Town of Tiburon
Staff Report
ITEM NO. G-4_
MEETING DATE: 9/11/01
BACKGROUND
The Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society has filed an application to erect a historic flagpole and railroad crossing warning sign adjacent to the Railroad Ferry Museum building (AKA Donahue Building) located in Shoreline Park. The Landmarks Society holds a long-term lease with the Town of Tiburon over the Donahue Building and its immediate surroundings.
Because the flagpole and crossing sign would be located in a public park (Shoreline Park), a referral of the application to the Parks & Open Space Commission is required. The application is also being referred to the Heritage & Arts Commission, as the Donahue Building is designated as a Local Historic Landmark.
PROPOSAL
The proposal requests that the following two structures be erected:
1. A 21’-4" high wooden flagpole (that once stood at the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Yard in downtown Tiburon) at a location bayward of the Donahue Building and approximately 6 to 8 feet from the building wall. Only about 18 feet of the flagpole would be above ground level.
2. An 8-foot tall, 1 foot wide, and 3 inch deep concrete railroad crossing warning sign ("whistle board") that once stood at the San Rafael Avenue intersection with the Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks in Tiburon. The whistle board would be placed a few feet from the Donahue Building on the Paradise Drive-facing side of the building. The narrow side of the sign would face Paradise Drive. Only 5 feet of the whistle board would be above ground level.
ANALYSIS
Views
Both structures would be placed in close proximity to the museum building and are unlikely to result in any significant view blockage. The whistle stop will have the museum building as a backdrop from Paradise Drive, while the flagpole is quite slender. Trees that were recently removed from the bayward side of the museum building were far more intrusive upon views than this small flagpole will be.
Historic Merit
The restored flagpole and whistle stop sign are among the few remaining original elements of the now-vanished Northwestern Pacific Railroad in Tiburon. Their public display outside of the largest remaining element of Tiburon’s railroad era (the Donahue Building) seems appropriate.
Staff will require that any flag placed on the flagpole should be in proper scale with its surroundings.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Receive public testimony.
2. Provide comments to Staff on the application.
EXHIBITS
1. Application form received 8/15/2001.
2. Narrative description, drawings and photos showing the proposed structures.
3. Courtesy notice.
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