Police data shows low graffiti rates as board weighs City Trail tunnel mural

Commander Schlickter told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that Highland Village has seen 12 recorded graffiti incidents since February 2016, and that many tagging calls are cleaned up before police arrive.

The data came during a staff briefing about vandalism, graffiti and tagging on trail tunnels and murals in Highland Village and nearby municipalities. “As you can see up there, we've had 12 incidents since 02/2016,” Commander Schlickter said, adding that many calls are logged to CAD (computer-aided dispatch) as noncriminal or as criminal mischief and that juvenile taggers, not gang members, account for most incidents.

Board and staff members said the low incident count and quick cleanup in Highland Village and neighboring Lewisville and Flower Mound reduce the vandalism risk for a public-art project under the City Trail. Phil, a parks and recreation staff member who led the presentation, said Lewisville and Flower Mound reported few, small incidents and that when tagging occurs it tends to be “small stuff that is easy to clean.”

Board members discussed how a mural's finish and protection would affect future cleanup. Staff listed options: use a clear coat to protect artwork (making graffiti easier to remove), repaint the mural if vandalism is extensive, or remove and repaint the surface entirely. Phil said choosing protective coatings and a maintenance plan would be a required element of any comprehensive plan.

Board members pressed staff for due diligence so the city can present a complete plan to council. Phil outlined elements the board should address in a comprehensive plan: vandalism mitigation, project cost, theme/style, whether the project is community-driven or privately funded, lifecycle and replacement plans, artist selection or donated services, and a framework for future park art. Board members and staff said the tunnel mural would be used as a test case to shape a broader public-art framework for Highland Village.

Phil said he will assemble example plans from other cities to share with the board and recommended holding a workshop to draft Highland Village's plan. Board members tentatively discussed the week of Sept. 8 for a workshop and agreed staff should circulate calendar options by email so the group can pick a date.

The board did not take formal action on the tunnel mural at the Aug. 18 meeting; members asked staff to prepare a draft plan and sample documents for a workshop and to include vandalism-mitigation options for council review.

Ending

Staff will return with example public-art plans, vendor/RFP templates and vandalism-mitigation language for the board workshop. If the board directs staff at a future meeting, the tunnel mural work could become the pilot project for a citywide public-art framework.