1. Purpose
a. The purpose of these parameters of the City of Hillsboro is to permit and encourage murals on a content-neutral basis, under certain terms and conditions. Murals provide an opportunity for the expression of community identity, they aid in the beautification of the City, serve to attract tourism, generate economic benefit, provide an avenue for involving community in artistic expression, provide a reduction in incidents of graffiti and other crimes, and provide free access to artworks throughout the City. To better serve these purposes, the City of Hillsboro has created a process for reviewing and permitting murals throughout the City.
2. Definitions
a. Artist: Individual artist, team of individual artists, or artist team leader of individuals from other disciplines whose body of work and professional activities demonstrate serious ongoing commitment to pursuing a public-facing practice in the arts.
b. Artwork: Any object, surface improvement, site design, or other improvement or intervention that has been designed and implemented under the direction of an artist. See definition for artist.
c. Mural: An artwork (see definition), created by an artist (see definition), which is applied directly upon, or affixed directly to an exterior surface including a wall, barrier, window, fence, sidewalk, pathway, or roadway associated with a property, building or structure. Murals must be approved through the City of Hillsboro Public Art Program, administered by Hillsboro Parks & Recreation.
d. Alter/Alteration: for the purpose of mural projects, is to make a change in, including, but not limited to, content, design, area, height, attachment method, projection, illumination, shape, materials, placement, or location but does not include ordinary maintenance or repair.
e. Compensation: means the exchange of something of value. It includes, without limitation, money, securities, real property interest, barter of goods or services, promise of future payment, or forbearance of debt. "Compensation" does not include goodwill, or an exchange of value, that a building owner (or leaseholder with a right to possession of the wall upon which the mural is to be placed) provides to an artist, muralist, or other entity, where the compensation is only for the creation and/or maintenance of the mural on behalf of the building owner or leaseholder, and where the building owner or leaseholder fully controls the content of the mural.
3. Allowable Mural Conditions
a. Murals are allowed on commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential properties.
i. Private, single-family properties are exempt from these guidelines.
b. Murals are allowed on exterior surfaces including a wall, barrier, window, fence, sidewalk, pathway, or roadway associated with a property, building or structure.
i. Temporary window murals are exempt from these guidelines.
ii. Murals applied to a roadway, sidewalk, or pathway must adhere to ADA and public right-of-way standards.
c. Murals are not restricted by scale.
d. Murals may consist of materials including paint, glass or tile mosaic, and/or artwork reproductions applied directly to a surface.
i. If the mural is applied to a separate substrate and affixed to the surface of the property, a building permit may be required.
ii. A mural applied to a substrate and affixed to a surface may not project more than 8 inches from the surface.
4. Prohibited Mural Conditions
a. Murals cannot obstruct regulated property functions including utilities, vents, and openings including doors, emergency access points, and the rights-of-way.
b. No compensation will be given or received for the display of Murals or for the right to place the mural on another's property. The applicant shall certify in the Mural Project Application that no compensation will be given or received for the display of the Mural or the right to place the mural on the property.
5. Public Meeting Requirement
a. Applicant must submit documentation of providing notice of and hosting a free public meeting, where the mural design is made available for comment and feedback by community members. This is a process requirement only and in no event will a mural permit be granted or denied based upon the content of the mural.
b. Documentation of notice and promotion of the public event must include the date and location of the public meeting and the methods of promotion.
6. Ownership, Maintenance, Lifespan, and Alterations
a. Murals must be owned and maintained by the property owner or responsible party, identified in the application, for a minimum period of five years, without alteration.
i. Conditions for alteration
1. The Mural may be altered only under the following conditions:
a. The artist has been notified of intent to alter and has agreed to the alterations.
b. The property changes ownership.
c. The property undergoes renovation that requires alteration of the mural location.
d. The mural is excessively damaged beyond repair.
7. Additional Permits
a. If the mural will be completed on a separate surface and attached to the property, the project may require Design Review through Hillsboro’s Community Development Department. During staff review, this determination will be communicated to the applicant and will become a condition for approval.
b. If any aspect of the project requires the use of or impacts the flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic of a City-owned sidewalk, alleyway, or roadway, a Right-of-Way Permit will be required as a condition of approval.
c. Staff will connect the applicant with Hillsboro Community Development for further instruction in securing additional permits.
d. Failure to secure additional permits may lead to project delays or Code Compliance referral.
Windows Media Player
Word Viewer
Excel Viewer
PowerPoint Viewer
