form an exploratory task force for possible artwork at the wastewater treatment plant.

Revisions to AAPAC Guidelines

On the agenda was an item to create a committee charged with revising AAPAC’s guidelines. [.pdf of existing guidelines] Bob Miller, AAPAC’s chair, introduced the item by saying “This is not a small one.”

Connie Brown expressed some skepticism, noting that in previous years the work on developing guidelines had not been “very fruitful.” [AAPAC had approved its guidelines at a March 9, 2010 meeting. Until that time, the guidelines had been under review – mostly by the city attorney’s office – for nearly two years.]

Marsha Chamberlin asked if anything had really changed, other than the public art program’s funding mechanism, that would impact the guidelines. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, noted that some practices and policies have been adopted by AAPAC but aren’t reflected in the guidelines. He gave as an example the artist selection process.

Rather than form a committee, Chamberlin suggested that Seagraves develop a draft set of revisions to bring back to AAPAC for review. At that point, if commissioners felt more work was needed, they could form a committee then, she said.

Outcome: The motion to create a committee to revise AAPAC’s guidelines was withdrawn.

Project Updates

Several projects were discussed briefly during the June 26 meeting, by way of updates. Additional information was also included in a written report by Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. [.pdf of Seagraves' report] These projects were either already in progress when the city council temporarily halted spending on public art late last year, or don’t use Percent for Art funds.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridge

John Kotarski and Bob Miller have been making presentations to various groups about proposals from four finalists for artwork at the East Stadium bridge: Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Rebar Group of San Francisco; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass.

Bob Miller, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The presentation of their proposals is available online. The project has a budget of $400,000. Members of the task force are Miller, Wiltrud Simbuerger, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely.

Among the presentations included one at the June 18, 2013 meeting of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission, a table at the June 14 Green Fair on Main Street, and a meeting on June 25 at the Ann Arbor senior center, attended by Ward 2 city councilmembers Jane Lumm and Sally Petersen, and about a dozen residents.

Miller reported that Kotarski has been organizing these outreach efforts, as a way to promote community engagement with specific AAPAC projects.

Marsha Chamberlin praised the approach, but suggested that they might consolidate some of their efforts in order to reach more people. Kotarski responded, saying he purposefully didn’t plan the presentations that way because he wasn’t interested in efficiency so much as having multiple points of contact. It’s time intensive, he noted, but he wanted people to know that he and Miller are available and interested in getting input. There are a lot of misperceptions about the public art program and about how artists work, he said. This is a way to educate people as well, Kotarski said.

AAPAC is also using two online surveys – one on Survey Monkey, another on A2 Open City Hall – to solicit feedback on the East Stadium bridges proposals by the four finalists.

Project Updates: Kingsley & First Rain Garden

At AAPAC’s March 27, 2013 meeting, commissioners had selected Denver artist Josh Wiener to work with landscapers and incorporate public art into a new rain garden at the corner of Kingsley and First. The project has a $27,000 budget.

Wiener will be coming to Ann Arbor on July 15 to present his design to the public. He’ll also be attending the Townie Party to talk with community members about the project.

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett Memorial

At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to accept a memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project and to approve Sarah Gay as a volunteer project manager. Her duties were to lead efforts for city council approval, donor relations and fundraising.

Marsha Chamberlin of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The original proposal was for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private donor has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

Seagraves reported that a memorandum of understanding is being negotiated between the Jewett family, the city, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. Marsha Chamberlin said the plan now calls for two full-sized replicas in bronze. The cost is estimated at $15,000 each, and about $6,000 has been raised. Materials for fundraising are being developed.

Seagraves met with parks staff regarding a location for the chairs. At this point, the plan is to remove one of two existing benches on the market’s east side, and locate the bronze chairs there. The proposal would be put before the city’s public market advisory commission as well as AAPAC, before seeking city council approval.

Project Updates: Justice Center

Ed Carpenter’s “Radius” hanging sculpture was installed in the lobby of the Justice Center in late May. Seagraves reported that a formal dedication and ceremony is being planned for September, although a date hasn’t yet been set. Carpenter would return for that event.

Project Updates: Argo Cascades

A selection panel has picked three finalists for artwork along the Argo Cascades. Members of the selection panel include John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Saam, Margaret Parker, Cathy Fleisher, Bonnie Greenspoon and Julie Grand. AAPAC approved a $150,000 budget for that project on April 25, 2012.

A survey to solicit feedback is being sent to stakeholders and also handed out at the Argo canoe livery, Seagraves reported. Connie Brown urged Seagraves to distribute the survey as widely as possible, including posting it on AAPAC’s website.

The finalists will be invited to a site walk-through in early August.

Update after publication: The three finalists are Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland; Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass.; and Andy Dufford of Denver, Colo.

DIA’s Inside|Out

Free docent-led tours of Detroit Institute of Arts’ Inside|Out program artwork in Ann Arbor have ended, John Kotarski reported. But as a result of those tours, which he organized, he’s been asked to lead similar tours for visually impaired students. He described a recent group that spent most of the tour at the Herbert Dreiseitl water sculpture in front of city hall. The students as well as their sighted parents took their shoes off and got into the fountain, he said – it was designed that way, to be accessible and interactive, he noted.

Kotarski said he’d like to find a way to recognize the docents who’d volunteered to give tours in May and June, with perhaps a gift certificate.

Project Updates: Canoe Art

Marsha Chamberlin has been working on a canoe art project with other local organizations, called Canoe Imagine Art. The project will use old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which artists and community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC). Task force members are Chamberlin; Cheryl Saam, the city’s canoe livery supervisor; Shoshana Hurand of the Arts Alliance; Mary Kerr of the CVB; Maura Thomson of the MSAA; and Laura Rubin of HRWC.

Seagraves reported that the task force is reviewing a draft fundraising proposal and call to artists. Chamberlin told commissioners that she planned to have a formal agenda item about the project for AAPAC’s July meeting. “I’m gonna creep the scope,” she joked.

Communications & Commentary

During the meeting there were several opportunities for communications from commissioners and staff, and two slots for public commentary. Here are some highlights.

Communications & Commentary: Fencing on Scio Church

Near the start of the June 26 meeting, Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, suggested a possible project for AAPAC. The city is putting in sidewalks along a stretch of Scio Church Road, he reported, and will also be installing a fence there. The city staff is planning to install the kind of chain link fence that they usually use, he said, but he thought there might be an opportunity for something more creative, if AAPAC wants to explore that possibility.

Marsha Chamberlin noted that the project could serve as a prototype for other fencing in the city. At the suggestion of AAPAC chair Bob Miller, Chamberlin volunteered to serve as the commission’s point person on this possible project.

Communications & Commentary: Public Commentary

Jeff Hayner attended the June 26 meeting and spoke at the final opportunity for public commentary. Bob Miller, AAPAC’s chair, reported that he had talked with Hayner at the recent Green Fair, and had encouraged Hayner to attend an AAPAC meeting.

Noting that there were two vacancies on AAPAC, Hayner encouraged commissioners to reach out and fill those positions. He noted that he serves on the board of the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, and they’re also working to fill some vacancies.

By way of background, Nick Zagar was appointed in March 2013 to replace Theresa Reid, for a term ending Dec. 31, 2015. Reid had resigned mid-term. Also in March, Ashlee Arder was appointed to replace Cathy Gendron for a term ending Jan. 20, 2016. Gendron had been reappointed at the city council’s Jan. 7, 2013 meeting, but resigned soon after that.

Wiltrud Simbuerger resigned in March, also before the end of her term. Bob Miller had previously reported that Maureen Devine’s name has been submitted to mayor John Hieftje, who is responsible for making nominations to most of the city’s advisory boards and commissions. Devine is art coordinator for the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex (NCRC). However, Hieftje has not yet put forward her nomination.

Nor has anyone been nominated to replace a position previously held by Tony Derezinski. Along with Gendron and Connie Brown, Derezinski been nominated at the council’s Dec. 17, 2012 meeting for reappointment to serve terms ending Jan. 20, 2016. Both Gendron and Brown were reappointed at the council’s Jan. 7, 2013 meeting, but Derezinski’s name had been crossed out and the position he held remains vacant.

During his public commentary, Hayner also asked some clarificational questions about the city’s public art funding, and encouraged the commission to provide as much information as possible about its work. All taxpayers are stakeholders, he noted, adding that it had been very difficult for him to find out about AAPAC’s activities.

Commissioners present: Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Malverne Winborne. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, and Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator.

Absent: Nick Zagar.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

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Jen Geer is the newest member of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission. (Photos by the writer.)

PAC unanimously recommended approval of a $1,224,311 budget for the Ann Arbor skatepark, including a construction contract of $1,031,592 with Krull Construction of Ann Arbor. Also approved was an operating agreement between the city and the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. [.pdf of operating agreement] The project, which has been years in the works, will move to the city council for final approval, possibly at its July 15 meeting.

Parks staff and commissioners praised the project, specifically citing the work of the Friends for their tenacity and ability to overcome challenges as the skatepark was developed. Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, noted that people talk a lot about collaboration, but “you’d be hard-pressed to find a better example of it than this.”

If the council approves the contract, construction could start in early August, with completion of the concrete portion of the skatepark by this November – weather permitting.

Also getting a recommendation of approval from PAC was a proposal to waive park rental fees for Liberty Plaza, a downtown park at the corner of Liberty and Division. The waiver, which requires city council approval, would be enacted on a one-year trial basis through July 1, 2014. It’s intended to help encourage more activity in what’s been described as a problem park. Several supporters of Camp Take Notice and Pizza in the Park – a weekly outreach effort to the homeless – attended the meeting, and advocated for broader fee waivers in other city parks, tied to humanitarian aid.

Commissioners also heard two presentations during the June 18 meeting. Jenna Bacolor, the director of Ann Arbor Rec & Ed, gave an update on that program, including collaborations with the city parks system. One of those collaborations is tied to the decision by the Ann Arbor Public Schools board to close middle school swimming pools, as part of broad budget cuts. Tim Berla, who serves on PAC as a liaison from the Rec & Ed recreational advisory commission, reported on discussions to explore the possibility of a new recreation millage or an enhancement millage – something that AAPS might consider putting on the ballot.

A second presentation was from two members of the city’s public art commission, seeking input on proposals for artwork at the East Stadium bridges. John Kotarski and Bob Miller highlighted proposals from four finalists: Rebar Group of San Francisco; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. The project has a $400,000 budget and includes the possibility of artwork at Rose White Park, located east of the bridges.

In items of communication, PAC chair Julie Grand noted that parks and recreation manager Colin Smith had been named Do-Gooder of the Year in Current magazine’s 2013 Readers Choice Awards. He received a round of applause from commissioners.

It was the first meeting for PAC’s newest commissioner Jen Geer, whose appointment was confirmed by the city council on May 20, 2013 to replace Tim Doyle. Geer, a Burns Park resident, is the daughter of Kirk Profit, a lobbyist for the city with the Lansing firm Governmental Consultant Services Inc. (GCSI). She is married to Christopher Geer, who serves on the Ann Arbor housing commission board.

Ann Arbor Skatepark

A $1,224,311 budget for the Ann Arbor skatepark appeared on the June 18 agenda for consideration, including a construction contract of $1,031,592 with Krull Construction of Ann Arbor. PAC was also asked to recommend approval of an operating agreement between the city and the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. [.pdf of operating agreement] Trevor Staples, FAAS president, attended the meeting to field questions from commissioners.

This conceptual design by Wally Hollyday for the Ann Arbor skatepark at the northwest corner of Veterans Memorial Park was approved by the city council on Jan. 7, 2013.

The originally approved budget for the project, to be located at the northwest corner of Veterans Memorial Park, was $800,000 – though the expectation was that the project would cost about $1 million. That amount anticipated $100,000 for design and $900,000 for construction.

The total budget now – including the construction contract, 10% contingency and $89,560 design contract – is $1,224,311, or $424,311 higher than the originally budgeted $800,000.

The city had issued a request for proposals (RFP) to build the skatepark earlier this year. Krull had originally turned in the lowest of three bids, at $1,191,738. Other bids were from Bernco Inc. ($1,251,104) and Gerace Construction ($1,275,273). Because all bids were considerably higher than the anticipated budget, parks staff negotiated with Krull to lower the amount by changing elements of the project. Those changes, according to a staff memo, include “replacing decorative ground cover with grass, plant plugs with seed, replacing rebar with structural fibers, and eliminating some decorative boulders.” In addition, “soil spoils” will be left on site to save on hauling costs. Krull also offered to cut $10,000 from its contract. All of these adjustments reduced the contract to $1,031,592.

Funds to pay for the skatepark include a $400,000 grant from the Washtenaw County parks & recreation commission, $300,000 from the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Trust Fund, and $100,00 raised by the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, which paid for the skatepark’s design. According to a staff memo provided to PAC, additional revenues for the project have now been identified from these sources:

• $155,463.60 from uncommitted funds available in the parks maintenance and capital improvements millage fund balance. It represents about a quarter of the total $600,000 in the uncommitted fund balance, which is used for emergencies. This is different from the millage’s committed fund balance, which stands at about $2.2 million and is already designated for specific projects.
• $80,000 from the city’s stormwater capital budget for rain gardens, to be repaid as a loan to the State Revolving Fund (SRF). The city expects a 50% loan forgiveness on this amount.
• $32,356 from the FY 2014 parks memorial and contributions fund (the Feldman Trust) for landscaping plantings. The trust currently has a balance of about $100,000.
• $30,356 from the FY 2014 parks maintenance and capital improvements millage, from a line item in the budget designated for trails and pathways.
• $22,977 from the FY 2014 parks and recreation services general fund operating budget – from the “parks fairness” funds resulting from other budget amendments made by the council when it approved the city’s budget on May 20, 2013. By policy, the general fund allocations to parks and recreation must not suffer any decrease beyond what other areas in the general fund do. So amendments to the other parts of the budget can have implications for adherence to this policy. At the end of all the budget amendments, financial services staff provide the council with an adjustment to the parks budget as an additional budget amendment, in order to comply with the policy.

In addition, up to $103,159.26 in uncommitted funds is available in the parks maintenance and capital improvements millage fund balance to cover a 10% construction contingency. Any unspent portion of this amount would be returned to the fund balance.

The Ann Arbor city council had approved the skatepark’s design at its Jan. 7, 2013 meeting. It was designed by Wally Hollyday whose firm, Wally Hollyday Skateparks, also has construction oversight of the skatepark. The council had authorized a $89,560 contract with his firm at its July of 2012 meeting, paid for entirely by funds raised by the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Hollyday – based in Aliso Viejo, California – had attended PAC’s Dec. 18, 2012 meeting, when commissioners recommended the design for approval.

The 30,000-square-foot skatepark will include a wide variety of skateboarding features – including bowls and pools; banked, Hubba and cantilevered ledges; and slappy curbs. Landscaped areas and rain gardens are located throughout the park, which will also serve as stormwater management elements. The design includes a small stage, which could be used for skateboarding demonstrations as well as other community performances.

An 11-page operating agreement – to run from Sept. 1, 2013 through Aug. 30, 2025 – outlines the responsibilities and scope of services to be provided by the city and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Regarding maintenance, for example, the agreement states:

Maintenance of the Ann Arbor Skatepark shall be provided by the City, a contracted service under the City’s control, or by volunteer groups that are programmed through the City’s volunteer program opportunities. City shall provide general oversight of the Skatepark infrastructure, such as making periodic inspections similar to neighborhood playground inspections. The City shall maintain records of staff costs, materials and supplies, and equipment costs related to the maintenance of the Ann Arbor Skatepark.

A later section on funding states: “The City, at its discretion, may decide to contribute to the payment of maintenance and operations for the Ann Arbor Skatepark.”

The skatepark will be guided by a new skatepark advisory committee, with members to be appointed by the city council and meetings held at least twice a year.

Although skatepark organizers have been working on the project for more than five years, formal city council action on the skatepark dates back to Dec. 1, 2008, when the council approved a memorandum of intent between the city and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. [.pdf of memorandum of intent]

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Staff Comments

In briefing the commission, parks and recreation manager Colin Smith noted that the multi-year project has involved a lot of work from many people, including city staff and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, as well as partnerships with Washtenaw County parks & recreation and the state. Although people talk a lot about collaboration, he said, “you’d be hard-pressed to find a better example of it than this.” It started as a local grassroots effort, and then involved the government at several levels. “It’s really going to be an extraordinary asset to the community,” Smith noted. “It’s not just Ann Arbor – it’s a regional attraction.”

Trevor Staples, president of the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark.

Park planner Amy Kuras reviewed aspects of the project, including why that site at Veterans Memorial Park had been chosen – in part for its high visibility, and proximity to public transit and major freeways. Trevor Staples, president of the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, told commissioners that the skatepark’s design is intended to cover most aspects of skateboarding, including street skating and transition skating. The design also allows for varying difficulty levels, so that people of all skills can take advantage of it.

Kuras also talked about how the project is addressing stormwater management, in part through rain gardens and bioswales within the site, as well as an underground detention system. A pathway from the Dexter Avenue parking lot will provide barrier-free access to the site, she noted.

The plan is to seek city council approval at its July 15 meeting, and start construction in early August. Work will continue as long as weather permits, she said, with the hope of finishing up the concrete and asphalt portions of the site by November. The plantings will likely be installed next spring, she said – but everything depends on the weather.

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Commission Discussion – Design

Bob Galardi asked about the “multi-event area” designated in the design. Amy Kuras described it as a stage area for demonstrations and events. Trevor Staples explained that it’s not intended only for skateboarders, but also as a general community space. Kuras reported that she recently received a call from someone who wanted to hold a fundraising event there – and she had to inform the person that “it’s not built yet.”

Tim Berla wondered if the picnic tables currently in that area will remain. Kuras replied that all the trees and tables in that area will be undisturbed. The skatepark will be built on land that’s “just lawn,” she said.

Ingrid Ault referred to the staff memo, which listed adjustments that had been made to lower the budget. Most of the changes seem aesthetic, she noted, except for one – “replacing rebar with structural fibers.” That part of it “scares me,” she said.

Kuras reported that the contractor had made suggestions for bringing the costs down. The city consulted with a structural engineering firm to make sure that replacing rebar with structural fibers would not compromise the structural integrity of the concrete forms, she said. Colin Smith added that the designer, Wally Hollyday, also works with a structural engineer. The elements were “over-designed” in terms of the need, Smith said, and these kinds of changes are normal.

Kuras noted that the bottom line in making design changes was to not eliminate any skating elements. And some of the landscaping aspects might be added later, she said.

Karen Levin asked if the skatepark would be open all winter. Staples responded, saying that temperature isn’t as much of a factor as precipitation – much like other sports that you play on pavement. Salt can’t be used on the concrete because it degrades that material, but unless there’s snow and ice on the surface, skateboarders will use it.

Levin wondered whether parks staff would shovel snow there. Staples said that in other skateparks, skaters themselves will shovel it out and then skate after it dries off. Alan Jackson asked whether the bowls would accumulate ice, or are they drained? Kuras noted that the bowls are located at the highest part of the site, with drains for runoff. Smith reminded commissioners that part of the selection process required the designer and the construction firm to be experienced in working on skateparks in climates similar to Michigan. “We certainly have that,” he said.

Ault asked about the life expectancy of a skatepark. It’s roughly 20-30 years, Smith said.

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Commission Discussion – Operating Agreement

Smith noted the original memorandum of intent approved by the city council in 2008 had called for an operating agreement between the city and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, which he and Staples had developed. It covers the management and operations of the skatepark. Overall, Smith said, the goal is to make sure there’s something in writing regarding the partnership as it matures, and to ensure the care for this asset. It’s better to address these issues proactively, he said, rather than having to react as situations emerge.

The agreement would take effect on Sept. 1, 2013 and run through Aug. 30, 2025 – unless terminated for reasons outlined in the document. [.pdf of operating agreement]

Colin Smith, Ann Arbor parks & recreation manager.

In general, the Friends will provide funding for maintenance and operations, with the city conducting a funding review process each year. There’s a requirement that the Friends hold at least one fundraising event at the skatepark annually, with proceeds used to fund ongoing maintenance or future improvements and amenities. Friends would also provide organized events and activities, working in conjunction with the city.

Smith noted that there will be no charge to use the skatepark, “which is kind of a big deal.” The only exception might be for groups that want to hold special events there.

A new skatepark advisory committee will be created, Smith said. He joked that the acronym SAC will now join a string of similar acronyms for city commissions: PAC, GAC (greenbelt advisory commission), LAC (land acquisition committee) and RAC (recreational advisory commission). SAC members would be appointed by the city council, and would include at least two Friends members, as well as members from city and county parks staff, among others.

Responsibilities of the committee include:

a. Providing advice to City staff regarding Skatepark operations.

b. Providing feedback to the City regarding Skatepark alterations or additional amenities.

c. Organizing and hosting educational and special events at the Skatepark.

d. Assisting the City in developing and distributing promotional materials and event advertising regarding the Skatepark.

e. Distributing Skatepark rules and other educational materials to Skatepark users.

f. Feedback regarding misuse of the Skatepark to the City.

g. Fundraising to support additional approved amenities, programs and improvements at the Skatepark.

h. Developing a robust volunteer base to assist the City with the maintenance and operations of the Skatepark, along with developing set volunteer work days where volunteers will work under the general supervision of the City.

Staples noted that Friends volunteers already were involved in a volunteer event earlier this year, organized by the city’s Give 365 program. More than a dozen people showed up on a Saturday morning to help clean up Veterans Memorial Park, he said. Staples suggested appointing someone from Give 365 to SAC.

The Friends board liked the idea of SAC meeting at the beginning and end of each season, to touch base on issues related to the skatepark, Staples said.

Smith noted that although the Friends will fundraise to support maintenance and operations, the city itself will be responsible for that. The parks staff has contacted other skateparks to find out what annual expenses might be incurred. Most are in the $5,000 to $10,000 range, he said – a cost that includes graffiti removal.

Bob Galardi asked about the hours of operation, and whether the skatepark would be lit. That’s part of the operations agreement, Smith said. There will be signs posted that give the skatepark rules. The skatepark will be open during the same hours as the rest of Veterans Memorial Park – from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. There aren’t lights specifically for the skatepark, but there are lights on the nearby ballfields, which stay on until 10 p.m.

Tim Berla asked about the rules for the skatepark, noting that obviously there won’t be a “skateboard cop” on site. Smith pointed out that the operating agreement includes a list of skatepark rules, which have been reviewed by the city attorney. Signs at the skatepark will include this statement: “The Ann Arbor Skatepark is unsupervised. Use of the facility is at your own risk. The City of Ann Arbor assumes no liability for any injury or damage to you or your property resulting from your voluntary use of the Skatepark.” [.pdf of skatepark rules]

The rules language is essentially the industry standard, Smith said. There has never been the expectation that the skatepark would be staffed, he added. Responding to another query from Berla, Staples confirmed that there’s no minimum or maximum requirement for age, height or other factors. “It’s all about ability,” Staples said. “You will know pretty quickly if you’re able to handle it, the first time you skate on it.”

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Commission Discussion – Budget

Smith noted that the operations agreement calls for a review of expenses each budget cycle. If staff feel that the parks system is in a position to cover the maintenance costs, “we would bring that recommendation to PAC.” Commissioners would then decide whether the city should contribute to maintenance costs that year. If the city did contribute, it would allow for the maintenance fund that the Friends is building to grow, Smith said, so that it would be available when needed.

Staples reported that the Friends will continue to add to an endowment for support of the skatepark. The goal is to build it to at least $100,000. Currently, the endowment – managed by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation – stands at about $24,000.

Park advisory commissioner Ingrid Ault talks with city councilmember Mike Anglin (Ward 5), an ex-officio member of PAC.

Smith reviewed the overall proposed budget. When the construction bids came back over budget, the city staff worked with the low bidder, Krull Construction, to lower the amount. The construction contract is now $1,031,592 – still over the $900,000 goal, but significantly lower than the initial bid, Smith noted. The budget reductions haven’t compromised the quality of the skatepark, he said. Smith also pointed out that Krull is excited about the project and made a $10,000 donation off the cost of the contract.

Regarding the 10% construction contingency, Smith noted that because the project doesn’t involve utilities or the demolition of existing structures, there’s a higher likelihood that the contingency won’t be used. If it’s not used, the money would be returned to the parks maintenance and capital improvements millage fund balance, as uncommitted funds.

Responding to a query from Alan Jackson, Smith said that if millage funds budgeted for maintenance aren’t spent in any given year, those remaining dollars are moved into the millage’s fund balance. The majority of the fund balance has been accumulated that way. As an example, perhaps a staff person retires and it takes six months to fill the vacancy, he said. That unspent money goes into the fund balance.

Staples spoke about the Friends’ continuing fundraising efforts. They’re proud to have raised $800,000 for a city project, he said, including $100,000 from the nonprofit’s fundraising as well as money from the county and state. The group has about $10,000 on hand to contribute to construction costs, as well as the roughly $24,000 endowment for ongoing maintenance. The skatepark’s booth at the art fairs typically raises between $3,000 and $5,000. [The art fairs this year run from July 17-20.] Another fundraising dinner is being planned like the one held last year at Sava’s, which raised about $18,000, Staples said.

Skatepark organizers continue to meet with potential donors to raise as much as possible, Staples reported. They’re also continuing to apply for grants, and to raise money by selling engraved bricks that will be incorporated into the skatepark paths.

Smith noted that if there were a generous gift between now and July 15, when the council is expected to vote on the skatepark budget, then the amount from the millage’s uncommitted fund balance would be reduced.

If more money does come in, Jackson said, could some of the elements that were taken out of the design be put back in? Smith’s reply was short: “Sure.”

Outcome: PAC unanimously recommended approval of the construction contract and budget modifications for the Ann Arbor skatepark. The item will be forwarded to city council for consideration.

After the vote, Julie Grand noted that the skatepark proposal had originally come at a time when the city was facing budget cuts every year, because of the economic downturn. This effort speaks to the creativity and passion in this community for making something like this happen, she said.

Alan Jackson thanked the Friends and Krull Construction for their contributions.

Fee Waiver for Liberty Plaza

A recommendation to waive park rental fees for Liberty Plaza was on the June 18 agenda. The waiver would be enacted on a one-year trial basis through July 1, 2014. The plaza is located on the southwest corner of Division and Liberty.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, briefed the commission on this proposal, noting that the city council and PAC had received feedback about the Pizza in the Park event at Liberty Plaza. At the May 20, 2013 city council meeting, several people spoke to oppose the fee that was apparently charged to the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor as part of its Friday evening homelessness ministry, which the church conducts at Liberty Plaza. At the council’s June 3 meeting, there was some follow-up during public commentary that included an interest in getting some kind of written commitment from the city that the fee would not be charged to the church. For a host of reasons, Smith said, Pizza in the Park had been suspended, and there’s a desire to see it reinstated.

Supporters of Camp Take Notice and Pizza in the Park attended the June 18, 2013 meeting of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission.

Parallel to that, Smith told PAC, the downtown park subcommittee has continued to look at what makes a successful space in the downtown. The result of these efforts was to look for something that would address the immediate issue of Pizza in the Park, while also providing other benefits to Liberty Plaza – which the staff memo for this resolution describes as a “problem park.”

The intent of waiving rental fees is to encourage activity there, such as the weekly Sonic Lunch series that’s sponsored by the Bank of Ann Arbor. That might include musicians, performers, and other social, cultural or recreational events. Smith said the more activities that take place in a downtown park, the more successful it is. The city hopes to market the fee waiver to encourage more activity, to “add to the energy of that area,” he said.

Fees have sometimes been waived in the past, Smith noted. But rather than putting staff in the position of having to determine which activities merit a fee waiver, the recommendation is to give a blanket waiver for Liberty Plaza for a year.

Smith also noted that the waiver doesn’t apply to “hard costs” associated with an event – like electricity or clean-up. Also, users will need to go through the parks permitting process, he said, even though it would be a zero-fee permit. That process is handled by the park customer service staff. The permit outlines all of the rules and responsibilities for using a park facility, such as the expectation that you’ll leave the park in the same or better condition as you found it, Smith said.

In general, the park use fee for parks with no shelter is $44 for up to six hours on weekdays for residents, or $82 for non-residents and corporations. On holidays and weekends, including Fridays, those rates are $110 for residents, $137 for non-residents, and $220 for corporations.

Fee Waiver for Liberty Plaza: Initial Public Commentary

Seth Best told commissioners that he’s with the Right to Receive Humanitarian Aid subcommittee of Camp Take Notice. He was there to talk about the fee waiver at Liberty Plaza. First, he thanked commissioners and staff, saying he used to be homeless and he often used Pizza in the Park. It was wonderful to go where barriers were broken down between socio-economic classes. He said he’s transgender, and Pizza in the Park was a chance for him to let people know who he was. “So it’s with great humility that I come here today to ask for just a little bit more,” he said.

Sometimes Liberty Plaza isn’t an ideal spot, Best noted. Maybe the targeted population that needs humanitarian aid is in other parts of town, so it might be more appropriate to use parkland nearer to those populations. Also when events like the art fairs are in town, it might not be appropriate to use that space. It might be shortsighted to extend a fee waiver to only one location, Best said.

Steve Sheiring also serves on the Right to Receive Humanitarian Aid subcommittee, and thanked the commission and staff for their work. He said that on June 3 the subcommittee had sent an email to the city, but hadn’t yet received an answer. [.pdf of June 3 email] It’s important for Camp Take Notice to be kept in the loop, he said, because they’re providing the manpower now for Pizza in the Park. He read the email aloud, stating that Camp Take Notice is taking a leadership role in Pizza in the Park now that the Vineyard Church is taking a break from that project. Because of that, it’s important for Camp Take Notice representatives to receive relevant email correspondence from the city in a timely manner. He asked that the city communicate with Camp Take Notice so that Pizza in the Park can continue.

Fee Waiver for Liberty Plaza: Commission Discussion

Julie Grand pointed out that the fee waiver is for a one-year trial period, after which it will be re-evaluated. She said she’s really excited about the idea.

From left: Ann Arbor park advisory commissioners Missy Stults, Alan Jackson and Bob Galardi.

In response to questions from commissioners, Colin Smith explained that fees are not being waived in any other city park. There has been occasional interest in using Liberty Plaza for events, he said, but “by no means is it one that exactly causes the phone to ring off the hook.” That might change with the fee waiver, he added.

Alan Jackson supported the idea of “activating” Liberty Plaza, but one of his concerns is the capacity of the park and limiting the number of permits that are given out. He cautioned the staff, asking them to consider perhaps capping the number of permits that are issued to any one group or individual, for example.

Smith replied that each park has a map showing where rentals are available. Some parks have only one space, while others have multiple areas that can be rented.

Jessica Black, who supervises the park customer service office, explained that a few years ago, some food vendors – Silvio’s and Pilar’s Tamales – wanted to put food carts at Liberty Plaza during the art fairs. So the parks staff mapped out four areas of the plaza to rent out. That map would be used if multiple requests are received. Generally, the process is that if a second user makes a request after a permit has been issued to someone else, then the holder of that first permit is contacted to make sure that the uses are compatible.

Tim Berla clarified with Smith that this fee waiver would allow for the return of Pizza in the Park. He then asked if there were any limits to the types of activities that could take place – for example, if someone came in and started playing music at full volume, or if someone wanted to hold a free hemp rally. Similarly, he wondered if there was a constraint that would prevent someone from reserving blocks of time every day for the entire year.

Smith said that the purpose of requiring people to get permits is so that issues like these can be addressed. “We still have park rules,” he noted, and that would guide this process. One of the park rules prohibits the sale of goods or services in the parks, though that can be exempted. The purpose of the fee waiver is to focus on activities, Smith said – like music, art, performances, classes and humanitarian aid.

If food vendors like those at Mark’s Carts approached the staff and wanted to set up in Liberty Plaza, that would need to be a different conversation, Smith said. There are many things to consider, including the impact on nearby businesses, and whether it’s an appropriate use of the park. If staff decided to open Liberty Plaza for food carts, they would need to put in place a “robust” application process, Smith said, similar to the process for the farmers market. “That’s not something we’re looking to entertain right now.”

Alan Jackson wanted to distinguish between commercial entities and nonprofits that might want to sell things like T-shirts or other items as a fundraiser. Black noted that for situations like that, a special event permit would also be required, to allow for those kinds of sales.

Bob Galardi asked about the possibility of lengthy installations – like a pantomime group that wanted to spend a week in the plaza doing classes and demonstrations, or an art installation that’s interactive or educational. He recalled a sound installation at Madison Square Park in New York City that drew people to the park. Would that kind of thing be acceptable?

Black replied that last year, something like that took place – a two-day sukkah design competition held by the Jewish Community Center. Smith said that’s an entirely appropriate use, generating activity and interest while still allowing others to use the plaza.

Galardi felt the waiver could spur public engagement in new and unique ways, and possibly draw national attention to Ann Arbor. People might use the fee waiver as an opportunity to experiment with a new idea.

Grand agreed. “Given the concerns that we have with the space, it’s hard to imagine it going in the negative direction.”

Karen Levin wondered how the fee waiver would be publicized. In part through social media, Smith said, as well as other city communication channels. Black added that when people call to reserve rentals at other parks, the staff can mention the fee waiver at Liberty Plaza as an option.

Ingrid Ault asked about the hard costs, wondering how the electricity costs would be assessed, for example. Black replied that there’s a $14 hook-up fee, with an hourly rate of $3.

Berla asked for staff to consider some sort of expedited process for people who want to play music at Liberty Plaza. Black said she thought the process was already straightforward and relatively quick. As long as it doesn’t require a special event permit, the process takes about 10 minutes, she said. People can pay with a credit card over the phone, and submit their application via email. The staff emails the permit after it’s approved.

City councilmember Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), an ex-officio member of the park advisory commission, talks with former PAC member Gwen Nystuen.

Berla – a musician who plays in several local bands – suggested putting an ad on craigslist, saying that would easily yield 50 responses in two days.

Missy Stults circled back to remarks made during public commentary, saying she wanted to acknowledge the need to break down socio-economic barriers and “meet people where they are, geographically.” She wanted to revisit fee waivers at other locations.

Smith noted that in the case of Liberty Plaza, there’s a specific problem that the staff is trying to find a solution for. It’s not a problem that’s come up in other parks. The larger question that Stults had mentioned is one that other city commissions, as well as the city council, could weigh in on, he said.

Christopher Taylor, who represents Ward 3 on the city council, said this proposal will certainly meet the initial need for making the Pizza in the Park program possible. But it’s important to acknowledge that it does not address the broader concern. That’s a larger conversation to have in the future, he said, adding that he’s delighted to move this proposal forward. A review of the fee waiver could be completed prior to next year’s budget cycle, Taylor said, so that the fee waiver would either become standard procedure for Liberty Plaza, or there would be some reason identified for eliminating the waiver.

As a final comment, Smith mentioned the concern expressed during public commentary that Liberty Plaza wouldn’t be available for Pizza in the Park during the art fairs. He’d spoken with one of the organizers at Vineyard Church, and they’d agreed to find an alternative park space that week – in or near the downtown area. The fee would be waived for that, too. [The art fairs this year run from July 17-20.]

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the fee waiver for Liberty Plaza. It will be forwarded to the city council for consideration.

Fee Waiver for Liberty Plaza: Follow-Up Public Commentary

After the vote, advocates for Pizza in the Park who attended PAC’s meeting gave a round of applause. Three people addressed the issue again during public commentary at the end of the meeting.

Nicholas Goodman, another member of the Right to Receive Humanitarian Aid subcommittee of Camp Take Notice, gave a brief history of the camp and its organizing efforts. He noted that camp members were evicted from a site near Wagner Road one year ago this month. They held two rallies that resulted in nearly $500,000 in aid for the Camp Take Notice community, he said. In the past month, supporters have spoken at city council three times, he said. The first meeting drew 10 people, followed by more than 20 at the next meeting. At the June 17 council meeting, more than 40 supporters attended, he reported. That doesn’t even include city councilmembers who support the effort, or members of 20 local churches, he said. Organizing on a humanitarian aid ordinance is gaining speed, Goodman concluded, and he hoped commissioners would collaborate on it with city council.

Greg Pratt introduced himself as vice president of M.I.S.S.I.O.N.A2: the Michigan Itinerant Shelter System – Independent Out of Necessity. The group works to support Camp Take Notice. He’s also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work. He wanted to provide some broader context for the response that’s happening as a result of the fees for holding Pizza in the Park.

As the weather grew warmer this year, the rotational shelter closed, he said, as it does every year. That houses about 75 people – not counting others who are housed in the local shelter system. These people who used the rotational shelter had nowhere to go, he said, so they went to the fringes of the community – to public parks, bridges and other areas. Soon after, he said, there was a coordinated effort by law enforcement to evict people from these places.

“I realize that this doesn’t necessarily fall under the direct purview of the parks department,” Pratt said, but he hoped it would provide context for the response that’s occurring. The response could be perceived as a “forceful nudge” to the city’s decision-makers, he said, to meet the demands of fellow community members who often live under precarious socio-economic circumstances. “We prefer that route to the route of increasing public pressure in support of an ordinance that protects the provision of free humanitarian aid in our public spaces,” he concluded.

Caleb Poirer began by thanking everyone who’s been wrestling with the Liberty Plaza issue. He knows it’s a difficult issue, in part because of substance abusers who are sometimes part of the population that his group advocates for. He wished commissioners and staff well in their efforts to increase the activity and vibrancy of that space.

Unfortunately, he said, PAC’s resolution doesn’t meet either of his group’s parallel goals – the long-term protection of Pizza in the Park, and the protection of other organizations that might want to give humanitarian aid. Because of that, he said, they’ll continue to attempt “to move that football forward.” Commissioners probably have a lot of anxiety about what kind of semi-trailer truck could be driven through a loophole called humanitarian aid, Poirer noted. “I want you to know that we’re not attempting to make it possible to do scary things in public parks.” He indicated that it’s possible to use language that limits the definition of humanitarian aid to certain activities. He hoped commissioners would work with advocates to do something that meets both of their needs.

East Stadium Bridges Artwork

John Kotarski and Bob Miller of the Ann Arbor public art commission attended PAC’s June 18 meeting to present information about the four finalists for artwork at the East Stadium bridges, which has a $400,000 budget. The presentation is also available online.

Thirty-two submissions were received. A task force narrowed down that group to four finalists: Rebar Group of San Francisco; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass.

The artists were brought to town in early April to look at the site and attend an open house for the public at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. The finalists then developed formal proposals for the site. They subsequently returned to town earlier this month to make public presentations of their proposals. Links to videos of those presentations are on the public art commission’s website.

Here are some images from their four proposals:

An image from Rebar Group’s “Dot Matrix” proposal, which would place 100 anodized aluminum “stalks” of  varying heights at four sites around the bridges. Each “stalk” is capped with a “Botts’ dot” – round non-reflective raised pavement markers.

One of Sheila Klein’s proposals for East Stadium bridge – an arrangement of tree planters called “Annie’s Arbor.” Klein has offered four conceptual ideas, and would work with the community to develop one, if selected.

Volkan Alkanoglu’s “Lady Ann” proposal for East Stadium bridge, as seen from East Stadium Boulevard. One hundred multi-colored aluminum “cones” would be used to make a 55-foot wheel-shaped structure. Each cone would be engraved with text from residents, like “I Love Ann Arbor” or “Ann Arbor Means Home.”

Catherine Widgery’s “Arbor Winds” proposal for East Stadium bridge includes 12 four-by-six-foot acrylic/aluminum or glass banners etched with images of trees. There would also be etched granite panels on the South State underpass, lit with LED lights, as well as etched glass “windscreens” by Rose White Park.

Kotarski described each of the artists and their previous work. He also highlighted the four proposals for East Stadium bridges and showed images of the artists’ renderings for those artworks. The selection process so far has been long and involved, he noted. [Members of the volunteer task force/selection panel are Bob Miller, Wiltrud Simbuerger, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely.]

At the end of his remarks he apologized, saying that his presentation “does not do any of these artists justice.” He noted that this presentation was part of the art commission’s new outreach effort, saying that PAC was a guinea pig for it – explaining that this was the first presentation he’d made to another commission.

Kotarski concluded by asking for feedback, and encouraging PAC members as well as residents to give input via a survey on A2 Open City Hall, with a deadline of July 9 at 5 p.m.

East Stadium Bridges Artwork: Commission Discussion

Julie Grand began the discussion by noting that this kind of presentation will be similar to the one that the Argo Cascades artwork task force is planning. Grand serves on that task force, as does John Kotarski.

John Kotarski, left, hands out information to Ann Arbor park advisory commissioners, including Alan Jackson, right. Kotarski is a member of the city’s public art commission, and made a presentation about proposed artwork for East Stadium bridges. In the background is Ann Arbor parks & rec manager Colin Smith.

Tim Berla asked for more information about where the artwork would be in Rose White Park. Bob Miller, chair of the public art commission, described the location near the intersection of Rose and White streets, on the east side of the bridge. The artist Catherine Widgery has proposed a 75-foot windscreen that Miller described as ideal for that location.

Miller said part of the challenge for this project is choosing appropriate city-owned property as possible sites for public art. Rose White Park is one of the sites, though not all artists proposed to locate artwork there. Other sites are the bridge itself, the underpass on South State, and the walkway from East Stadium down to South State. The west side of the bridge is mostly University of Michigan property.

Kotarski added that residents had reacted positively to the windscreen proposal, because it would also screen lights from traffic along East Stadium.

Responding to a query from parks and recreation manager Colin Smith, Miller described the outreach efforts so far, including an open house at the Ann Arbor Senior Center, a table at the Green Fair earlier this month, and public presentations by the artists that were videotaped.

Bob Galardi asked Miller to describe the decision-making process. It’s an arduous process, Miller replied. The task force will have two more meetings – first to review the feedback, then to make a recommendation to the full public art commission. Kotarski noted that the public art commission is just an advisory body that makes recommendations to the city council. Councilmembers will make the final decision about which artist to select.

In response to a question from Ingrid Ault, Miller reported that two task force members are residents of the Lower Burns Park neighborhood, located near East Stadium bridges and Rose White Park. Smith noted that a similar task force for the mural project at Allmendinger Park had worked well by including residents of that neighborhood.

Kotarski said the goal is to engage people who live nearby as well as those from the broader community. “We want to get as [many] people into the conversation as possible,” he said.

Outcome: This was not a voting item, and commissioners did not discuss their preferences for these proposals.

Ann Arbor Rec & Ed Update

Jenna Bacolor, the director of Ann Arbor Rec & Ed, gave an update on that program, which is part of the Ann Arbor Public Schools system. She noted that she’s been in this job for almost a year, and prior to that worked in Washtenaw County public health for 16 years. She lives on the west side of town, and her family is involved in a lot of activities in Ann Arbor, she said.

Jenna Bacolor, director of Ann Arbor Rec & Ed.

Her presentation highlighted ways that the city and Rec & Ed are collaborating. Over the past year, Bacolor said she’s been learning about the history of the relationship between the city and the Rec & Ed program. The relationship formed in 1916, so there’s almost 100 years of collaboration, which is remarkable and something to be proud of, she said. “I think it hasn’t always been a smooth relationship, but I think it has been lately and I want to continue that – that’s important to me.”

She reported that the Rec & Ed program appreciates the city’s renovated ballfields. At a recent meeting, she said, the city’s parks staff and Rec & Ed staff talked through issues related to maintenance, which was helpful. Over 100 people attended the opening day “coach pitch” on June 15 at Veterans Memorial Park, and people there were excited about the new ballfields, she said.

Another collaboration is the new paddleboard yoga class at Argo, which Bacolor described as “totally awesome.”

Bacolor also mentioned an issue related to recent AAPS budget cuts, and the school board’s decision to cut funding for the middle school pools. The impact on Rec & Ed is that a long-running instructional swimming program will end after this summer’s season. Bacolor said she’s spoken with Colin Smith, the city’s parks & rec manager, to set up a referral process to the city’s swimming classes. Rec & Ed’s water aerobics classes were also held at middle school pools, and there’s the possibility of using Mack Pool instead.

Bacolor said she would be happy to answer questions, and to return to PAC any time for updates.

Ann Arbor Rec & Ed Update: Commission Discussion

Alan Jackson urged Bacolor to let the city know if any facilities are deteriorating. The more communication, the better, he said.

Ingrid Ault wondered how someone would do yoga on a stand-up paddleboard. Bacolor explained that classes are open to people of any skill level – regarding both yoga and using a paddleboard. There’s an anchoring system for the paddleboards, and the instructor leads participants through a series of yoga poses. It’s a great way to combine the enjoyment of nature with a physical activity, she said. It provides a good workout for your core, she noted, because you’re trying to balance on the paddleboard while doing the yoga pose.

Smith reported that both of the city’s canoe liveries – at Argo and Gallup – rent stand-up paddleboards, saying they are easier to use than it looks.

He praised the relationship between the city and Rec & Ed, saying that both entities are each trying to find recreational opportunities for residents. He cited the middle school swimming as a good example of collaboration, and he appreciated that Bacolor reached out to the city on that.

Tim Berla asked for more details about the swimming classes. Ten years ago, he noted, Rec & Ed offered both indoor and outdoor swimming lessons. But the city had raised the rent on its outdoor pools, Berla said, and Rec & Ed determined that the new rates weren’t feasible. [Berla is the Rec & Ed recreational advisory commission's liaison to PAC.]

Smith replied that the city has been offering lessons at its outdoor pools for at least 10 years. The schools are planning to close the middle school pools, which have been open during the school year. Mack Pool, an indoor pool that the city operates at Ann Arbor Open school, is also open during the school year, he said. The hope is to increase the number of lessons offered by the city at Mack Pool, or to partner with Rec & Ed for programming there.

Mike Anglin thanked Rec & Ed for making life easier for parents during the summer months. He asked how many volunteers work on Rec & Ed programs. Bacolor replied that there are hundreds of volunteers. She thanked Anglin for agreeing to appear on the cover of Rec & Ed’s summer program guide.

Later in the meeting, Berla gave a report from the Rec & Ed recreational advisory commission (RAC). Given the cutbacks at the Ann Arbor Public Schools, RAC has discussed the possibility of a new recreation millage or an enhancement millage – something that AAPS might put on the ballot. If that option is pursued, it would need to be coordinated with the city, he said. Extra revenues could be used to keep the middle school pools open, for example. It’s an ongoing discussion, he said, because the school district’s budget seems to be much worse than the city’s.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Communications & Commentary

There were several opportunities for communications from staff or commissioners during the April 16 meeting, as well as time for public commentary.

Communications & Commentary: Manager’s Report

Prior to the start of Colin Smith’s parks and recreation manager’s report, PAC chair Julie Grand reported that Smith had been named Do-Gooder of the Year in Current magazine’s 2013 Readers Choice Awards.

PAC chair Julie Grand and Colin Smith, parks & rec manager.

Usually, she said, you look at these kinds of polls and say “What are these people thinking?” But this time, Grand added, “I feel like the readers got it right.”

Commissioners gave Smith a round of applause. He said it was a surprise – as he found out about it after getting a call from his mother. Smith said he’s getting teased for it, but he hoped it reflected positively on the parks in general. “If people think the parks improve their quality of life, that’s great.”

Smith then provided several updates, including: (1) the grand opening of the Traver Creek streambank stabilization project on June 22, held at Leslie Park golf course; (2) the start of the Ann Arbor Civic Band‘s Wednesday night concerts in West Park, starting at 8 p.m. every week through July 24; and (3) phase 1 renovations at Gallup Park, which he encouraged commissioners to check out.

Communications & Commentary: Argo Cascades

Tim Berla asked about an article on the Argo Cascades that was published in a recent edition of the Ann Arbor Observer. He hoped to have a discussion about it at some point, saying that the article made the cascades seem really dangerous.

Colin Smith said the Observer reporter had interviewed him and Cheryl Saam, who supervises the city’s two canoe liveries. The two of them had provided a great deal of information, he said, though not all of it was incorporated into the article. He reiterated “very strongly” that the main thing Saam focuses on every day is risk management and safety. All seasonal staff for the liveries are trained in CPR, first aid, water safety and a range of related topics, he said.

Regarding the design of Argo Cascades, Smith said that any time there’s a new amenity, the staff works throughout the year to make it as enjoyable and safe as possible. Changes were made to the pool drops in the cascades during the winter, and the last drop into the Huron River is “smoother than it ever was to begin with.”

Of course there’s an element of risk in everything they do, Smith said. He pointed out that in order to rent a boat from the liveries, you have to sign a waiver that’s been vetted by the city attorney’s office. At the cascades, the staff also provides guidelines for who should or shouldn’t use it. And if you go to the city’s website for the liveries, it will indicate whether there’s a high water alert due to heavy rains. If an alert is in effect, you can’t rent a boat unless you’re an experienced kayaker and swimmer, and no children are allowed. There are certain levels of river flows that trigger these criteria, he said, and at those times, the staff won’t let you take a river trip. “That’s right up front in what we do,” he said.

Also related to Argo Cascades, Julie Grand reported that a task force continues to work on selecting public artwork for that area. The task force has selected three finalists who will be making site visits and meeting with the public. Other outreach efforts are also planned to get input from the public, Grand said. Members of the task force include Grand, John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Saam, Margaret Parker, Cathy Fleisher and Bonnie Greenspoon.

AAPAC approved a $150,000 budget for that project on April 25, 2012.

Communications & Commentary: Committee Reports

Both the dog park and downtown park subcommittees are developing surveys for public input, which are expected to be released soon. Karen Levin is chair of the dog park subcommittee. Ingrid Ault chairs the downtown park subcommittee.

Communications & Commentary: Huron River Map

Ingrid Ault highlighted the Huron River Water Trail Traveler’s Companion, a waterproof guide with maps and other information related to the river. It costs $10 and can be purchased from the Huron River Watershed Council or Bivouac, Ault noted. Colin Smith also pointed out that the guides are for sale at each of the city’s canoe liveries.

Communications & Commentary: Public Commentary

In addition to the public commentary reported above, one other woman addressed commissioners, saying she is a former park planner with the city. She wanted to bring a pet peeve to their attention, she said. Like many Baby Boomers, she’s now a swimmer, because “running is too tough and biking is dangerous.” She expressed frustration that children were playing in the lap lanes at Veterans Memorial pool, saying the lifeguard didn’t take action to address it. She got kicked hard in the stomach, and later was smacked in the head. It’s a liability for the city, she said – it’s not safe. There are also a lot of times when the lanes are reserved for master swimmers. It would be nice if there were more availability of lanes for people who want to swim laps at both Veterans Memorial and Fuller pools, she said. With an aging population, there will be more demand for it, she said.

Present: Ingrid Ault, Tim Berla, Bob Galardi, Jen Geer, Julie Grand, Alan Jackson, Karen Levin, Missy Stults, Jen Geer and councilmembers Mike Anglin and Christopher Taylor (ex-officio). Also Colin Smith, city parks and recreation manager.

Absent: Graydon Krapohl.

Next PAC meeting: Tuesday, July 15, 2013 at 4 p.m. in the city hall second-floor council chambers, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. PAC’s land acquisition committee meets on Tuesday, June 4 at 4 p.m. [Check Chronicle event listing to confirm date]

Next downtown park subcommittee meeting: Tuesday, June 25 from 5-6:30 p.m. at city hall’s first floor south conference room. More information about that group is on the subcommittee’s website.

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Bob Miller, right, is the new chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission. To the left is Deb Polich, executive director of the nonprofit Arts Alliance. They were attending the March 15 meeting of the city council’s public art committee, which is developing revisions to the city’s public art ordinance. (Photos by the writer.)

Commissioners voted to accept a memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project and to approve Sarah Gay as a volunteer project manager. Her duties would be to lead efforts for city council approval, donor relations and fundraising. John Kotarski advocated for less involvement from AAPAC, saying he hoped to streamline the project.

However, other commissioners felt it should be handled like other projects, with oversight by AAPAC. The proposal is for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. The city’s market manager, Sarah DeWitt, attended the March 7 meeting and will help coordinate the project.

Commissioners also voted to increase the honorariums for artists who have been selected as finalists for a $400,000 project at the East Stadium bridge. The overall project amount remains unchanged, but honorariums were raised from $2,000 to $3,000 for each of the four finalists: Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Rebar Group of San Francisco; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. They will be in town on April 1 for a site visit and public open house.

Another effort that’s in the early phases got a vote of support from commissioners, but no financial commitment at this point. The project will use old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which artists and community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council. AAPAC is involved only in a supportive role, to help with public engagement.

The role of public engagement was part of a discussion regarding AAPAC’s annual public art plan, which is due to the city council on April 1. Some commissioners expressed frustration at the process, given the uncertainty of the public art program’s future. Ultimately, they gave guidance to Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, to draft a plan that includes projects in highly-visible, highly-used locations, currently underserved in terms of public art.

The March 7 meeting also included the election of officers. Bob Miller was elected the new chair, replacing Marsha Chamberlin. Kotarski abstained from voting. He noted that the commission will soon be at only 40% capacity – a reference to the fact that there are three vacancies on the nine-member commission, with an additional resignation expected by Wiltrud Simbuerger in the near future.

Two of those vacancies will likely be filled shortly. Nominations are on the city council’s March 18 agenda for confirmation: Nick Zagar, an artist and commercial real estate agent who serves on the Ann Arbor Art Center board; and Ashlee Arder, programs coordinator at ArtServe Michigan.

All of these actions come in the context of the city council’s ongoing review of the city’s public art program, which began in early December of 2012. This article begins with a report on the most recent meeting of the council’s public art committee on Friday, March 15. An update of their work will be attached to the council’s March 18 agenda as an item of communication. Their next committee meeting is scheduled for March 28.

Revisions to Public Art Program

A five-member city council committee has been meeting since December 2012 to develop recommendations for the city’s public art program and possible revisions to two city ordinances that affect that program – Chapter 8 (organization of boards and commissions) and Chapter 24 (public art).

The work traces back to Dec. 3, 2012, when the city council voted to halt the spending of funds accumulated through Ann Arbor’s Percent for Art program, except for projects that are already underway. Unless extended by the council, the moratorium on spending lasts until April 1, 2013.

Assistant city attorney Christopher Frost and Marsha Chamberlin of the Ann Arbor public art commission talked before the start of the March 15 council committee meeting on public art.

At that same Dec. 3, 2012 meeting, councilmembers appointed a council committee to review the public art program. Committee members are Sabra Briere (Ward 1), Sally Petersen (Ward 2), Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3), Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), and Margie Teall (Ward 4). [For background see Chronicle coverage: "City to Seek Feedback on Public Art Program," "Council's Public Art Committee Begins Work," as well as an update on the committee's work provided in the reports of AAPAC's Jan. 23, 2013 and Feb. 27, 2013 meetings.]

The committee is on track to recommend eliminating the city’s Percent for Art funding mechanism, which has been a cornerstone for the public art program. That approach required that 1% of each city capital project, up to a cap of $250,000 per project, be set aside for public art. An alternative strategy – “baking in” art and architectural enhancements for each project, without a required percentage of funding – is likely to be proposed.

Most recently, the committee met on Friday, March 15 to discuss the latest draft of ordinance changes and recommendations. Also attending the meeting were former AAPAC chair Marsha Chamberlin; new AAPAC chair Bob Miller; Deb Polich, executive director of the Arts Alliance; Ann Arbor CFO Tom Crawford; and Christopher Frost, assistant city attorney.

Much of the March 15 discussion focused on two main issues: (1) the public art administrator, and (2) a possible survey using the city’s A2 Open City Hall website.

Revisions to Public Art Program: Administration

Sabra Briere began the meeting by saying that the major item they needed to address related to administration. The city attorney’s office had indicated that a city employee can’t be involved in fundraising. Because that was originally conceived of as a major component of a public art administrator’s job, it raised the question: How should the program’s administration be handled?

Margie Teall asked how other cities in Michigan dealt with this issue. Deb Polich replied that as far as she knew, Ann Arbor is the only city in Michigan with a public art program.

There was discussion about whether the city could contract with an outside entity to administer the program. If so, to what extent would those same constraints on city employees apply? Polich observed that in contracting with an entity like the Arts Alliance, which is a 501(c)3 entity, the contract could explicitly lay out the responsibilities and constraints under which an administrator would operate.

Briere cited one concern about using a contract employee: Would that person be able to work seamlessly with city staff? Christopher Taylor felt that wouldn’t be a problem. He likened it to the situation with The Conservation Fund, which has been contracted to manage the city’s greenbelt and parkland acquisition programs. The Conservation Fund, based in Washington D.C., has managed those programs since they launched – after voters approved a 30-year 0.5 mill open space and parkland preservation millage in 2003. Ginny Trocchio is the local Conservation Fund staff person who works full-time at city hall.

City CFO Tom Crawford indicated that there are other full-time contract employees who’ve worked for years at the city, in a variety of departments.

Taylor said his main interest is in having a full-time administrator, and that there be a way to solicit donations for public art. Crawford explained that the city can accept donations, and those donations would be tax deductible. But those donations aren’t solicited by city staff, he said. The city staff can inform and educate, but can’t actively fundraise. It also becomes difficult to track donations and manage donor expectations, he said, if the quantity increases.

From left: Ann Arbor city councilmembers Margie Teall and Sabra Briere at the March 15 meeting of the council’s public art committee.

Polich suggested that if an outside entity had a contract with the city to administer the public art program, that entity could raise money then gift it back to the city. That arrangement could be specified in the contract. Steve Kunselman described it as the “privatization” of public art administration, and he didn’t think it needed to be laid out in detail in the ordinance.

Crawford indicated that there might be more flexibility if the city contracts with an organization, rather than directly with an individual.

Taylor advocated for letting city administrator Steve Powers work out the details. For his part, Taylor wanted to recommend that the city needs a full-time public art administrator, and that there should be a fundraising element involved. He didn’t care how that happened. After two years, if the work isn’t getting done in a satisfactory way, the city can revisit the arrangement and try something else, he said.

Teall also indicated her desire for a full-time administrator. Briere said she didn’t want to commit to that, and also isn’t willing to commit general fund dollars to pay for a public art administrator. She noted that the committee’s recommendations don’t deal with the issue of how to fund an administrator’s position. “We’ll look to wiser heads to help figure that out,” she said.

Revisions to Public Art Program: Open City Hall

When the committee first began meeting in late 2012, Sally Petersen had advocated surveying residents about how the city should deal with the public art program, or whether it should even continue. Lisa Wondrash, the city’s communications manager, attended a meeting in early January to describe A2 Open City Hall, an online system for soliciting feedback. Some councilmembers – in particular, Margie Teall – were reluctant to do any surveys, indicating that it would not be the best way to get feedback. The idea was never pursued.

On March 15, Sabra Briere again brought up the possibility of the A2 Open City Hall survey, noting that the committee had never reached a decision on it. Petersen said she felt that the window of opportunity had closed on that, since the committee had already nearly completed its work. Anecdotally, she said she’d heard that the committee was on the right track.

There was discussion about what types of questions might be asked if they were to use the A2 Open City Hall, and about the timing of such a survey. Petersen feared that if the survey were posted now, it would raise more questions and cause more confusion – because there were still a lot of unknowns. She suggested holding off on a decision until the next committee meeting, and other committee members agreed.

Revisions to Public Art Program: Next Steps

The council committee has set its next meeting for Thursday, March 28 at city hall starting at 11:30 a.m. Before then, the draft recommendations and revisions to the public art ordinance will be attached to the council’s March 18 meeting agenda as an item of communication. [.pdf of draft recommendations & ordinance revisions at start of March 15 meeting] [.pdf of draft recommendation & ordinance revisions reflecting changes at the March 15 meeting]

Because March 18 will be the last council meeting before the April 1 expiration of the moratorium on public art spending, it’s possible the council will take action to extend the moratorium. The committee doesn’t plan to make a formal recommendation to the council until April, possibly at its meeting on April 15.

Coleman Jewett Memorial

The agenda for the special March 7 AAPAC meeting included a resolution to accept the Coleman Jewett memorial as an official AAPAC project and to approve Sarah Gay as a volunteer project manager. Her duties would be to lead efforts for city council approval, donor relations and fundraising.

Sarah DeWitt, manager of the Ann Arbor public market, attended AAPAC’s March 7 special meeting.

Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private donor has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

This project was discussed at AAPAC’s Feb. 27, 2013 meeting, but no action was taken then. John Kotarski had encouraged Gay to take on the project. At the Feb. 27 meeting Kotarski had said he didn’t see the need for AAPAC to get involved – saying he didn’t want the commission to be an “impediment.”

Gay is an arts administrator who grew up in Ann Arbor, but who doesn’t currently live here. She has attended some of the early meetings of the Ann Arbor city council committee that’s working on revisions to the city’s public art program.

During the discussion on March 7, Kotarski raised the same concerns about AAPAC’s involvement, saying it might simplify things if Gay worked directly with Sarah DeWitt, the city’s market manager.

DeWitt, who attended the March 7 meeting, indicated that she would work with anyone who was designated to manage this project. The farmers market is part of the city’s parks system, so the final donation would need to be made to the parks system and likely be vetted through the park advisory commission. But city staff cannot be involved in soliciting the funds. DeWitt said she could work with Gay or anyone else to determine the best location for the memorial, as well as other issues related to installing the memorial.

Marsha Chamberlin reported that she’s received estimates indicating it would cost about $25,000 for the bronzing, and perhaps a total of $50,000 for all aspects of the project. She felt it was important to define the project clearly, set a fundraising goal, and challenge the community to meet it. There was additional discussion about the logistics of handling the funding, such as whether donations would be made to a pass-through account managed by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, on behalf of the city. There was a consensus that those details would need input from the city’s finance staff.

Both the parks & recreation unit as well as AAPAC have policies for accepting donations and gifts. From AAPAC’s guidelines:

C. Donations and Supplemental Sources of Funding
If supplemental sources of funding are used for public art projects, including grants, private donations, land, and in-kind services, AAPAC will identify the private interests or other restrictions associated with such funding and review the development of the public art projects for which the funding is used to ensure compliance with donor intent and other restrictions. [.pdf of complete AAPAC guidelines]

Kotarski reported that the private donor who pledged $5,000 for the project has stipulated that the memorial must be a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s actual Adirondack chairs. So in a sense, Jewett is the artist, Kotarski said – noting that it wouldn’t be a stylized work by another artist. He said that mayor John Hieftje had told him the $5,000 donation would be withdrawn if the donor’s stipulation wasn’t met.

Kotarski also lobbied for Gay to operate with independence from AAPAC. She should be able to make decisions related to the project and should not have to come to AAPAC for approval, he said. It’s a matter of control. “The less control we have and the more she has, the better,” Kotarski said. “She doesn’t want to fail.”

Ann Arbor public art commissioner John Kotarski.

Chamberlin replied that based on her 35 years of experience in arts administration, “you don’t just turn someone loose on a project, no matter how good they are.” [Chamberlin recently retired as president of the Ann Arbor Art Center.] AAPAC should have input and approve things like the solicitation materials, she said. Another factor is the fact that Gay doesn’t live in the community at this point, so it’s important to have AAPAC involved.

Connie Brown supported handling the project like any other AAPAC project, with a task force that would work with Gay and make recommendations to the full commission. Craig Hupy – the city’s public services area administrator who also attended AAPAC’s March 7 meeting – said he didn’t want to cast aspersions on Gay, but he recommended that AAPAC stay involved, since they would, in a way, be putting their reputation on the line.

DeWitt also encouraged AAPAC to describe the memorial for Jewett in terms of his contributions to the community “writ large,” not only as a vendor at the farmers market. There are a lot of longtime vendors who have passed away, she said, and unless AAPAC envisioned bronzed heads of lettuce in the future, it’s important to keep the Jewett’s broader impact as part of these discussions.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the Jewett memorial as an AAPAC project, and to designate Sarah Gay as the volunteer project manager.

East Stadium Artist Honorarium

On the agenda was an item to increase the honorariums for artists who have been selected as finalists for a $400,000 project at the East Stadium bridge. A task force has selected four artists as finalists, who have been invited to an April 1 site visit/open house. The finalists are: Volkan Alkanoglu, based in Atlanta, Georgia; Sheila Klein of Bow, Washington; Rebar Group of San Francisco; and Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass.

The proposal was to increase the previous $2,000 honorarium to $3,000 for each artist. Bob Miller, a commissioner who serves on the task force, said task force members felt the compensation should be increased because artists were being asked to make two site visits and a proposal. In addition to Miller, members of the task force/selection panel are Wiltrud Simbuerger, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely.

John Kotarski supported the increase, but wondered how the task force had arrived at this new amount. Miller replied that one of the finalists had suggested the increase, and that it seemed reasonable based on the cost of airfare and other expenses. It’s still not much, Miller said, but it’s something.

Kotarski asked if the task force had compared the honorarium to projects in other cities. No, Miller replied. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, indicated that the $3,000 amount seems to be in line with what other communities offer, on average.

The overall project budget will not be increased. It now breaks down as follows:

• Artist contract: $360,000
• Artist honorarium ($3,000 each): $12,000
• Dedication: $4,000
• Signage: $3,000
• Walk through and other event expenses: $1,500
• Project management: $6,500
• Other admin costs: $1,000
• Contingency $12,000

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to increase the East Stadium bridge honorarium to $3,000 per artist.

Community Canoe Art

Marsha Chamberlin gave an update on a canoe art project she’s working on with other organizations. It’s a project she got involved with before she retired as president of the Ann Arbor Art Center – not in her capacity as an AAPAC member, she said. [.pdf of canoe project memo]

Marsha Chamberlin led her final meeting on March 7 as chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The project will use old aluminum canoes that the city of Ann Arbor is getting rid of from the Argo canoe livery. There will be two components: (1) artists will be selected to create about a dozen original, permanent works (lasting more than five years); and (2) school groups or business teams will create another dozen or so works using the canoes.

According to the project memo, Cheryl Saam – facilities supervisor for the city’s canoe liveries – will oversee fundraising and work with a graphic designer to create a logo. [It's unclear how her role in fundraising will be defined, however, in light of discussions at the council's public art committee meeting that indicated city employees can't directly solicit donations for this kind of project.]

Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council. The CVB will handle publicity, and the MSAA will deal with the logistics of placing the completed artwork at locations throughout the downtown, Chamberlin said.

The request to AAPAC is to help with advocacy and public engagement for the project, Chamberlin said, and to coordinate the kickoff to coincide with the dedication of artwork at the Argo Cascades. The canoe project is anticipated to be on public display between August and November of 2014.

Chamberlin said she’s talked with the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation about setting up a pass-through account to accept donations. The goal is to raise about $100,000 for the project.

John Kotarski wondered why this project is being handled differently from the Coleman Jewett memorial. He felt that the Jewett memorial could also be an independent project like this canoe art, with minimal involvement from AAPAC.

He also said it was “challenging” for Chamberlin to talk to commissioners about this project while she was chair of AAPAC. When she used the word “we,” he said, it was difficult to know if she was speaking on behalf of AAPAC or for the project organizers.

Chamberlin replied that she was bringing this project forward just like any other similar effort. She saw it as analogous with the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Inside|Out program, which will be installing replicas of artwork in downtown Ann Arbor later this month. The project didn’t require AAPAC approval, she said, but the commission got involved and supported it.

Kotarski said he’s prefer that projects like this – the Jewett memorial, the DIA partnership, and the canoe project – not have to go through the AAPAC process of forming a task force and issuing requests for proposals. He wanted to streamline the process as much as possible. In terms of the canoe project, he didn’t think that AAPAC could add anything other than an “Atta boy!”

Chamberlin responded, saying it’s important for the canoe project to involve as many entities as possible, including AAPAC. It would require no financial commitment from AAPAC, although some staff time would be involved. It’s also possible that AAPAC might be approached in the future with a funding request, assuming the city’s public art program continues.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to collaborate on the community canoe art project, with no financial commitment at this time.

Annual Art Plan

Also on the agenda for the March 7 special meeting was discussion of AAPAC’s annual art plan. The city’s public art ordinance stipulates that a public art annual plan is due to the city council on April 1. This year, it would cover activities that AAPAC intends to pursue in fiscal year 2014, which runs from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

Ann Arbor public art commissioner Connie Brown.

Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, is developing a draft and was seeking input from commissioners at the meeting to shape the plan. His goal is to present a draft for their approval at AAPAC’s March 27 meeting.

This item has been discussed at previous meetings. At AAPAC’s meeting on Feb. 27, 2013, Deb Gosselin – who handles the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP) – talked with commissioners about that process, and how it might coordinate with AAPAC’s annual plan.

The CIP has been important to AAPAC because funding for the Percent for Art program has come from the city’s capital projects. Under the city’s Percent of Art program, 1% of each capital project, up to a cap of $250,000 per project, being set aside for public art. And even though it now appears that the Percent for Art funding approach could be eliminated, the goal will still likely be to start planning the public art component of a project as early as possible, as part of the project’s design, rather than as an add-on.

Seagraves had identified 30 projects in the CIP as having longer-term potential. [.pdf of long-term capital projects for possible public art] He had also identified a smaller list of 12 projects that AAPAC might consider for inclusion in its annual plan for fiscal 2014. [.pdf of FY 2014 CIP projects for possible public art] Those near-term CIP projects include the replacement of street lights along Main Street, the creation of a park at 721 N. Main, and renovations at the wastewater treatment plant, among others.

On March 7, Marsha Chamberlin noted that the process for developing this year’s annual plan has been met with frustration by some commissioners. Despite the public art program’s uncertain future, she said it’s important to have priorities for the coming year – even though the funding mechanism for public art might be changed.

John Kotarski referenced an email he’d sent on March 2 to commissioners and Seagraves, responding to a request from Seagraves to prioritize possible projects for the annual plan. [.pdf of Kotarski's email] Kotarski pointed out that AAPAC had embarked last year on a “quadrant” approach to developing public art projects.

By way of background, the approach uses four quadrants of Ann Arbor that are designated in the city master plan’s “land use elements” section: west, central, south and northeast. [.pdf map of quadrants] Two or more of the nine AAPAC members were to be responsible for each quadrant, charged with soliciting input from residents in selecting public art.

In his email, Kotarski raised concerns that now the quadrant approach, as envisioned, isn’t being used to prioritize projects for the annual plan. He cited several other concerns as well. An excerpt from his email:

We also have no standards (criteria) by which we are measuring art or locations. We have no way of measuring our process against best practices of successful communities elsewhere. All of you know that this has been a concern of mine for some time and it relates to art selection task forces as well. We were just informed that we should additionally consider prioritizing CIP projects. I am not certain that we share an understanding of what our duty is as a Commission much less an understanding of how we are to prioritize this list. I doubt if anyone can randomly select five locations on the list and offer the advantages and disadvantages for public art to be placed there.

For the time being, I propose we tell the administration that we want public art at every bus stop and ask the AATA to prioritize by ridership. That we want public art at every park and playground and to ask the Parks to prioritize by use. That we want public art in the downtown business district and ask the DDA to prioritize by their master plan. That we want public art at every major transportation artery into the city and let the Roads prioritize by usage. And that we want public art at every new CIP project and let the city staff prioritize. We are not organized well enough to do any better.

Several Commissioner have expressed to me that we have great ideas but lack follow through. My read of the quadrant meetings are that fewer than 10 residents showed up collectively and some of those were not from the quadrant in which the meeting was held. How can we remotely suggest that these 10 residents are the basis for our decisions? We were to assemble task forces for each quadrant that would focus on the pubic art opportunities and needs of their quadrant. That was not done.

We do not know how other cities do this. We do not know what residents want. We do not know how to evaluate public art or public art locations. I for one do not know how our proposed new leaders plan to change this. We do not even know what our new charge will be from the City Council.

We have over 40% of our Commission vacant, we lack the staff that everyone agrees we need, and we do not have a clear consensus among ourselves about what our job is. The adage “when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging” comes to mind. I know we have a deadline coming up, but to me this document does not serve to simplify the decision-making process but rather confuses it.

Some think we are a gatekeeper for public art in the city, yet I believe many on the City Council think differently. Many on City Council want us to grow public art from outside a taxpayer base and empower other groups to work independently. They want us to simplify and streamline the process. We at the least need that clarified before we proceed to recommend a public art plan.

Connie Brown said she was one of the commissioners who’s been “grouchy” about this annual plan process. AAPAC had put a process in place – using the quadrant approach – to get public input. But then the city council had put a public art millage on the Nov. 6, 2012 ballot, and that proposal had been defeated. The council then had voted to put the public art spending on hold, she noted.

She wondered if it would be appropriate to set broad goals – like choosing projects in underserved, highly visible areas – as an interim measure, until the city council decides the fate of the public art program.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, reminded commissioners that under the existing public art ordinance, AAPAC has a charge to produce an annual plan. He said he wouldn’t speculate about what the council might do regarding changes to the ordinance, or presume that councilmembers will take a certain direction.

Brown noted that AAPAC was told to stop its processes, and so they did. As soon as they have permission to start up again, they’ll be ready to prioritize and move forward. Until then, she said, “we’re throwing darts with our eyes closed.”

Seagraves asked that commissioners provide some general criteria for projects they’d like to see within the next fiscal year. After further discussion, the group reached consensus on the following attributes for public art projects in FY 2014: projects that are in highly visible, highly-used locations currently underserved in terms of public art, and that are distributed throughout the four quadrants of the city. Seagraves plans to take those priorities and draft an annual plan for AAPAC to consider at its March 27 meeting.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Officer Elections, Vacancies

The last order of business on March 7 was officer elections. Marsha Chamberlin, who has served as AAPAC’s chair since April of 2011, announced that two commissioners – Bob Miller and Malverne Winborne, AAPAC’s vice chair – were interested in the position of chair. Winborne did not attend the March 7 meeting.

Wiltrud Simbuerger is planning to resign from the Ann Arbor public art commission, though she has not yet announced a date for her departure.

AAPAC’s bylaws call for the commission to hold officer elections for chair and vice chair in January. But elections were pushed back at both the Jan. 23, 2013 and Feb. 27, 2013 meetings because attendance was low. On Feb. 27, Chamberlin indicated that commissioners would receive ballots in the mail, with the outcome to be reported at the March 27 meeting. However, the election was on the March 7 special meeting agenda and took place then, with five of the six commissioners present.

John Kotarski said he felt compelled to abstain. Soon, the commission will be at only 40% capacity, he said – a reference to the fact that there are three vacancies on the nine-member commission, with an additional resignation expected by Wiltrud Simbuerger in the near future. He said there is no compelling reason to vote now, and it’s a mistake to choose leadership when there will soon be new members.

Earlier in the meeting, Chamberlin had reported that two nominations for AAPAC had been brought forward by mayor John Hieftje at the city council’s March 4 meeting: Nick Zagar, an artist and commercial real estate agent who serves on the Ann Arbor Art Center board; and Ashlee Arder, programs coordinator at ArtServe Michigan. Zagar is being nominated to replace Theresa Reid, for a term ending Dec. 31, 2015. Arder is replacing Cathy Gendron for a term ending Jan. 20, 2016. The nominations are on the council’s March 18 agenda for confirmation.

At AAPAC’s March 7 meeting, Chamberlin responded to Kotarski’s concerns by saying that AAPAC has a legal obligation to hold elections. Kotarski disputed that, and indicated that Chamberlin simply might not want to continue serving as chair.

Other members proceeded to vote.

Outcome: Bob Miller was elected chair. Malverne Winborne will continue to serve as vice chair.

Commissioners present: Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Wiltrud Simbuerger. Also Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

Absent: Malverne Winborne.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the fourth floor conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

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