Newberry historic board approves downtown annex mural with color and landscaping conditions

The Historic Architectural Review Board of the City of Newberry on Monday, June 16, approved Resolution CA2025-O2, granting a certificate of appropriateness for a mural on the downtown annex building at 25439 West Newberry Road (tax parcel 02222-000-000). The vote carried unanimously after board members added conditions on lettering contrast and landscaping to ensure visibility.

City planning staff presented the proposal and funding background. "The request before the board tonight is a certificate of appropriateness for the proposed mural on the annex building. This is resolution CA 20 25 dash o 2," said John Paul Perez, planning department staff. Perez told the board the mural’s design review is separate from funding and that the project budget is $4,000 in total — $2,000 awarded through an ArtTag grant from Alachua County and a $2,000 match from the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

Board members and staff described design changes the CRA recommended after approving the match on June 9. The CRA asked for a stronger contrast between lettering and background, a three-dimensional letter effect inspired by postcard-style art, and two subject substitutions inside the letters: replacing a train image in the letter "E" with the city’s REO fire truck and replacing a sandhill crane in the letter "W" with the new Newberry Veterans Memorial. Director Stacy (title as stated at the meeting) and City Manager Jordan Marlow participated in the prior review, staff said.

Discussion focused on legibility and site conditions. Several board members urged brighter contrast for the words "Greetings from" and "Florida," suggesting a medium or royal blue to reflect local school colors so the phrase "pops" from the green-and-yellow background. The board also questioned whether landscaping in front of the wall would obscure the mural. Perez said the artist is willing to work around existing plants, and Marlow said planned parking-lot improvements could require removal of some landscaping.

Board member Carrie made the motion to approve the resolution with the suggested adjustments on plant management and lettering color; Miss Parker seconded. The city attorney read the resolution title into the record: "This is resolution number CA2025DashO2, resolution of the historic architectural review board of the city of Newberry, Florida for approval for certificate of appropriateness authorized under section 11.11 of the City of Newberry land development regulations," the city attorney said. After hearing no public comment on the motion, the board voted "aye" and the motion passed unanimously.

The approval covers design only; Perez and board members noted the mural will proceed once final design adjustments are made with staff and the artist and after the CRA-funded match remains in place. Board members asked staff to work with the artist on an updated rendering showing the contrast and three-dimensional lettering before painting, although an updated rendering was not available at the meeting.

The mural project traces to a May 5 presentation to the board and the June 9 CRA approval of matching funds. The $4,000 total budget reflected a $2,000 Alachua County ArtTag grant plus a $2,000 CRA match. The board’s conditions chiefly address visibility: stronger contrast for key lettering, incorporation of school colors as appropriate, and management or removal of plants that would block photos or viewing.

Implementation steps described at the meeting include staff coordination with the artist to update color and contrast, replacement of the two letter images per CRA suggestions, and planned site improvements that may remove some landscaping. The board did not specify a painting date at the hearing.