By Jackie Connor, Special to the Independent
In a unanimous vote, Laguna Beach City Council approved expediting the application process for artists seeking live-work spaces, amending section 25.16 of the city’s municipal code and local coastal program during Tuesday’s regular meeting held July 11.
The code requires the three-person artist review panel to meet in person to determine permits for artists to acquire a live-work space. The decision aims to eliminate the need for an artist review panel and shift the review process to a singular administrative level.
“It slows things down for the artists,” said Mayor Sue Kempf, a liaison between the City of Laguna Beach Arts Commission and the Laguna Beach City Council. “They’ve (the artists) submitted their applications and they’re ready to go. (The process) is a little clunky. It doesn’t change the criteria…it doesn’t matter if it’s three people reviewing [applications] or one.”
Under the current system, artists must submit their body of work, prove they’ve received formal training in the arts, show evidence they have featured their work within public programming such as an exhibition, performance or reading, and provide three letters of recommendation from other art professionals.
The amendment, which is not subjected to the California Environmental Quality Act, does not change these requirements but removes the need for a panel review toward a more administrative procedure to speed up the process for artists obtaining a live-work space.
Sian Poeschl, the city’s social and cultural arts manager, shared the inefficiencies within the current process, highlighting the three-member artist review panel review process, considered public meetings, to evaluate each live-work space application being the biggest hurdle.
“These meetings are…often very short. I think a meeting can last three to four minutes to review an application but requires members of the arts commission to schedule to be here, and sometimes that has proven to be slightly difficult to coordinate everybody’s schedules,” said Poeschl.
On average, the Laguna Beach Arts Commission receives two applications a month, with an estimated total of 20-to-25 applications a year. Before the amendment, applications would take upwards of 30 days to complete the review process. Applicants often withdraw their applications due to lost interest.
The amended ordinance will allow the community development director or the cultural arts manager to review, thus approving or denying permits for artist occupancy within 14 days of receiving an application.
Although the City Council unanimously agreed to amend the city’s municipal code, councilmember George Weiss raised a point about the demarcation of power.
“I don’t have a problem with the change. It’s just putting (power) in one person’s hands. It seems like there are no checks and balances,” said Weiss.
Mayor Pro Tem Alex Rounaghi reiterated the need to eliminate extra processes, making it easier for artists to live and work in Laguna Beach. This further reinforced the city’s dedication to supporting its thriving art community.
“I think this is streamlining government and getting rid of unnecessary commissions that just create unnecessary time and energy for everyone, and I think this still achieves the goal of making sure that true artists are living in artist work housing,” said Rounaghi.
