New ecology center project moves forward in American Canyon

A project touted to propel American Canyon into becoming an environmental leader is nearing approval.

Plans call for the city’s 5,000-square-foot corporation yard building to be redeveloped as an education-focused ecology center adjacent to the city’s wetlands. The design permit for the project was approved Jan. 25.

The next step is for the American Canyon City Council to consider its approval in February.

The two-story building at 205 Wetlands Edge Road is currently used by the city’s public works department, and the yard features a pump house, parking for public works vehicles and an above-ground fuel storage tank.

But the department will soon move many of its services and vehicles there to the city’s Wastewater Treatment facility, at 151 Mezzetta Court, according to a city staff report.

“We like to think it will propel American Canyon forward as an environmental leader, and really work on providing equitable access to nature, art and science programs,” said Janelle Sellick, executive director of the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation.

As it has grown, Sellick said, the foundation has recognized the need for a permanent environmental education hub near the city’s wetlands.

The city, given the move away from the corporation yard, has offered the site to the foundation on a long-term lease.

The redevelopment, as currently proposed, would transform the first floor of the building into a space for educational and instructional activities. The second floor would be used for other multipurpose uses and offices, and an outdoor deck overlooking the wetlands will serve as an area for viewing and events, according to the staff report.

The redevelopment would also include an outdoor nature play area, a maker’s space, teaching gardens, walking paths and 30 parking spaces.

According to a city staff report, the foundation expects the center will attract about 20,000 visitors each year — including 90 daily users on weekdays and 60 on weekends — during its proposed operating hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The first phase of developing the center — focused on the addition and redevelopment of infrastructure at the site — will be completed in summer 2025, according to the report.

A second phase, including the addition of a demonstration area for the wetlands, is slated to be finished in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The final phase, adding an exterior deck and an elevator, would be completed in summer 2026.

The project had been “envisioned by our community for our community,” Sellick said.

An all-volunteer group started the foundation about eight years ago. Since then, the nonprofit has grown quickly and has added year-round programs, including those focused on environmental education. The programs are what led the organization to identify the need for an ecology center in the wetlands area, Sellick said.

“We have over 10 miles of trails, a very pristine wetlands environment, which I’m sure you’re all familiar with, and it's really a perfect place for learning,” she said at the Jan. 25 meeting. “The biggest challenge is there’s no infrastructure out there, there’s no permanent facilities.”

Commissioners during the meeting asked about staffing, hours of operation, lighting and security, among others, related to the project. Both public commenters and the commissioners ultimately spoke positively of the proposal, and the commissioners approved the design permit.

Valerie Zizak-Morais, CEO of the American Canyon Chamber of Commerce, said the project is a “true gem” for American Canyon, that it represented a great example of collaboration between the city and a nonprofit.

Heidi Zipay, a resident who lives near the site, said the project was a great idea. She said that since she moved to American Canyon 20 years ago she’s wondered what was going on with the building.

“It’s really a very interesting thing to see that our appreciation for the wetlands that we have today has changed so significantly from what it was when the city, I’m going to say, made a mistake in the placement of the corp yard building,” she said. “But it’s come full circle and now it’s going to have such a better life.”

You can reach Staff Writer Edward Booth at 707-521-5281 or edward.booth@pressdemocrat.com.