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Downtown mural at Music Mania draws support from residents and business owners after code-enforcement notice
Summary
Music Mania owner said code enforcement ordered removal of a mural at 135 E. Florida Ave. because of permitting questions. The owner and multiple residents urged the council to preserve the mural while a review proceeds and to consider a retroactive permitting path and a community-based mural policy.
Business owner Jose Julio Iniguez and several residents told the council Oct. 28 that downtown Hemet should preserve a painted mural at Music Mania rather than remove it following a code-enforcement notice.
Iniguez said the murals at 135 E. Florida Ave. were painted by local artists to celebrate musicians and community and that code enforcement issued a notice on Oct. 22 ordering removal for permit issues. He read from a petition asking the city to allow the murals to remain while the matter is reviewed and to grant retroactive permits if appropriate.
Speakers including Alejandro Delgado and Pamela Flynn Shanua said the mural is a local landmark that brings visitors and community pride. “Erasing this mural would mean erasing a piece of our shared story,” Alejandro Delgado said. Iniguez asked Council Member Connie Clark to help facilitate a conversation between the business, the artist and planning staff about a path forward.
Council members did not take immediate action on the mural during the meeting; planning and code-enforcement staff were asked to continue discussions with the owner and artist about whether a retroactive permit, an appeal or an administrative solution is feasible.
Speakers urged the city to create clearer, community-based mural rules so other businesses and artists can follow a transparent process.
