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Who Julie Partansky was

Julie Partansky was a Davis artist and City Council member whose environmental and preservation causes became closely associated with the city’s unconventional 1990s politics.

Julie Partansky was an artist and local elected official who served on the Davis City Council and later as mayor. Her advocacy around environmental and preservation issues, including the toad tunnel and opposition to paving historic-feeling alleys, made her a central figure in the national “only in Davis” stories of the 1990s. The Julie Partansky Pond now carries her name.

1992Partansky is elected to the Davis City Council.
1990sEnvironmental and preservation controversies draw national attention.
1998–2000Partansky serves as mayor.
Period1990s
EvidenceDocumented
Last checked2026-08-18
SourceCity of Davis — Julie Partansky Pond
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