Commissioner previews citywide mural program; committee, resident outreach and LCAD partnership proposed

Commissioner Huggins used commissioner comment time to introduce a preliminary public mural program for Laguna Hills. Huggins said the first priority location is a wall along Ridge Route, where residents and neighbors would be invited to join a review committee to provide input on imagery and scope. A second potential site identified was near the Tiller House.

The proposal includes partnering with Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) and involving instructors and students as part of coursework to design concepts. Huggins emphasized outreach to adjacent residents for permission and input and noted the program would not move forward without resident participation or required approvals. He said the committee would evaluate plantings and consider drought-tolerant native-plant framing around mural sections and that finished work would receive a protective, anti-graffiti clear coat to reduce ongoing maintenance needs.

Commissioners asked practical questions about property ownership, who would pay for the work and long-term maintenance, and whether vinyl-faced walls would be excluded; Huggins said existing easements and prior landscape work suggested some areas could be city responsibility, but staff and the committee would have to verify ownership and the appropriate approval path. Director Danny said the city is researching other cities’ policies for mural implementation and will bring additional information to a future agenda and to the city’s ECBC (policy review) process.

No budget or formal approval was requested at the meeting; the item was presented for awareness and to solicit commissioners to participate in forming a working committee.