San Anselmo’s medians get a makeover

The hanging baskets of San Anselmo have charmed residents and visitors alike from spring through autumn along San Anselmo Avenue for several years.

It seems, though, that the town’s streetscapes are scoring high praise, too, at least from one Sleepy Hollow resident, Robert La Belle.

He emailed me recently and wondered if I had noticed what he called “a noteworthy government project of exceptional beauty.”

That’s high praise coming from someone who, in the same email, says he initially didn’t hold out much hope once the project got underway.

“When the previous beautiful old trees in that median were cut down, I thought any landscaping that might replace them would be pedestrian, uninteresting and unimaginative,” he says. “I was horribly wrong, but very pleasantly surprised.”

He’s referring to the median upgrade project, known officially as the San Anselmo Median Master Plan. Created in 2016/2017, it was devised to address three major aging medians, all generally radiating from the heart of San Anselmo, one along Sir Francis Drake, another along Center Boulevard and the final one on Red Hill Avenue.

“In particular, the trees on the Red Hill median were all dying from Dutch elm disease, beetles and termites and needed to be removed,” says Sean Condry, San Anselmo’s public works and building director.

The 1.5 million-dollar project, funded by an anonymous donor, was engineered and designed by Siegfried Engineering and managed by San Anselmo’s assistant public works director Scott Schneider.

According to Condry, the multi-pronged goals were to removed the dying elm trees and replace them with a variety of trees for biodiversity.

Many native or drought-tolerant grasses and shrubs were planted throughout the medians for visual interest.

In addition, planners determined that installing better irrigation would reduce water usage and the creation of bioretention, employing rocks designed to look like a creek, would clean any stormwater runoff.

At the same time, San Anselmo wanted to embark on a new “branding” effort with signage for the town.

They turned to Michael Schwab, a local resident (who created the signage seen in the Marin Headlands and in San Francisco’s Presidio) along with Rich Burns to come up with the signature look for San Anselmo’s new brand.

In the process, Sugarfoot, the venerable and majestic cast-iron deer that for decades has been a fixture in front of the San Anselmo Town Hall, was chosen to be the “face,” or emblem, of the town’s brand.

Now, La Belle says, when he drives along Miracle Mile, between the San Anselmo Hub and United Markets, he “is always impressed with the sheer artistry of the roadway median, the variety and mixture of plants and trees, the subtle arrangement of textures, colors and flow of the landscaping, as well as the meticulous year-round maintenance and care of the grounds.”

Condry is pleased with the way the project turned out, too.

It “was a great example of addressing stormwater issues, biodiversity of trees, reducing water usage through new irrigation, plant selection and using well water instead of domestic water to irrigate,” he says. “Overall, it was a great success … and one of my favorite projects.”

Show off

If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.

Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.

Don’t-miss event

More than 100 fine artists — sculptors, painters, photographers, jewelers and fiber artists — will open their studios to the public during the 54th Winter Open Studio at ICB Art from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 at the Industrial Center Building at 480 Gate 5 Road in Sausalito. Admission is free. Call 415-332-0730-or go to icbart.com.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.