Tiburon Heritage & Arts Commission votes 4–2 to send 15-sign temporary public-art proposal to Parks/Open Space commission

The Tiburon Town Heritage & Arts Commission voted 4–2 on Feb. 24 to forward a proposal for a temporary public-art installation of 15 signs to the Parks/Open Space & Trails (Post) commission for review.

Staff described two revised proposals from artist Scott (proposal variants listed by staff) for a site-specific installation titled "Word on the Street": 10 signs for $15,000 or 15 signs for $20,000, each for a maximum six-month period and accompanied by a digital component (QR codes and a map). The Post commission previously expressed support and recommended focusing on higher-visibility locations, staff said.

Commissioners debated the project’s scope, placement and cost. Commissioners identified potential sites including the ferry terminal, the bike path near Reed School, South of Knoll and Zielinski Park and discussed angling and siting to avoid confusing vehicle drivers or obscuring scenic views. Staff said signs could be removed at the end of the run or sold, with 20% of sales reverting to the town.

Commissioner Nora objected to both proposals, calling the signs "not art," "clutter" and "not a good use of our money," and urged the commission to pursue other community-collaborative options with the artist laureate instead. Nora said word-based signage speaks to a narrow demographic and risked visual clutter in the town’s public spaces.

Others defended the proposal as communicative public art that will provoke conversation and reach wider audiences. One commissioner cited the Post meeting’s feedback favoring higher visibility and recommended sending the larger array for review.

The commission moved to send the 15-sign, $20,000 proposal to Post with placement adjustments discussed at the meeting and a request for a unique, Tiburon-specific sign. The motion passed on a roll-call vote: Chair Gupta—Yes; Vice Chair Feibush—Yes; Commissioner Fong—Yes; Commissioner Farrin—No; Commissioner Noguez—No; Commissioner Etemad (remote)—Yes. The chair said the artist will return a revised proposal for Post’s March 17 meeting and the commission expects to consider next steps, including whether to bring the project to Town Council for final approval.

Post does not fund the installation, staff clarified; its role is to review siting and public-space impacts. If Post requests changes, the commission said it will receive the revised plan and vote in a subsequent meeting.

Next procedural steps: staff will request from the artist a revised layout that incorporates the commission’s placement and plaque/logo requests, submit that version to Post for its March 17 agenda, and return to the Heritage & Arts Commission in March for any decisions about moving the project to Town Council.