Public Art in Traffic Circles and Roundabouts
Purpose
The Board of County Commissioners recognizes that public art is an important tool in creating a sense of place in communities. In particular, there is a time-honored tradition of placing 3-dimensional public art in the center of traffic circles and roundabouts. The Board further acknowledges that there are county functions that should be prioritized ahead of public art during times of budgetary constraints. Additionally, the Board recognizes that some traffic circles or roundabouts may have engineering constraints that render it physically incapable of containing public art. This policy requires that 3-dimensional public art be placed in the center of all newly-constructed county-owned traffic circles and roundabouts, with the option for staff to request a policy waiver from the Board if budgetary or engineering constraints exist.
Policy
I. Public art will be installed in the center of all County-owned traffic circles and roundabouts built after the effective date of this policy.
II. The policy for the creation of 3-dimensional pieces of public art will be as follows:
- Staff will consult with the single member County Commissioner in whose district the traffic circle or roundabout will be constructed in for design input.
- The design concept is brought to the Board of County Commissioners, on the consent agenda, to send to the Public Art Committee for a call for artists and/or artwork.
- The Public Art Committee will issue a call for artists and/or artwork, in order to create a conceptual rendition.
- The recommended artist’s rendition will be brought to the Board of County Commissioners, on the consent agenda, for approval.
- The piece of art will then be commissioned, with its installation occurring at the completion of the traffic circle’s or roundabout’s construction.
III. Funding shall come from the Public Art Program.
IV. Staff may request a waiver of this policy by a simple majority of the Board, should it be necessitated.
Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the County Administrator, through the Public Works Department, to ensure this policy is followed through the guidelines set forth herein.