Commission recommends hiring landscape designer for three mini parks

The Parks, Open Space & Trails Commission voted Feb. 19 to recommend that Town Council authorize staff to hire a landscape designer to produce preliminary, community-informed designs for three Tiburon mini parks.

Staff and commissioners said preliminary renderings and public workshops are needed to move conceptual items from the parks master plan into buildable projects. The commission referenced a prior, similar process used for a downtown bike kiosk project; staff estimated the preliminary-design phase for the kiosk had cost roughly $20,000 and emphasized that the consultant contract would include community outreach, two or more public workshops and a final color rendering to guide later construction bidding.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the mini-park work will help translate community priorities into concrete plans that can be priced, scheduled and built. Commissioners and public commenters emphasized that earlier community engagement from the parks master plan should be folded into the designer’s work rather than repeated, to control cost and speed delivery.

Public comment: Parents for Parks and Rec and other residents supported moving forward, while asking the town to stagger projects so modest investments — such as updated playground surfaces or benches — can be completed quickly even if larger capital funding takes longer.

Next steps: The commission’s motion asks Town Council to consider directing staff to hire a landscape architect, then to return to the commission with preliminary designs and public outreach results before bringing a final plan and cost estimates to the council for authorization to construct.