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Fountain Valley council allows painted utility boxes, directing foundation to lead program
Summary
The council amended the Art on the Box program to allow both vinyl wraps and hand-painted installations on city-owned utility boxes, supporting a pilot approach and asking the Fountain Valley Community Foundation to manage artist selection and fundraising.
Community Services Director Rob Purcell reviewed the Art on the Box program, explaining the original guideline favored vinyl wraps because they are predictable, easier to repair, and simple to remove; staff estimated vinyl installation at about $1,800'$2,200 per box. Purcell said hand-painted boxes would be less expensive to install (roughly $500'$1,000 after prep and anti-graffiti treatment) but present greater maintenance and repair challenges.
Local artist Katie Wright urged the council to allow painted boxes, saying wraps are expensive to fundraise for and that painted work could broaden participation and lower costs. Wright volunteered to help with touch-ups and community promotion and said fundraising is not generally an artist's forte.
Councilmembers discussed concerns about vandalism, faithful execution of proposed artwork, and the need for clear specifications. Several members favored a pilot or limited roll-out and asked the Fountain Valley Community Foundation to firm up standards and promotion. The council voted 5-0 to amend the program guidelines to permit either painted or vinyl installations, with the foundation continuing to review artwork for appropriateness.
