At the Library Commons, a plaza design wins praise — and a fight over grass

Landscape architect Kasun Miller of RHAA walked the Council through a refined design for the Commons, the plaza between the new library building and its parking lot at the Doherty Drive/Rose Lane site. The plan includes a shaded grove seating area, a flexible open lawn, a Mt. Tam–view seating area with a trellis and power, crossings over the bioretention swale, movable furniture and a possible future water feature. The rough cost is about $530,000, expected to be largely funded by the Commons Foundation. Staff asked for direction, not a vote.

“I still have the email from council member Andre promising us that there will be no lawn in the commons area. So I'm kind of appalled... you're going to have to move those very heavy 50 lb chairs off of it to mow it every week.”— Laura Levit, California Native Plant Society board member, in public comment

The furniture got the first round of scrutiny. Council Member Scott Pollson asked whether movable chairs would walk off and whether they could be secured or made tag-resistant. Mayor Katherine Wei said she was taken aback by the estimate of roughly $2,000 per Adirondack-style chair. Pollson also asked how dogs would be handled on the new lawn.

The lawn itself drew the sharpest public comment. Laura Levit, a California Native Plant Society board member, told the Council she had been promised there would be no lawn in the Commons. Sandra Goldman asked why a second lawn was needed south of the building when one already exists at the west end. David Mahler took the other side, telling the Council the design showed the long process was worth it: "When I look at this proposal for the common space, it really shows that it was all worthwhile... I want to give kudos to the ad hoc committee and the landscape architect for just coming up with a wonderful design."

Council reached consensus to proceed with the Commons design as presented, asking only for additional screening and planting between the seating area and the parking lot in a future iteration. The project remains on schedule for completion in early March 2026.

A $930,000 habitat garden gets a green light, and a bill the city hasn't fully priced

The second half of the landscaping presentation covered "Habitat Garden Plus," a design for the southern and eastern perimeter of the library site with native and pollinator plantings, a children's nature play area, decomposed granite ADA paths, bioretention crossings, interpretive signage and habitat structures. RHAA's rough estimate: about $930,000.

The funding split is the catch. Dana Warren Squisher of Refugia Marin said the group has already raised significant money for the first phase and urged the city to go all out now, while the berming and grading equipment is on site. Staff said the city would likely have to commit to grading, soil preparation and irrigation — roughly $180,000 to $200,000 — with donors funding plantings and amenities in phases. The City Manager summarized that as the direction he was hearing from the dais.

Not everyone was sold on the number. Council Member Sarah Margles said she loved the garden and called it a Rolls-Royce version she would fully back if money were no object, then asked what scaling back the northern portion would save. Vice Mayor Andre warned that spending heavily on the parcel could conflict with a future civic use, pointing to ongoing discussions about firehouses and parks and recreation facilities. Laura Levit questioned the arithmetic, asking how a garden once priced at $70,000 reached a million dollars when four-inch plants run about $3.50 wholesale. David Mahler urged the Council not to let hypothetical future buildings block the garden, saying future councils could decide on the circumstances of their day.

Council reached consensus to move forward with the concept as presented, with staff to refine costs and return with a phased budget plan. No formal budget vote was taken.

City sells an 880-square-foot storm-drain strip for $7,200, over an objection to the appraisal

Under Resolution 46/25, the Council approved the sale of a sliver of city-owned land between 320 and 330 West Baltimore Avenue — roughly 880 square feet containing a city storm drain pipe — to the adjacent property owner for $7,200. The city keeps a drainage easement. Staff said the appraisal followed the prescribed legal process and that the sale removes city liability.

James Holmes told the Council the Planning Commission's concerns on the item ran three to four pages, and flagged three problems with the valuation report: the low price, a failure to account for the added value to the buyer's property, and a comparable sale he said was not truly comparable.

City staff pushed back. The City Attorney noted the parcel is burdened by the storm drain and constrained by by-right development law changes, which offsets any apparent gain in developable square footage. The Public Works Director added that if the property's value rises, the city recovers it through increased property tax. Council Member Scott Pollson, who had asked why the city holds this land in fee rather than by easement in the older part of town, said the price looked reasonable at roughly $100 per square foot in Baltimore Canyon.

The resolution was approved unanimously, and the City Manager is directed to execute the deeds and closing documents.