TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and possible action regarding the City's Public Art Contribution Program
Recommended Action
Discussion and possible direction to staff.
Background Information
At the Commission meeting on July 17, 2019, Commission provided direction to review the City's public art contribution requirement. This was due to escalation of construction costs given that the ULDC computes the art impact fee as a factor of construction costs. The City of North Port public art requirements state that all new developments must "contribute an amount equal to one-half (1/2) of one percent (1%) of the first fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) in construction cost for the project for a maximum contribution of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) to the City Public Art Account." Further, the minimum threshold for projects to be subject to these requirements is $250,000.00. The maximum mandated contribution is $250,000.00. It is important to note that while construction costs have increased for development projects, this escalation would also apply to the purchase and installation of public art.
Staff researched public art contribution requirements used by other local governments in the State of Florida. The process included a review of 16 public art ordinances which mandated contributions towards public art for private development projects.
Attachment 1 provides a summary of the requirements of these ordinances. There are two ways in which the public art fee is computed:
1. As a factor of cost of construction/renovation (13 local governments)
2. As a factor of area of the new development/renovated area (3 local governments)
As a factor of cost of construction/renovation
The private developer contributes 0.5-1.25% of the total development construction cost towards public art on site or towards the city public art fund. Some governments provide a m...
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