PREPARED BY: JILL MERCURIO DATE OF MEETING: 08/03/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) APPROPRIATING FY 2026-27 GENERAL FUND DESIGNATED RESERVES (FUND 110) IN THE AMOUNT OF $249,000 TO THE CITY-WIDE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT (0505): (2) APPROVING FY 2026-27 DESIGNATED CAPITAL PROJECT ALLOCATIONS; AND (3) AMENDING THE ADOPTED FY 2026-27 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 3, 2026
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2025-2027 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statements:
Build a Healthy Community - (121) Explore New City-wide Beautification Plan (i.e., Landscaping Maintenance; Street Medians; Street Trees; Street Banner Program/Tied to Economic Development) is a major policy goal contained in the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
BACKGROUND
On April 7, 2025, the City Council adopted the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan pursuant to Resolution 2025-044. As part of the Major Policy Goal to Build a Healthy Community, the City Council adopted Policy #121, Explore a New City-wide Beautification Plan. The policy identifies several key focus areas, including landscaping maintenance, street medians, street trees, and a street banner program.
Beginning in September 2025 and through January 2026, the City Manager conducted a series of internal staff ideation sessions to identify and develop potential concepts for a comprehensive City-wide Beautification Plan. This effort resulted in a conceptual draft plan consisting of 14 potential beautification improvements across expanded categories, including economic development, public art, street medians, street trees, and other community improvements.
The draft plan was developed using preliminary planning parameters, including project cost limits, annual funding targets, and compliance with applicable City policies and State requirements. The conceptual plan was presented to the City Council on January 20, 2026. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to further refine all 14 potential improvements by preparing preliminary cost estimates and a proposed implementation strategy.
To assist with this effort, on April 6, 2026 via adopted Resolution #26-047, the City retained Watearth, Inc., a San Francisco engineering firm under the City’s On-Call Professional Services Contract. Watearth worked with the improvement proponents to develop a cost and implementation plan, and met with each department that proposed improvements to gather key information required to make their assessments.
Temporary Ad-Hoc Subcommittee Established
On April 6, 2026, pursuant to Resolution #2026-048, the City Manager requested and the City Council formally established a Temporary Ad-Hoc Subcommittee, consisting of Mayor Pabon-Alvarado and Councilmember Ponce, to work directly with the City Manager and City staff on the proposed cost and implementation plan to be developed by Watearth, Inc.
Watearth developed evaluation criteria (below) and corresponding weight to assess and prioritize the beautification improvements.
Beautification Improvement Evaluation Criteria
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Implementation Readiness |
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How quickly could the improvements be implemented based on known constraints? |
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Potential Jurisdictional Constraints |
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Would the improvement face constraints regarding property ownership, access, permitting, etc.? |
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Operations and Maintenance Costs |
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What annual or long-term costs would the City need to budget for to properly maintain the improvement in the future? |
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Budget Fit |
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Can the work be completed within the $75,000 cap? |
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Infrastructure Consideration |
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Would the improvement require additional infrastructure needs to be implemented, such as utility access, extensive site preparation, or complex construction methodology? |
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Interdepartmental Coordination |
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Would the improvement face difficulty in coordinating between City departments, partner agencies, consultants, etc. which might affect implementation timing? |
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Community Visibility and Impact |
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Does the improvement improve public-facing areas, enhance community identity, or provide visible benefits to residents, businesses, and visitors? |
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Opportunities for Partnering with External Parties |
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Would the improvement benefit from partnering with others (including other agencies or community groups) to improve funding, shared responsibilities, implementation support, etc.? |
Based on the information provided and the evaluation criteria, Watearth prepared a report with recommendations for the first-year implementation and suggestions for second- and third-year implementation. First-year improvements are recommended primarily because there is minimal additional work needed prior to implementation. Improvements for future years generally required additional planning, coordination, design, or funding before implementation.
Staff recommends funding the following beautification improvements during the first-year of the City-wide Beautification Project.
Year 1 Beautification Improvements
|
Improvement |
Cost |
|
City-Wide Street Pole Banner Program |
$ 15,500 |
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City-Wide Marketing and Branding Signage and Wayfinding Improvement |
$ 30,000 |
|
Neighborhood PW Mobile Camera Enhancements & Monitoring for Illegal Dumping |
$ 27,500 |
|
Wildcat Creek Beautification Improvement |
$ 63,500 |
|
Historical Facilities Fencing |
$ 70,000 |
|
City-Wide Annual Street Tree Replacement Program |
$ 42,500 |
|
TOTAL |
$ 249,000 |
Staff will continue to refine the proposed improvements for future year assessments. Not all of the improvements will be funded through the City-wide Beautification Project, several improvements are annual or on-going, and several have different phases that could be programmed for multiple years. These factors will be considered when developing potential improvements each year.
The following improvements may be considered for funding in future years:
§ City-Wide Landscaped Street Medians Program
§ City-Wide Neighborhood Traffic Circle Assessment & Improvements
§ Develop Policy and Program Criteria for Administering City-wide Public Art Project Program
§ New Monument Entry Sign Replacement Improvement
§ New City Holiday Trees w/ Electrical Conduit Improvement
§ Historic Adobe Fencing
§ Neighborhood PW Mobile Camera Monitoring for Illegal Dumping
§ New City-Wide Art and Murals Program
§ City-Wide Bus Stops/Shelter Improvement Program
§ City-Wide Annual Street Tree Replacement Program
§ City-Wide Annual Street Tree Replacement Program - Residential
§ City-Wide Pedestrian Safety Crosswalk Improvements
Temporary Ad-Hoc Subcommittee Review
On July 8, 2026, the Subcommittee members, consisting of Mayor Pabon-Alvarado and Councilmember Ponce, reviewed the Draft City-wide Beautification Plan, and recommended list of improvements and cost allocations for FY 2026-27 period, with additional projects outlined for potential implementation through FY 2028-29. The Subcommittee endorsed moving forward recommendations suggested by Watearth, Inc. and City staff for future City Council consideration and approval.
Budget, Fiscal, Legislative Standing Committee Review
On July 29, 2026, per adopted Fiscal Resiliency Reserve Policy (FRRP) requirements, staff presented the proposed list of improvements and the associated General Fund Designated Reserves (GFDR) appropriation totaling $249,000 for the City-wide Beautification Project to the Budget, Fiscal, Legislative Standing Committee. Following the presentation and discussion, the Committee recommended that the requested improvements and corresponding GFDR appropriation be forwarded to the City Council for formal consideration and approval.
Accordingly, staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution appropriating FY 2026-27 General Fund Designated Reserves (Fund 110) in the amount of $249,000 to the City-wide Beautification Project (0505).
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the proposed resolution will appropriate $249,000 from FY 2026-27 General Fund Designated Reserves (Fund 110), per adopted FRRP requirements, to the City-wide Beautification Project (0505) to fund the recommended first-year beautification improvements.
Ongoing maintenance and operating costs are not included in the recommended appropriation. Such costs will become part of the annual budget process and will be budgeted in the appropriate maintenance and operations budget line items.
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Description |
Transfer FROM: Fund/Account |
Transfer TO: Fund/Account |
Appropriate TO: Fund/Account |
Amount |
|
FY2026-27 GFDR Funds |
110-0000-49999-GFD-427 |
320-0000-39999-GFD-427 |
320-0505-43604-GFD-427 |
$249,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$249,000 |
ATTACHMENTS:
Att A. Resolution