AMHERST — Before the One East Pleasant project broke ground on the site of the former Carriage Shops, which was also the location of the Amherst History Mural, developer Archipelago Investments made a commitment to commission its artist to recreate the work.
While the developer is investing in restoring the mural, the Public Art Commission is hoping the Select Board will support a policy in which private developers would be encouraged to have public art installations as part of their projects, and might be obligated to include art if the town provides modifications or waivers from various municipal rules and regulations.
Eric Broudy, chairman of the Public Art Commission, recently told the Select Board that Town Meeting’s support for the Percent for Art bylaw last year makes this a good time to adopt such a policy. Percent for Art 0.5 percent of capital construction costs for municipal buildings to pay for art installations and performances.
“We’re in a better position now to approach developers because we’re basically putting our own money where our mouth is on this subject,” Broudy said.
The purpose of the proposed new policy is to show commitment to public art as part of private development and to have “a protocol for the selection, approval, siting, installation and maintenance of such art, whether the art is designated for siting on private development property or upon public land adjacent to the project,” a draft states.
Broudy said mandating art in private developments wouldn’t be appropriate and might be onerous in a town where there is already insufficient commercial development. Still, talking to developers to consider art whenever possible is a good idea, especially when they are requesting exceptions from zoning, he said.
“We think it only fair and reasonable to ask them for something in return, specifically public art,” Broudy said.
Select Board members said such a policy may not be able to be in place until a town council is seated as Amherst transitions to a new form of government.
But Chairman Douglas Slaughter said discussing a policy is appropriate and could prepare the town council for a practical approach if a developer offers art that would be installed in the public way.
Board member Connie Kruger said there is a whole list of worthy causes in addition to the public art that can be traded for zoning flexibility, such as increasing energy efficiency in a building.
“I’m missing the part where a private developer is compelled to provide public art at all,” said Select Board member Alisa Brewer, noting that advocacy for public art is appropriate.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said he anticipates the commission to continue that role of speaking to developers about ways to ensure more public art is created.
Broudy said the commission wants to get ahead of the curve and have a policy in case someone wants to donate public art for public land. He points to the recent issue in Northampton in which a piece of art offered for Pulaski Park was turned down.