Mural Guidelines

The purpose of establishing guidelines for murals is to preserve the community’s visual aesthetic by allowing compatible artistic and creative expression in designated locations and designs. The guidelines are intended to ensure the compatibility and appropriateness of a mural's theme, location, and design, while minimizing interference with the artistic expression and substantive, personal, or political content of the artwork.

See additional Public Art Guidelines provided by the City of Santa Ana - Planning & Building Agency: View Here

Below are GUIDELINES for creating, installing, and maintaining murals in the city.

MURAL DESIGN PROCESS

Neighborhood Involvement

Because a mural is ultimately a piece of community public art, it is strongly encouraged for all mural and public art projects within the City—and required when installed on public land or funded by the City—that the design process includes notification and engagement with the surrounding neighborhood (within a 500-foot radius). This engagement must take place at least 30 days before the mural is painted or installed. The notification should include a description and/or mockup of the proposed design, the mural’s location and dimensions, and contact information for community feedback.

• Theme
  Murals should align with the following guidelines while complying with free speech and non-discrimination laws:
  1. Be respectful of community context, history, and culture.
  2. Comply with free speech laws.
  3. Adhere to California obscenity laws and anti-discrimination principles as defined by Code*
  * The mural must comply with California obscenity laws and cannot depict sexual conduct or sexually explicit nudity, as defined by California Penal Code § 311 et seq.

• Location
  Strategies for selecting mural locations that enhance neighborhoods and prioritize safety:
  1. Enhance the building’s architecture and integrate seamlessly with its facade.
  2. Comply with Historic Structure Guidelines established by the City of Santa Ana Planning and Building Agency.
  3. Suit the character and aesthetic of the surrounding neighborhood.
  4. Ensure safety by minimizing distractions for drivers.
  5. Prioritize placement in mixed-use and commercial areas.
  6. Murals that compromise the integrity of the wall structure, whether on city or private property, must have a permit and be approved by the City’s Planning and Building Agency.

• Design
  Parameters for mural size, aesthetics, and materials to ensure quality and durability:
  1. Scale the mural appropriately to fit the building and site.
  2. Ensure the design complements the surrounding neighborhood.
  3. Avoid electrical or moving components and do not obstruct windows or doors.
  4. Limit sponsor and artist names to a discreet inclusion, not exceeding 5% of the design.
  5. Use high-quality, exterior-grade paint. Reflective, neon, and fluorescent paints are generally discouraged.
  6. Apply a weatherproof, vandalism-resistant coating if the mural is permanent.

• Maintenance
  Murals on city-owned property:The City will work with the artist to ensure mural maintenance, as outlined in a written agreement.The following guidelines are recommended for maintaining murals on private property:
  1. The artist and property owner share responsibility for mural upkeep **
  2. The City may intervene if a mural is neglected or defaced (see graffiti/vandalism protection).
  3. Restoration responsibilities should be clearly defined in agreements.
  4. If maintenance issues remain unaddressed, the City may take further action.
  ** Unauthorized or vandalized murals are the shared responsibility of the property owner and artist. If graffiti or vandalism is not removed within the designated timeframe or the mural is not repaired, the City may intervene using standard removal methods. This is especially applicable to offensive content, ensuring the integrity of public art and preserving the community environment.

• Restoration
  Options for restoring, funding, or removing murals over time*** :
  1. Establish options for restoration, fundraising, or removal.
  2. Include the artist in the decision-making process.
  3. Define a timeline for restoring or removing murals on private property.
  *** When considering mural restoration, the artist initially decides whether to restore or remove the mural, but the property owner has the final authority. For private properties, the owners have one year to decide on restoration or removal. For city-owned properties, the artist is notified within 90 days, or 30 days for utility boxes. The original artist is given priority for restoration. If funds are available, muralists may apply for restoration projects through an open RFP process, which selects candidates based on concept alignment and prioritizes local residents, where the options are to restore the existing mural or create a new one. If funds are unavailable, the artist has the choice to restore the mural on their own.

• Removal / End of Life
  Guidelines for mural removal, on both city and private property:
  1. The City has discretion over the removal of murals on public property.
  2. Murals on private property may be removed based on the terms of the agreement.
  3. All removals must comply with the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA).

• Graffiti/Vandalism Protection
  Measures to protect murals from unauthorized defacement and vandalism:
  1. Unauthorized murals may be considered graffiti, vandalism, trespassing, or destruction of private property, and can be removed at the sole discretion of the property owner.
  2. Apply a weatherproof, vandalism-resistant coating if the mural is permanent.

• Rights & Responsibilities
  Clear delineation of responsibilities for artists and property owners, including legal implications:
  1. Unapproved murals are considered "graffiti" and will be treated and enforced as such.
  2. The artist is responsible for removing tagging/graffiti from their mural ****
  3. Property owners must ensure compliance with legal requirements.
  4. The City is not liable for external public art.
  5. The City is not involved in private property transfers.
  6. The City is not liable for private property owners' actions *****
  7. Artists working on city property are required to have insurance.**** If vandalism or graffiti occurs on the mural, the artist is responsible for removing it within 90 days of notification (30 days for utility boxes). If the artist fails to remove the graffiti or repair the mural within the specified time, the City may remove the graffiti or vandalism using standard removal techniques and materials, particularly if offensive language is involved.***** Murals can be protected under the California Arts Preservation Act of 1979 (Civil Code Section 980 et seq.) and/or federal copyright laws, including the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which offers specific protections for works of visual art (see link to VARA laws on website for specific protections). Property owners are responsible for seeking their own legal advice and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws.