Commission selects "Corner Sparkle" for Harding & East Valley Parkway traffic signal box despite stronger public vote for alternate design

The Escondido Public Art Commission approved Corner Sparkle by Lex M. F. Lee for a traffic signal box at Harding and East Valley Parkway, near the Farmers Boy business. The subcommittee recommended Corner Sparkle even though a public input poll favored Table for 1 by Seth Kurian (71 votes to Table for 1's 49 votes), citing fit with the location and the larger collection.

Sandra Aguilar, management analyst for economic development, updated commissioners on the Escondido Expressions program, which converts traffic signal boxes into small public artworks. Aguilar said the program provides a $500 stipend to artists for one box and an additional $200 stipend for one featured box; 19 boxes have been completed or are in progress to date.

For the phase described in the meeting (phase 3.3), the city released a call on March 5 for six locations; the subcommittee received five submissions from three artists for three locations. One location had no accepted submissions and was not released; the subcommittee advanced two top submissions for the Harding/East Valley location (Corner Sparkle and Table for 1). A two-week public input period ran April 21 to May 4. The subcommittee recommended Corner Sparkle as the best fit and staff recommended approval.

Commissioners debated visibility and scale for each design; several commissioners said they preferred the quieter, more detailed Corner Sparkle for the busy intersection's visual context. A motion to approve Corner Sparkle passed with a recorded tally of 6-0.