Thanks to the L.A. mural ordinance — under construction since last October, and creatively promoted by street-art coverboys like Shepard Fairey and Saber — attending City Hall meetings became cool again in 2011-12.

Even Tanner Blackman, the Department of City Planning employee who's led the public input process for the legislation, has become somewhat of a local celebrity. He's been great at breaking down all the city's legal obstacles into layman's terms…

… and talking down furious graffiti artists/fans by gently explaining why it's taken so long to lift the draconian ban on all new murals in Los Angeles. (In short: billboard companies.)

The City Council is trying, guys! They're trying their hardest! And today, they take another baby step forward with the release of what we hope to be the final mural ordinance:

Mural Ordinance

This draft will be considered by the City Planning Commission on July 12. If it's approved, according to Patch, it “will move to the Planning and Land Use committee for consideration before adoption by the full City Council.”

We've contacted city officials for their estimate on when those last two meetings might take place — aka, when street artists can, after a decade of red tape and arbitrary policing, stop worrying about finding hours of hard work whitewashed the next morning.

Updates to come.

[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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