City of St. Augustine/George Gardner's St. Augustine Report

City to review limits on artists

City officials will review limits on visual artists in public places in response to a plea by Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman Monday.
"I've always felt we could treat them better than we have been," she said at the close of Monday's regular City Commission meeting. "I'd at least like to see more areas available in the Plaza for visual artists."
In a series of legal battles in past years, the city reduced artist and commercial interests to ten spaces in the market building, selected by lottery. City Attorney Ron Brown said, "You can set up locations in other areas of the Plaza, but I caution, you are limited on what you can allow within those locations."
He explained, "The limits in the Plaza affect constitutionally protected expressive activities and commercial activities without legally recognized expressive content. The issue is broader than visual artists. ... The City can provide more spaces but cannot limit by content which expressive activities occur in those spaces."
City staff will seek ideas from commissioners and prepare a report for a later meeting.