A steel sculpture designed by David Best is going up at the roundabout where Petaluma Boulevard South meets Crystal Lane, and the Petaluma Rotary Club now needs one more push to finish paying for it. The club is seeking $40,000 in final funding for the Spirit of Petaluma Beacon project, which carries a total cost of $200,000, with $160,000 already collected through private donations and a Rotary Club contribution.
The Petaluma City Council is scheduled to consider the proposal on July 20, 2026, according to the Press Democrat. The City of Petaluma describes the piece as a Corten weathering steel sculpture featuring an illuminated circular structure. The roundabout itself was formally designated in Petaluma's Public Art Master Plan as a preferred location for a major southern gateway installation, the city says, meaning the site was chosen for this purpose long before the Rotary's proposal arrived.
Design-wise, the beacon will include a saucer suspended on a high tower of ornamentally latticed iron, with a large saucer-like cylinder displaying the name Petaluma in capital letters, per the Press Democrat's reporting. Lights will illuminate the structure every night after sunset, and drought-tolerant landscaping will surround the base. Rotary Club of Petaluma is conducting a community-led fundraising campaign that the outlet reports will last six weeks.
What the Extra $40,000 Would Buy
The additional funds would support three specific add-ons beyond the core sculpture: a Rotary Peace Pole, a landscaped Petaluma selfie spot photo area, and a dedicated stewardship fund. The Rotary Peace Pole is described as a permanent symbol of peace, friendship and Rotary's commitment to a better world, and it would be placed near the beacon itself. The selfie spot would provide a landscaped space for residents to gather and take photos, while the stewardship fund would maintain the beacon, its lighting system and its landscaping going forward.
The city says Rotary has committed to long-term maintenance of the sculpture. Mike Stauber, quoted in the Press Democrat's report, said “every gift makes a difference. Together we can light the way for generations and ensure the Spirit of Petaluma Beacon remains a source of peace, pride and legacy for the entire community.” Community members are encouraged to make tax-deductible donations through rotaryclubofpetaluma.com/beacon.php.
Underground Utilities Shaped the Engineering
Getting a 24-foot sculpture into a roundabout wasn't simple. Technical reviews by municipal departments and Sonoma Water determined that the roundabout sits directly above major underground infrastructure — including the Sonoma County Aqueduct — requiring custom engineering and a project team led by SOL Landscapes to protect access points, according to the city. That underground constraint required coordination across multiple city utility agencies alongside the landscape team and local fabricators.
Fabrication itself is a local affair. Van Bebber is collaborating with Best on the project, the city notes. Best himself earned his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and gained international fame building massive, intricate wooden temples at Nevada's Burning Man festival that are ritually burned at the event's conclusion, according to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The Press Democrat describes him as a Petaluma-based sculptor and Burning Man figure.
Part of a Growing Public Art Trail
The beacon isn't Best's first Petaluma commission. In August 2022, the city unveiled his River Arch, a 25-foot rust-colored steel gateway commissioned by the Petaluma Public Art Committee along the Lynch Creek Trail near Lakeville Street, per Sonoma County Tourism. The roundabout where the new beacon will stand was itself built as part of a major municipal Road Diet and Complete Streets capital project that reduced Petaluma Boulevard South from four lanes to two while adding upgraded bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, according to city budget documents.
Earlier this month, the City of Petaluma organized a public art bike ride showcasing recent installations, including new benches by Best near the River Arch and sculptures by Mary Fuller McChesney at City Hall and the Baywood roundabout. Kevin McDonnell, quoted when the beacon project was announced, said “the project reflects who we are as a city,” adding that “public art like the Spirit of Petaluma Beacon strengthens Petaluma's sense of place, supports local creativity and creates a memorable first impression for people entering Petaluma.” It's a sentiment that captures why a service club, rather than the city alone, is footing part of the bill for a monument meant to greet everyone driving in from the south.
