At a Sept. 29 South Pasadena Public Art Commission meeting, commissioners reviewed a preliminary public-art submittal for 09:15–09:21 Meridian Avenue and told the applicant the proposed painted ostrich images look like business branding rather than original public art.

The distinction matters because, Tatiana Marine, the city staff presenter, said the project is subject to the city’s public art program. Marine explained the project is in the downtown specific plan, is zoned mixed-use corridor, and because the commercial remodel exceeds the city’s $250,000 threshold it triggered the public-art requirement. Marine said the applicant has chosen on-site public art rather than paying the fee.

The commission’s comments focused on whether the wall treatment shown in the packet was artwork or signage. Commissioner Steele said, “That sounds an awful lot like branding,” and added, “That’s not art. That’s advertising.” Vice Chair Velasco and other commissioners urged the applicant to work with a local artist to develop an original treatment rather than repeating a single logo-like stencil across facades.

Kristen Boyle, the applicant, told commissioners the ostrich would operate as the restaurant’s logo: “It will be the logo of the ostrich,” she said, and described plans to keep a laser-cut stencil on-site for touch-ups if graffiti occurs. Contractors and commissioners discussed maintenance: the applicant proposed using anti‑graffiti coating, keeping touch-up paint on-site and storing the stencil so the image could be repainted.

City staff and Community Development Director Erica Ramirez clarified the permitting consequence: the public-art requirement or the in-lieu fee must be resolved before building permits issue. Ramirez said, “the fee or the approval needs to occur prior to the issuance of permits.” Staff also explained the in-lieu option and the math shown in the packet: a building valuation of $1,000,000 would make the 1.5% public-art fee roughly $15,000.

Commissioners did not take a final vote on the artwork itself; instead they provided direction. They recommended the applicant either produce artwork that reads as original public art — for example, a series of different ostrich images or narrative scenes created by an artist — or pay the in-lieu fee and pursue signage through the city’s signage-permit process. Commissioner Seale suggested multiple stencils or hand-painted work and recommended the applicant consult local artists and the commission’s developing artist list.

Next steps for the applicant are to decide whether to pay the fee at permit issuance or return with revised art concepts and mock-ups for formal approval. Staff told the applicant the commission can review a final proposal before permits are issued.