TWR CTLR CLAIMS THAT A LARGE PAINTED MURAL LOCATED ON A RETAINING WALL ON ARPT PROPERTY AT THE APCH END OF RWY 22 IS A DISTR FOR ARRIVING ACFT ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative

AT THE LEXINGTON BLUEGRASS ARPT (LEX); A MURAL HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE RETAINING WALL THAT FACES VERSAILLES ROAD AND IS THE APCH END OF RWY 22. THIS MURAL IS VERY ELABORATE AND BEAUTIFUL FOR PASSERS-BY. IT WAS ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE PAINTED BY AN ARTIST; KNOWN FOR HIS LARGE LIFE-LIKE DEPICTIONS ON WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE AN EYESORE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THERE'S ONLY 1 BIG PROB -- IT IS A MAJOR DISTR FOR PLTS LNDG THEIR ACFT ON RWY 22. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED RPTS AT THE LEX ATC TWR'S DAILY LOG; THE 7220.4 OR THE DASH 4 AS IT IS CALLED. THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT IS THAT IT IS A DISTR FOR THE PLT AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME -- SHORT FINAL. THEY ADD THAT IT IS LIKE YOUR EYES ARE DRAWN TO THE MURAL WHEN YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT YOUR TOUCHDOWN TARGET. MY HOPE IS THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE FLIES INTO IT. SO FAR; THE ARPT AUTH AND ARPT BOARD HAVE IGNORED ALL OUR (ATC) FORWARDED COMPLAINTS AND COMMENTS; CITING THAT 'IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE' AND 'WE WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.' PITIFUL EXCUSES ON SUCH A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE.