Tahola Lane – Pocket Park Transformation

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Prior to May of 2014, an empty, 5,000 square foot weed-filled lot sat unoccupied in the middle of a neighborhood on Tahola Lane in East Petaluma. It was the site of an old well pump that had been decommissioned many years ago, an unutilized eyesore. Daily Acts had a vision to create a usable, beautiful, and water-wise pocket park that folks in the neighborhood could enjoy, and the City of Petaluma helped make it happen. In 2014, students at the Loma Vista Immersion Academy worked alongside Daily Acts staff to install 70 plants to transform the space and to learn about the importance of these types drought tolerant landscapes and practices.

Ten years later, it was time for an update. After talking with community members, we learned that the plants had become overgrown, making the space uninviting, and the river rock pathway made it difficult for people to walk on. Plans were made and enacted, over the span of a year: many plants were removed, river rock pathways were replaced with decomposed granite ADA compliant pathways, and sheet mulching was applied to the bare soil. The final culmination of this project happened October 11th, 2025: the Community Planting Day!

Over 40 volunteers from all over Sonoma County joined Daily Acts to help install 282 new native and drought-tolerant plants! Folks also helped add 5 fruit trees to the landscape that, once grown in, will invite neighbors to gather to harvest seasonal fruits. This second iteration of the landscape design aims to solve many problems at once— reducing water usage, improving biodiversity, increasing accessibility, and inviting people and pollinators alike to benefit.

Completed planting, October 2025

Finished sheet mulching, May 2025

In Spring of 2025, ground was broken when a crew came out to remove some plants in order to make room for the new design that would reflect the community’s desires for the space. Shortly after that, Equinox Landscape installed ADA compliant pathways made of decomposed granite to allow accessibility to all.

On May 22nd, 2025, a handful of volunteers, including folks from World Centric, helped to sheet mulch the site with layers of compost, cardboard, and mulch. This method enhances soil health and retains moisture, while reducing the weeds— a process that prepares the landscape for future planting. This was much needed to rebuild the soil before the site could be replanted.

In August of 2024, Daily Acts hosted a community engagement session to discuss the future of this small neighborhood pocket park. Over pizza, we invited folks who lived nearby to give their input on how the park was currently being utilized and the changes they’d like to see made. This was a crucial part of the redesign process, as we wanted to make sure this space would suit the needs of the community.

Read about the primary findings from our listening session and survey engagement here!

This project is made possible through Daily Acts’ collaboration with the City of Petaluma.

📍Tahola Lane, Petaluma CA 94954