Commission creates outreach ad hoc committee and moves forward on NEA 'Our Town' grant location

The Mariposa County Historic Sites and Records Preservation Commission voted to form a small ad hoc committee to develop a strategic outreach and education plan about its work and historic preservation priorities.

A commissioner moved that the commission "create an ad hoc committee to discuss and prepare a plan for strategic outreach and education of the community," and the motion was seconded and approved. The commission asked for up to three volunteers to serve on the committee.

Separately, staff updated commissioners on an NEA 'Our Town' grant for a temporary public-art project. An ad hoc committee had selected a draft primary location — the parking lot between Fifth and Sixth streets — for a temporary mural on panels to be installed on a retaining wall or freestanding panels. Paulina Pivock said the location is a preliminary selection required by the grantor to begin NEPA/NHPA (federal) and CEQA (state) review and that the location may change pending property-owner agreements and formal design review.

Commissioners emphasized that final design, site agreements and decision points will return to the commission, and they urged that property owners be consulted about imagery and that the public-review design process follow regular historic-overlay design-review channels.

Next steps: staff will work with legal counsel on property-owner agreements, start NEPA/CEQA compliance steps required by the grantor, and bring formal design and site approvals back to the commission for review.