Politics & Government

City Council Eyes Depot Plaza Plaque to Honor Jessup

City officials say a plaque to memorialize the man who came up with the idea to create downtown hub wouldn't preclude the city from naming the plaza after him, which have suggested.

Looking to honor without yet stepping into the , the Mill Valley City Council is set to consider Tuesday night putting a plaque in the downtown hub in memory of the man who came up with the idea to create it.

Jessup, who , first proposed transforming the former train station-turned-bus station at the center of downtown into a public plaza. The former bus station, with Greyhound and Golden Gate Transit buses turning around in the area where  customers now sit outside and parking being the dominant use, morphed into a community gathering place surrounded by parking in 1982 based on Jessup’s drawings.

Mill Valley Mayor Garry Lion, who attended an informal gathering of former mayors at Jessup's house just two weeks before his death, said the topic of renaming the plaza after Jessup came up during that gathering. He also noted that there is an existing City Council policy of not naming streets or places in town after people while they are living. But that obviously doesn't apply to Jessup.

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Some local officials have of renaming the plaza. When Mill Valley Patch to weigh in the matter, the majority of voters said a plaque was enough to honor Jessup, while comments largely were split between those in favor and opposed to renaming the plaza.

For now, the city appears ready to install a plaque to honor Jessup.

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"It should be noted that placing a memorial plaque at the Depot Plaza will not preclude future City Council consideration of other memorial action," City Manager wrote in a staff report (attached at right) on the issue. "Staff will provide an update of interest and suggestions for further recognition action following the installation ofthe plaque (prior to the anniversary of the plaque's dedication)."

So what do you think? Is the installation of a plaque a sufficient honor for Jessup, or should City Hall pursue renaming the plaza after him in some way? Let us know in the Comments section below.


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