Photo: Destination Osoyoos

Osoyoos could be getting more colourful as council is looking to change its sign bylaw making it easier for businesses to add art on buildings.

During Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting, members approved amending the town's sign bylaw. Murals have historically required a permit to be consistent with bylaws.

Recently, a letter of support for a mural was requested from the municipality, town planner Chris Garrish said.

"That does present a challenge, because the bylaw requires that there be a permit issued for a mural, so providing a letter of support in absence doesn't seem to be possible, so we thought we'd highlight this for your consideration," Garrish said.

Staff noted murals provide a cultural and artistic value, celebrate local history and identity via storytelling and add vibrancy to the downtown core.

However, staff highlighted many of Osoyoos' existing murals haven't gone through a permit process. Additionally, other South Okanagan municipalities, such as the RDOS, Penticton, and Oliver, already exempt murals from their sign bylaws.

Discussion at committee table centred around proactive versus reactive enforcement of murals.

"The benefit of having a permit is you have that proactive approach where you're seeing it before it's put up on the side of the building, but that is creating a regulatory burden for some property owners," Garrish said.

"If council is of an opinion of the murals are beneficial to the community, removing that regulatory burden might be beneficial, but yeah, you are losing that oversight role."

If the proposed changes to the sign bylaw are approved by council, the municipality would be trusting murals would be commissioned within reason and by discretion of building or business owners.

Staff said requiring permits could increase the control of design and safety of a mural, also acknowledging that art is dependant on personal taste.

Mayor Sue McKortoff opposed the change, saying she would prefer to set out guidelines rather than having to remove a mural.

Chief administrative officer Rod Risling said the permit process takes some time.

"It's maybe easier if it's really, really discriminatory. The problem is going to be when it's really in that midpoint where some believe it's great art and others think it's offensive," Risling said.

"Especially with change in cultures, we changed from where we were 20 years ago [...] and what may be acceptable today may not be acceptable in five years."

Osoyoos is celebrated for its many colourful murals, with Osoyoos' tourism organization promoting a mural walk as a key attraction.

The proposed change regarding murals was approved by committee, but will need to be green lit by council.