The Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6–2 on July 9 to require removal of a mural recently painted on the North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind at 500 Stanford Road, concluding the work was installed without the required approvals for a mural that abuts a public right-of-way.

Commissioners and members of the public spent more than two hours debating whether the mural should remain while the city’s ordinance and permitting practices were reviewed. The commission’s decision followed public comment both for and against the artwork and a staff presentation that described how the current code governs murals in residential/university districts.

The mural was painted this spring by a contracted artist. City planning staff told the commission the mural was not permitted under the version of the code that applied prior to a 2023 amendment; that amendment later allowed murals on some schools and churches but required Planning and Zoning and City Council review for murals that abut public right-of-way in residential districts. Planning staff said the project did not follow the ordinance’s approval process. Mr. Brooks, a planning staff member, told the commission the paint work was halted after staff became aware of it and that the mural was not yet finished.

Supporters, including North Dakota Vision Services Superintendent Paul Wilson and the mural artist Trey Everett, urged the commission to allow the mural to remain. Wilson said the mural was intended to raise public awareness of the agency’s services statewide and that the agency paid for the work using state funds. He told commissioners: “I am hoping as you folks discuss this and move forward that you’ll exercise some discretion.” Artist Trey Everett described the work as “designed so it won’t be a distraction,” and said he created large, simple forms so drivers could register the image without being unduly distracted.

Opponents and several commissioners said the case turned on process and on the ordinance’s specific limits. Commissioner Sandy, who made the motion to require removal, said the commission was not deciding whether the mural was attractive but whether it had been placed where the code does not permit a mural without formal approval. Commissioners who voted for removal cited concerns about precedent in residential areas and the text of the municipal ordinance.

The commission’s motion directed removal of the mural from the wall that faces the public right-of-way. The motion was moved by Commissioner Sandy, seconded by Commissioner Sorrell, and passed on a roll-call vote with six members voting yes and two voting no. Commissioners who voted in favor said staff should enforce the code and not create exceptions outside the public approval process. Commissioners who opposed the motion proposed alternatives, including fines and requiring removal only of identifying text, but those proposals did not carry.

The commission also debated whether the council should revisit the city mural ordinance; a motion to ask City Council to reconsider the 2023 amendment failed to pass the commission. Commissioners and several residents urged clearer guidance from the city so future public-art projects do not proceed without staff review. Planning staff noted the commission’s decision is a recommendation and that the matter could be appealed or taken up by City Council.

The commission’s decision will be reflected in follow‑up communication from staff to the property owner and to North Dakota Vision Services. The agency’s leadership said in public comment that, if ordered, the agency planned to comply but that removing the work would cost several thousand dollars.

Why this matters: The vote highlights tensions between public art, neighborhood concerns, and municipal permitting rules. Commissioners emphasized that their action is based on the city code’s current language and the circumstances of this installation rather than on the mural’s content.