ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida mayor must apologize to a couple fined thousands of dollars for having their home's exterior painted to emulate a Vincent van Gogh masterpiece.
The Orlando Sentinel reports the Mount Dora City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday that Lubomir Jastrzebski and Nancy Nemhauser can keep the blue-and-yellow paint swirled on their walls in the style of van Gogh's painting "The Starry Night."
The settlement agreement also says the city must pay them $15,000 and remove a property lien to end the nearly yearlong code enforcement case.
Mayor Nick Girone reportedly planned a public apology on Wednesday.
Nemhauser said she's "delighted and ecstatic." The artist who painted the murals, Richard Barrenechea, calls it "a big day for the arts."
Mount Dora #mayor to apologize after settlement in favor of #StarryNight#muralhttp://t.co/3PANUa6BCx@AngelaJacobsTV#MountDora#lakecountypic.twitter.com/ThyvOLdoEy
— WFTV Eyewitness News (@WFTV) July 18, 2018