HomeMy WebLinkAboutPickleweed Advisory Committee 2025-10-01 Agenda Packet
PICKLEWEED ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AGENDA
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
6:00 P.M. – optional park tour
7:00 P.M. – meeting start time
Attend and Participate in Person at Albert J. Boro Community Center, Meeting Room 3
50 Canal Street, San Rafael, CA 94901
-OR –
Watch on Zoom Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/PWAC-10-1-2025
Telephone: (669)900-9128
Meeting ID: 933 3089 5431
NOTICE: At 6:00pm, City staff will lead an optional tour of the completed Pickleweed Park
Enhancements. This tour is open to the public, but will not be part of the meeting, and no official
action or decisions will take place during the tour. The tour will begin at the Boro Community Center
Lobby at 6:00pm
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES
1. Approve regular meeting minutes of August 6, 2025
OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION
The public is welcome to address the committee at this time on matters not on the agenda that are
within it’s jurisdiction. Comments may be no longer than two minutes and should be respectful of
the community.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
2. None
AGENDA ITEMS
If necessary to assure completion of the following items, the Chairperson may establish time limits
for the presentations by individual speakers.
3. Agenda Items:
a. Pickleweed Library Children’s Room Mural
b. Pickleweed Preschool Renovation Project
COMMITTEE REPORTS AND COMMENTS
4. Other brief reports on any meetings or community events attended by the Committee
members.
STAFF COMMENTS
5. Updates and Events of Interest
NEXT REGULAR MEETING: February 4, 2026 (In Person- Albert J. Boro Community Center)
ADJOURNMENT
Notice
Any records relating to an agenda item, received by a majority or more of the Committee less than 72 hours before the
meeting, shall be available for inspection online and in the Albert J. Boro Community Center placed with other agenda-
related materials on the table in front of the [location prior to the meeting. Sign Language interpreters may be requested
by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing city.clerk@cityofsanrafael.org or using the California Telecommunications
Relay Service by dialing “711”, at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Copies of documents are available in
accessible formats upon request. To request Spanish language interpretation, please submit an online form at
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/request-for-interpretation/. To allow individuals with environmental illness or multiple
chemical sensitivity to attend the meeting/hearing, individuals are requested to refrain from wearing scented products.
PICKLEWEED CONSULTIVO
COMITÉ ASESOR
Miercoles, Octubre 1, 2025
6:00 P.M. – recorrido opcional por el parque
7:00 P.M. – inicio de la reunión
Reunion Hibrida: Asista en persona en el Centro Comunitario Albert J. Boro, Salon de
Reunion 3 50 Canal Street, San Rafael, CA 94901
-OR –
Vea en Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/PWAC-10-1-2025
Telefono: (669)900-9128
ID de reunion: 933 3089 5431
AVISO: A las 6:00 p.m, personal municipal ofrecerá una visita opcional a las mejoras finalizadas
del Parque Pickleweed. Esta visita está abierta al público, pero no formará parte de la reunión
regular, y no se tomarán decisiones ni acciones oficiales durante la misma. La visita comenzará en
el vestíbulo del Centro Comunitario Boro a las 6:00 p.m.
LLAMAR A ORDEN
MINUTOS
1. Aprobar los minutos de la reunion ordinara del Agosto 6, 2025
REUNION ABIERTA AL PUBLICO
El público puede dirigirse al comité en este momento sobre asuntos no incluidos en la agenda y
que sean de su competencia. Los comentarios no pueden durar más de dos minutos y deben ser
respetuosos con la comunidad.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
2. Nada
AGENDA ITEMS
Si es necesario para asegurar la finalización de los siguientes puntos, el Presidente podrá
establecer límites de tiempo para las presentaciones de los oradores individuales.
3. Puntos del orden del día:
a. Pickleweed Mural de la habitación infantil de la biblioteca
b. Pickleweed Proyecto de renovación de preescolar
COMMITTEE REPORTS AND COMMENTS
4. Otros informes breves sobre cualquier reunión o evento comunitario a los que hayan asistido
los miembros del Comité.
STAFF COMMENTS
5. Actualizaciones y eventos de interés
PRÓXIMA REUNIÓN ORDINARIA: 4 de febrero de 2026 (Presencial - Centro Comunitario
Albert J. Boro)
APLAZAMIENTO
Noticia
Cualquier registro relacionado con un punto del orden del día, recibido por la mayoría o más del Comité con menos de 72
horas de antelación a la reunión, estará disponible para su consulta en línea y en el Centro Comunitario Albert J. Boro,
junto con otros materiales relacionados con el orden del día, sobre la mesa frente a la [ubicación] antes de la reunión. Se
pueden solicitar intérpretes de lengua de señas llamando al (415) 485-3066 (voz) o enviando un correo electrónico a
city.clerk@cityofsanrafael.org o utilizando el Servicio de Retransmisión de Telecomunicaciones de California marcando el
711, con al menos 72 horas de antelación a la reunión. Hay copias de los documentos disponibles en formatos
accesibles previa solicitud. Para solicitar interpretación al español, complete el formulario en línea en
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/request-for-interpretation/. Para permitir que las personas con enfermedades ambientales
o sensibilidad química múltiple asistan a la reunión/audiencia, se solicita a las personas que se abstengan de usar
productos perfumados.
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PICKLEWEED ADVISORY COMMITTEE
August 6, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
APPROVED MINUTES
Watch on Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/PWAC-6-4-2025
Telephone: (669) 900-9128
Meeting ID: 933 3089 5431
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Mason called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Mason
Member Arbit
Member Campos
Member Nguyen
Member Ruiz
Member Sprague
Member Tanchez
Member Vasquez
Park & Recreation Commissioner Pasternak
Absent: None
Also Present: Becky Ordin, Senior Administrative Assistant
Craig Veramay, Assistant Library & Recreation Director
AGENDA AMENDMENTS
None.
MINUTES
1. Approve regular meeting minutes of June 4, 2025
Member Tanchez moved and Member Vasquez seconded, to approve the
meetings minutes of June 4, 2025.
AYES: Members: Arbit, Campos, Nguyen, Ruiz, Sprague, Tanchez, Vasquez
NOES: Members: None
ABSENT: Members: None
ABSTAINED: Members: None
Minutes approved as submitted.
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MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
2. Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda
Mario Ernesto Lopez, Community Advoate for the Canal and West Marin at the Marin
Community Foundation, introduced himself and thanked the Board for their work in the
community.
MATTERS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
If necessary, to assure completion of the following items, the Chairperson may establish time
limits for the presentations by individual speakers.
3. Presentations:
A. Peoples of the Canal – Rich Storek, The Canal Arts
Mr. Veramay gave a brief overview of the process of public art review and introduced Rich
Storek. Mr. Storek presented the Peoples of the Canal project.
4. Walking Tour of Pickleweed Park Enhancement Project
Cancelled due to the dark.
COMMITTEE REPORTS AND COMMENTS
5. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by the
Board members.
Member Campos shared that he enjoys the temporary art exhibits that he has seen and
is looking forward to seeing more in San Rafael.
Commissioner Pasternak joined Mr. Veramay and the Park and Recreation Commission
in a walkthrough of the Pickleweed enhancement project.
Member Sprague expressed that she is happy to see the Carnage library is reopening.
Disappointed to see the City is not moving forward with the parking permit program and
didn’t have more direction in the communication.
Member Ruiz attend National Night Out.
STAFF COMMENTS
6. Updates and Events of Interest:
Chair Mason provided the following updates:
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Marin Ventures Art Exhibit hung last Friday with a reception on Saturday. The display went
through the Public Art Review Board process and will be up until late September, where it is
expected to be replaced by the Dia de los Muertos murals. Marin Ventures is a community
engagement day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Their mission is to foster
independence and personal growth, and to promote the opportunity for community
integration.
Pickleweed Park Enhancement project update. The field completion update is now mid-
August. The ribbon cutting ceremony will now be moved to mid-September.
Canal Karate belt ceremony will be this Tuesday. There will be 14 white to yellow belt and
one brown.
Due to unexpected fiscal rollback of federal funding, Tam Adult School has been forced to
“pause”/cancel their fall session of ESL. You will recall that the Advisory Committee
approved their co-sponsorship in June. Tam Adult School remains hopeful that federal
funding will be reestablished before January 26th so they can revisit offering the class here at
the Center.
August 20 is the first day of school. YMCA will be in prior to clean, organize and prepare for
their upcoming afterschool program.
Summer Programs have mostly come to an end with only a few still going. Junior Giants,
which we had to move to Albert Park Stadium due to the delay in the opening of our fields,
concluded last Saturday.
Our custodian is utilizing this time between many of the sessions to perform some deep
cleaning of the Center.
The following programs are currently running:
Bump it Up San Rafael Volleyball Camp
Canal Karate
Canal Mini Soccer League
Dance, Music Theater, Arts & Fitness Summer Camp x 2
Junior Giants
Youth Pickleball Lessons
Evening Fitness Class
San Rafael Basketball Academy x 2
Voice Over Class x2
Community partnered programs:
Fall Programs
Canal Karate
Canal Mini Soccer League
Introduction to Ballet
Ponle Estilo Fitness
Teen Salsa, Bachata and Merengue
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Voice Overs
Yoga
Movies in the Park and Community Outreach here in Pickleweed Park on Friday, October
10th. The community picked Mufasa as this year’s movie which will be shown in Spanish
with English subtitles.
Our Program Coordinator Stephen Rogers will be out the end of September until mid-
November as he is expecting the birth of his first child, a son, next month.
Pickleweed Library will be closed late September for renovation.
Mr. Veramay announced the new Recreation Supervisor will be welcoming Kristie Hubacker.
Most recently she was the Recreation Supervisor for the City of Mill Valley and the CEO of
the Sonoma Fairgrounds. She will be starting on August 25th and will have a little overlap
with Steve.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Mason adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m.
BECKY ORDIN, Senior Administrative Assistant
APPROVED THIS DAY OF , 2025
Catherine Quffa, Library & Recreation Director
PICKLEWEED ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AGENDA REPORT
October 1, 2025
Item #3a
TITLE: REVIEW OF YOUTH IN ARTS MURAL FOR THE PICKLEWEED
LIBRARY
RECOMMENDATION
That the Pickleweed Advisory Committee review the proposed mural for the Pickleweed
Library’s new Children’s Room at 50 Canal Street.
BACKGROUND
Youth in Arts (YIA) was selected by the City to collaborate with teens from the Canal
neighborhood on a mural for the renovated Children’s Room at the Pickleweed Library,
located at 50 Canal Street. The mural, titled Our Community, Our Story, has been
designed and will be produced on vinyl for installation once renovations are complete.
As part of the City’s public art process, projects displayed on City property must first be
reviewed by the relevant community-based advisory body before consideration by the
Public Art Review Board. For this project, the Pickleweed Advisory Committee serves
as that advisory body.
Youth in Arts has completed the mural design in partnership with local youth. The
Committee is now being asked to review the proposed artwork. The artwork will also be
reviewed by the Public Art Review Board and City Council, who will make the final
determination of approval. If approved, the City will enter into an Art License Agreement
with Youth in Arts to display the mural.
DISCUSSION
The mural design was led by YIA Visual Arts Teaching Artist Ali Vaughan in
collaboration with five teen artists, four of whom are San Rafael High School students
and alumni of YIA’s Intensive Arts Mentorship (I AM) program. Several of these youth
have strong ties to the Canal neighborhood, having grown up visiting the center and
playing in the park. Their lived experiences and connection to the community shaped
the design, ensuring the mural reflects and resonates with local residents and visitors
alike.
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The final work is a collage incorporating acrylic paint, watercolor, colored pencil, and
pen. Each teen artist contributed individual statement pieces—such as birds, figures,
and the play structure—that were combined into a unified composition. This process
balanced personal expression with a shared community narrative.
Image: Mural - Our Community, Our Story
Youth in Arts has provided high-quality arts education for nearly 54 years, fostering
creativity and confidence among youth of all backgrounds and abilities. The I AM
program supports emerging artists (ages 13–19) by pairing them with professional
mentors and offering opportunities to contribute to community-based public art projects.
The mural exemplifies these goals by amplifying youth voices and enhancing a vital
neighborhood space. With the design complete, the next step is for the Pickleweed
Advisory Committee to review and recommend approval of the artwork to the Public Art
Review Board.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
Submitted by:
Daniel Avalos
Assistant Library and Recreation Director
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Attachments:
1. YIA Mural Design – Our Community, Our Story
2. Children’s Room Rendering – Mural Location
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Attachment 1: YIA Mural Design – Our Community, Our Story
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Attachment 2: Children’s Room Rendering – Mural Location
PICKLEWEED ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AGENDA REPORT
October 1, 2025
Item #3b
TITLE: Pickleweed Preschool Renovation Project
RECOMMENDATION
That the Pickleweed Advisory Committee review and comment on the proposed Pickleweed
Preschool Facility renovation plans.
BACKGROUND
The Pickleweed Preschool, located at Pickleweed Park in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, is
a City-operated, state-subsidized Early Childhood Education facility that serves approximately
68 children each school year. The program is licensed through the California Department of
Social Services and operates as a part-day preschool with morning and afternoon classrooms
five days per week, for approximately 175 days per year.
Pickleweed Preschool serves families who qualify for subsidized services through the State’s
Centralized Eligibility List, administered by the Marin Child Care Council. The program is
designed to support children in their preparation for kindergarten, with an emphasis on
academic readiness, social development, and English language acquisition. A significant
portion of enrolled children come from multilingual households, with Spanish and Vietnamese
being the most common home languages.
The Pickleweed Preschool represents an important community resource, providing affordable,
high-quality early education opportunities to San Rafael families who may otherwise lack
access to preschool programming. The program supports broader City goals related to equity,
early childhood education, and community wellbeing.
DISCUSSION
The facilities at Pickleweed Preschool include two classrooms, offices, a multi-purpose room
with kitchen, restrooms, and an outdoor play and learning area. The main buildings are
comprised of portable structures that are approaching the end of their useful lifespan. One of
the buildings was demolished in 2024 due to extensive water damage, and the other buildings
are demonstrating significant wear and tear.
In 2024, the City hired a consultant to assess the existing condition of the facilities. The
consultant recommended replacement of the portable buildings. Since then, the City has been
working with the consultants to develop plans to replace the aging classrooms with new
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facilities, as well as make improvements to the outdoor play and learning areas. To complete
this work, the City appropriated $1.325 million of funding in the Fiscal Year 2025/26-2026-27
Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
Proposed Improvements
The design team is nearing completion of plans for the facility, which includes the following
improvements:
• New portable classroom buildings
• Two (2) added restrooms designed for toddlers located within the classrooms
• Improved outdoor play and learning areas, including a new playground, sandbox, raised
garden beds, seating, and landscaping
• Improved accessible pathways throughout the facility
• Parking area improvements
• Improved perimeter fencing, parent check-in, and site security
• New shade structures
• Enhancements to the kitchen and food prep area
• A new multi-purpose room
• Enhancements to staff office and parent meeting space
• Improved supply and equipment storage
• Utility and infrastructure upgrades
Project Timeline
The Design Team expects to finalize plans by winter 2025 and to publish an Invitation For
Construction Bids in early 2026, with a target of starting construction in early Summer 2026
and completing the project during the summer program closure. Ideally, the project will be
completed by mid-August 2026, prior to the start of the Fall 2026 school year.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has appropriated $1.325 million of funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2025/26-
2026-27 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). $1.3 million of funding is from the City’s Building
Maintenance Fund (603), and $25,000 is from the City’s Childcare Fund (208). Final cost
estimates for the project have not yet been developed. The City will need to finalize plans and
request invitations for bid
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
None
Submitted by:
Craig Veramay
Assistant Library and Recreation Director
Attachment: Pickleweed Preschool Conceptual Images and Floorplans
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Attachment 1 – Pickleweed Preschool Conceptual Images and Floorplans
Site Plan
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Conceptual Plan - Site
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Profile Elevations
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Floorplan – Multipurpose room and kitchen, offices
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Floorplans – Classrooms
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