Arts committee reviews unsolicited ‘hall of fame’ proposal; funding, maintenance and siting remain open questions

The San Clemente City Arts & Culture Committee on July 28 reviewed an unsolicited proposal to establish a circus/theater/art and music hall of recognition and discussed possible plaque and installation locations around the city.

Committee members heard a brief staff report from Samantha, a city staff member, who said the packet includes alternate location options and cautioned that some proposed sites are on private property or on historic structures and would require additional review by owners and planning staff. “Keep in mind that these options are…some of them are on private property, and that is not in the purview of this committee,” Samantha said. She added that the engineering division has not yet reviewed several sidewalk locations and that any installation that affects sidewalks or ramps would need that review.

Applicant remarks and public comment emphasized several recurring considerations. The applicant (identified in the meeting as the project organizer) said the subcommittee helped refine locations and that he is working to establish a nonprofit foundation and finalize a board; he also reported preliminary outreach plans for the Chamber of Commerce. “I’m working on that,” the applicant said, describing progress on nonprofit paperwork and board formation.

Public commenter Amanda Quintini said she generally supports plaques at state park and skate-park locations and urged caution about placing plaques on historic buildings or within ADA ramps. “I am opposed to the plaques as it relates to plaques on historical buildings… and also… at the corner of Seville and Del Mar because it’s an ADA ramp,” Quintini said. She also noted a potential repair schedule for a bridge in 2026 that could affect placement.

Committee members and the applicant discussed siting trade-offs: the skate park emerged as a “low-friction” option, while historic sites such as the Miramar Theatre exterior raise preservation concerns. Staff suggested alternatives, such as pavers or integrated treatments that avoid adding fixtures into historic walls or ADA paths. Samantha pointed to precedents like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and said that, while other cities share models, the city is not proposing to fund the project: “the city is not looking to fund something like this. This wasn’t a…request for proposal,” she said, and recommended a plan that demonstrates “100% funding and backing” before advancing.

Committee members asked the subcommittee to continue outreach, including engineering and historic-preservation stakeholders, and recommended returning with refined siting, a maintenance strategy and a funding plan. Samantha said council will expect a maintenance-funding agreement in place before the council will consider installations on city property.

The conversation also covered creative materials and phasing: speakers suggested alternatives to ground-mounted plaques (dias, wall-mounted displays off historic fabric, pavers, and recycled-resin elements) and discussed whether installations should be rolled out as a single coordinated launch or phased by location. The subcommittee reported plans to continue meetings and to coordinate with the Parks & Recreation Commission, the Chamber of Commerce and other local groups before making a formal recommendation to council.

Committee members did not take formal action to approve any installation or to allocate funds at the July 28 meeting; they instructed the subcommittee to continue refining locations, funding and maintenance plans and to consult city engineering and historic-preservation stakeholders before forwarding a recommendation to council.