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Council removes ARHPB condition requiring mural designs return for approval, citing artistic freedom
Summary
Chico council approved appeals by two downtown developers, removing an Architectural Review and Historic Preservation Board condition that would have required proposed mural designs to return for board approval; councilmembers and local artists argued mural content is private expression and not appropriate for ARHPB review.
The Chico City Council voted to sustain appeals to remove a condition from two architectural-review approvals that required proposed murals to return to the Architectural Review and Historic Preservation Board (ARHPB) for final approval.
Trevor Miller, the architect for one of the projects, told the council that murals are not architectural elements and that requiring ARHPB approval for specific mural designs is subjective and could chill artistic expression. "Art is inherently deeply subjective," Miller said, and added that the condition could force repeated reviews each time a mural is repainted.
Professional muralists and downtown stakeholders backed the appeals. Muralist Dylan Lisonbee warned that municipal content or aesthetic controls on private‑property murals could violate state law and the First Amendment, and Valerie Rose, a local ASL teacher and muralist, said Chico already has processes that prevent obscene or branded content and that private property owners should decide art on their walls.
Staff recommended removing the ARHPB condition because murals on private property in Chico have historically been community‑driven, with staff handling general conformance and limited regulation. Council voted to approve each appeal individually (each vote carried 6-0 with one recusal) and removed the requirement that mural designs return to ARHPB.
