Burgaw tables discussion on murals after community says proposed ordinance is too restrictive

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The discussion on what murals are and where they’re allowed will continue in Burgaw.

On Tuesday night, the town Board of Commissioners tabled a discussion on amending an ordinance that would define what a mural is and where they can be placed.

The proposed ordinance defined a mural as “a type of wall sign consisting of painted graphics or any other images that are painted directly on the surface of a wall. Murals do not project, suspend, or mount above or to a wall surface.” It also includes several requirements, like only permitting murals to be painted on rear or side walls and not allowing them to be painted on roofs or fences.

Several people spoke during public comment sharing concerns that the proposed ordinance would be too restrictive for residents and businesses.

Austin Shane Gaskins, president of the Pender Arts Council, shared a specific concern that the “Pender Panorama” would not be considered a mural under the ordinance.

The art piece was painted by a Canadian artist and a few hundred people in the community in 2017. It was painted on wood attached to the side of a building on Wilmington Street. Last year, that building required repairs, so the mural was removed and it remains in storage.

“It’s a shame all the blood, sweat, and tears that have been put into it and now it’s sitting in storage,” Gaskins said. “We don’t care if it’s in a park, on the side of a building, it doesn’t matter to us. What matters to us is that it’s a public art piece and it needs to be in public.”

During the presentation of the ordinance, Planning Director Gilbert Combs expressed there was an interest from the town to create a separate policy that would allow pieces like the Pender Panorama to be placed in the town.

Ultimately, after hearing the concerns of the public, the commissioners voted to table the discussion on the ordinance. Combs plans to hold a public meeting in the coming weeks to further discuss the mural ordinance with the Arts Council and other community members before bringing an updated proposal to the commissioners at the April meeting.

In the future, Gaskins says he and the Arts Council would love to see the town covered in art that represents the people that call it home.

“We want this place to be as colorful and as eccentric as its citizens are. If you spend any time in Burgaw, you know we’ve got some quirky folks,” he said. “I have grown up here and am building my life here and we want, as an Arts Council, for the art that’s here to not only resemble the people but push it a little bit further. To expose some people to some things they may not have seen before or they may not understand and we want it to be creative and diverse. I think we have the ability to do that, I think we’ve just got to keep that momentum going.”

Gaskins added he feels the board, the mayor, and town staff seem to have a good vision for the future of public art in the town.