Sausalito officials are considering redesigned parking and pedestrian amenities around Caledonia Street.

The focus emerged during the City Council meeting on Tuesday after staff proposed expanding a traffic study on how to offset the removal of 22 parking spaces. Assembly Bill 413, a law that bars parking spaces within 20 feet of most crosswalks, took effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

The discussion began with a staff proposal to add $30,000 for a design consultant to augment a $34,860 traffic study that was approved last July but not undertaken.

“Caledonia Street has parking on both sides, which will be impacted by the strict implementation of AB 413,” said Kevin McGowan, the public works director.

Parking could be reconfigured on Pine Street and Bonita Street to offset the losses on Caledonia Street, he said.

A string of speakers, including Caledonia Street business owners and local architects, urged the council to put urban designers in charge — not traffic engineers — even if the near-term solution is painting intersection curbs red and adding diagonal parking spaces on nearby streets.

“Let’s take this one opportunity that we have to do it right,” Mayor Steven Woodside said. “We would miss an opportunity if all we did was an engineering solution.”

“Whatever plan we support isn’t going to be necessarily implemented overnight,” Councilmember Ian Sobieski said. “But if we have phase one of such an effort be the parking mitigation, and we have a plan for how we could evolve … then we can have a Caledonia Street and its environment that is improved for the residents, the businesses, visitors, and is safer.”

City Council members asked if other controls, such as flashing crosswalks or lower speed limits, could satisfy the state mandate. The city attorney said no.

In the meantime, Sausalito has been resurfacing, restriping and upgrading pavement and crosswalks on Bridgeway. Numerous commenters said those improvements are unappealing and urged the council to take a different approach to Caledonia Street.

“I think we can all agree that Bridgeway is somewhat lackluster, the design and overall experience,” said Terry Lang, owner of Tivoli Decor on Caledonia Street. “Caledonia is different. It has character, charm and a real sense of community. And this is an opportunity to build on that, not destroy it.”

“I’m in favor of public safety and a safer Caledonia Street,” said Joseph Roland, owner of the J. Roland Salon on Caledonia Street. “I’m here to voice and urge the City Council to expand the staff’s current … proposal and vote for a more comprehensive architectural landscape urban design study.”

“A larger plan that incorporates the entire neighborhood, the traffic flow, beautification, everything involved that engages all stakeholders would be in our best interest,” said Adam Driver, owner of Driver’s Market and Deli at Caledonia and Turney streets.

“You can’t just paint red in one corner and then expect that it doesn’t ripple through,” said Alex Bleyleben, a member of the Sausalito Economic Development Advisory Committee. “I really appreciate the staff bringing in the proposal to bring in a landscape architect, urban design firm. It still reads a little bit like a traffic engineering study.”

Michael Smiley, a landscape architect who lives nearby, said, “I also urge you to prioritize community design as a key component of the effort by making a qualified urban landscape architect the team lead with a traffic signal engineer providing technical support and guidance.”

“An overly technical design could unintentionally disrupt that balance and harm the various businesses we’re trying to protect,” said Fred Moore, a planning commissioner.

A handful of commenters chastised the city for not implementing the parking restrictions.

“I’d love to see it studied with an urban design lens, but there’s a stark reality,” Kieran Culligan said. “There is a state law that we have failed to implement.”

McGowan suggested he could return in two weeks with drawings and plans to modify parking on nearby streets, which the council members endorsed.

The panel also authorized $30,000 for the consulting team to redesign the area’s parking and amenities.

“We’re not delaying making it safer,” Woodside said. “We’re taking the opportunity to make it safer and much better in the long run.”