APRIL 3, 2012 TORONTO POLICE SERVICE GRAFFITI TRAINING SEMINAR Graffiti Management Plan: Working Together
May 14, 2015
APRIL 3, 2012
TORONTO POLICE SERVICEGRAFFITI TRAINING SEMINAR
Graffiti Management Plan:Working Together
Background
Mayor Ford’s priority2007 new Coordinated Street Furniture reports
identified graffiti as one place to direct energy & funding
New plan is progressive and balances competing interests
The City currently spends over $1M a year removing graffiti
A new Municipal Code Chapter for Graffiti was approved in October 2011 and defines new parameters on graffiti art and graffiti vandalism
What is Toronto doing?
In July 2011, City Council adopted a new Graffiti Management Plan that includes a number of recommendations and 4 key action areas.Research and experience show that implementing only one part (i.e. enforcement) without the other parts that provide coordination, engagement and support will lead to failure in solving the graffiti vandalism situation.
1. Rigorous Enforcement against Tagging and Other Illegal Graffiti
Continuous Municipal Licensing and Standards enforcement against illegal graffiti
A revised graffiti by-lawRigorous standards on the removal of graffiti
from all City property and stringent expectations for all City agencies, boards, commissions and corporations.
A new partnership with the Toronto Police Service
2. Better Reporting Mechanisms & Support for Victims of Tagging & Other Illegal Graffiti
Enhanced reporting to 311, including a new reporting smartphone app
Advice and support to the publicEncourage Business Improvement
Areas and other businesses to fund and commit to long-term graffiti removal contracts
Ward-based graffiti strategies
3. Support and Recognition for Permitted Graffiti Art and Other Street Art
Legalization of graffiti art on buildings & structures with the owner’s permission
A new Graffiti PanelCreation of StreetARToronto Program
4. Creation of a Coordinating Graffiti Function
Act as the central coordinating body for all graffiti-related matters across the City.
Responsible for communications, benchmarking, achieving efficiencies and reporting on the status and success of all parts of the Plan.
Ensure a consistent, accessible and consolidated approach across City divisions and with ABCCs, business and the general public.
Our Challenge
Changes to the Graffiti By-Law
A new Graffiti by-law was enacted on January 1, 2012 which sets out important definition distinctions for graffiti: Graffiti Vandalism Graffiti Art
Graffiti Vandalism
Any deliberate markings made or affixed on property that is not currently exempted and: was made or affixed without permission of the
owner; is considered to be a tag; for which there are reasonable grounds to
believe that it may incite hatred or violence against any person or identifiable group; or
contains profane, vulgar or offensive language.
Tags
A stylized signature or logo that is intended to identify an individual or group or any other marking used for a like purpose or effect. Considered to be illegal graffiti vandalism.
Art Mural
A mural commissioned or approved prior to its creation by a property owner or occupant, where the primary purpose is to aesthetically enhance the surface it covers and the general surroundings.
Graffiti Art
Markings made or affixed to property that are approved by the property owner or occupant, where the markings aesthetically enhance the surface they cover and the general surroundings, having regard to the community character and standards.
Graffiti Vandalism
Graffiti style art that is made or affixed on a structure or thing without the permission of the owner. If the owner approves of the graffiti art, they may seek an exemption through the City.
Graffiti Panel
A property owner can engage the Graffiti Panel, comprised of City staff with experience in the arts, urban design, architecture and other relevant disciplines, if they have given permission for a piece of graffiti art on their property and they believe it should be exempted from the by-law.
The Graffiti Panel will use a set of criteria to determine if the art meets the character and standards of the community.
StreetARToronto
As a mechanism to support property owners interested in preventing vandalism, and in response to the enormous creative potential for artistic expression in Toronto, the City of Toronto has launched StreetARToronto (StART).
StreetARToronto
A public/private partnership program designed to increase opportunities for
neighborhood improvement emerging and established artists youth looking to develop and express their artistic
abilities StART will provide grants to not-for-profit community
organizations, with a focus on working with at-risk youth, to work with artists to install murals.
Toronto Police Services partnership to operate diversion programs for youth arrested for graffiti vandalism through the court system.
StART - Promotion and Advocacy
Enhanced web presence Inventory of mural and wall art throughout
the city Directory of mural and graffiti artists in the
cityCreating social media sites that can start a
serious dialogue on street art in TorontoListing of educational opportunities and
events related to street art and graffiti
StART – Diversion and Education Program
Funding up to $20,000 for initiatives that: Engage at-risk youth, or youth arrested for tagging or
illegal graffiti activities and diverted through the Court System
Provide consistent programming for a minimum of a 4-month time period
Include a combination of some or all of the following tasks & activities:
• Graffiti clean up and/or mural repair• Community engagement and development• Health and safety workshops related to street art• Other related skill development activities
Examples of Notable Local Work
Examples of Notable Local Work
Examples of Notable Local Work
Municipal Licensing & Standards Graffiti Management Team
Graffiti By-law Compliance Process
Municipal Standards Officer reactively (complaint-driven) or proactively investigates graffiti incidents
If item is determined to be graffiti vandalism, a Notice of Violation is issued
If item is determined to be graffiti art, Graffiti Panel process is engaged
Property owner is advised of compliance periodSecondary investigation occursIf in compliance, file is closed. If not in
compliance, process for remedial action begins
Graffiti Management Plan Team
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, PUBLIC REALM Dave Twaddle, Manager, Beautiful
Streets [email protected]/416-392-
4628
Jodi Callan, Project Lead, Graffiti Coordination [email protected]/416-338-2951
Lilie Zendel, Project Manager, StART Program [email protected]/416-392-
9863
MUNICIPAL LICENSING & STANDARDS
Lance Cumberbatch, Director, Investigation Services [email protected]/416-392-
7633
Gus Michaels, District Manager, Investigation Services [email protected]/416-392-
1320
Fernando Aceto, Coordinator, Investigation Services [email protected]/416-397-
7788