Fremont City Council Meeting: 09/15/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Community Services
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Property Acquisitions & Dispositions
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5807) DOC ID: 5807 B
Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 1 Acquisition of Parkland at Crystalline Ave. - Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to execute an Agreement to Purchase the Property located at 501 Crystalline Avenue, APN 519-1410-011, in the amount of $4,500,000, and making certain findings; and find that the actions are exempt from CEQA per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15183, 15004, 15061(b)(3), and 15378.
Contact Persons:
Name: Kim Beranek Ian Champeny
Title: Community Services Director Real Property Agent
Div/Dept: Community Services Public Works
Phone: 510-494-4330 510-494-4759
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Staff is recommending City Council adoption of a resolution authorizing the purchase of the 18.29 acre parcel located at 501 Crystalline Drive, APN 519-1410-011 (“Property”), for the amount of $4,500,000. Appropriation of an additional 10% of $450,000 would cover associated fees and staff time, for a total appropriation of $4,950,000. The acquisition of the Property is necessary for the development of a future park in support of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the City’s General Plan.
Background: In 2022, the City of Fremont (City) completed a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Master Plan) that included a Parkland Acquisition Manual (Manual) describing key attributes and necessities to meet the needs of residents. One of the priorities of the Master Plan was to acquire parkland to achieve improved park equity throughout Fremont. Criteria were identified in the Manual, including park size, 10-minute walk to park access for all, connection to trails, and equity areas.
In 2023 and 2025, the City issued Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a commercial real estate consultant to collect market data and locate, evaluate, and report on potential sites that could be purchased for parkland for possible future park development. After several sites were identified and ranked by priority and suitability, the City narrowed its focus to a list of target sites. On May 20, 2025, the City purchased a 1.1-acre site at St.
Leonards Way that would provide 3,519 residents new access to a park within a 10-minute walking distance from their homes. Furthering the Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 2 parkland acquisition effort, staff have continued to work with the commercial real estate consultant to pursue more potential parkland property.
Discussion/Analysis: Over the last several months, City staff and the commercial real estate consultant have been communicating with the Owner’s representative regarding the City’s interest in acquiring the 18.29- acre Property. In August, the City entered negotiations with the Owner, resulting in staff’s recommendation to execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the Owner for the property in the amount of $4,500,000.
Staff will continue due diligence investigations on the site, including property and title research, appraisal, and Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA).To date, the investigations have disclosed no characteristics of the site that would preclude the development of a park on the Property.
Conformance with City Policies
The proposed purchase of the Property aligns with City goals and policies and will not conflict with any applicable land use plan, policy, or regulation of the General Plan or the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
Following the purchase of the Property as parkland, the City may choose to move forward with design and development of the land at a future date.
General Plan Goals/Policies
The following General Plan goals and policies are applicable to the purchase of parkland:
• Goal 2-1: City form and structure
o Policy 2-1.4: Neighborhoods with safe and convenient access to services, schools and parks.
• Goal 2-2: Directing change to ensure continued availability of public services, and also protects the natural environment.
o Policy 2-2.12: Land banking to utilize vacant or underutilized land for long term development of public facilities, parks and other uses for the public benefit.
• Goal 2-3: Complete Neighborhoods
o Policy 2-3.7: Green neighborhoods that integrate open space, parks, trees and natural features into Fremont’s neighborhoods to enhance their visual quality and improve access to nature and recreation.
• Goal 2-6: Open Space
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 3 o Policy 2-6.4: Parks should be recognized as fundamental to Fremont’s quality of life and should be carefully managed to create balance between passive and active open space.
Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan Goals/Policies • Goal 8-1: A wide Range of Parks and Recreational Facilities o Policy 8-1.1: Parks and Recreational Facility Guidelines to develop parks and recreation facilities consistent with the standards and guidelines in the General Plan and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
o Policy 8-1.3: Standards for New Parks and Recreation Facilities to acquire and develop new park lands and recreational facilities consistent with City standards.
Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan Implementation Actions
• Implementation 8-1.3.C: Land banking to consider purchasing land or accepting land dedication suitable for future park and recreational uses when the land becomes available (“land banking”), even if there are insufficient funds to develop and maintain facilities at the time.
Analysis: The purchase of the Property would provide parkland at 501 Crystalline Drive, at the southern junction of Interstate 680 and Mission Boulevard (as opposed to the northern junction of I-680 and Mission Blvd.), and within a 10-minute walk for approximately 2,492 residents. Purchase of this land facilitates the long-term planning and development of a park, including potential grants for parkland development.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 4 Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Master Plan) – Criteria for Park Site Selection: The Parks and Recreation Master Plan’s Parkland Acquisition Manual describes fourteen criteria for site selection of parkland. The criteria are outlined below, followed by staff analysis.
1. Physical Configuration: Parcels under consideration must be able to accommodate the proper siting of the appropriate facilities intended for those park types, along with space for support facilities, circulation, and safety zones.
Analysis: The Property’s land visually appears as a combination of flat and undulating areas, substantially natural and undeveloped land with primarily grasses and some trees at the southwestern perimeter. It appears to be able to host a range of passive or active recreational improvements within the guidelines of development standards for Community Parks defined in the Master Plan.
2. Topography: Parcels under consideration should have average slope gradients no greater than five percent, to provide flat, usable recreation spaces. Limited areas of greater slopes may be acceptable as natural or open space areas.
Analysis: The Property is a combination of flat and undulating land, which will provide some ideal topography for future recreational amenities on the flat areas and variety in the undulating land for other recreational uses and development to the City standards for Community Parks.
3. Encumbrances: Feasibility of parcel acquisition for recreation use must consider any encumbrances and restrictions, such as dedicated easements, power lines, and geologic hazard zones.
Analysis: The site includes no restrictions, easements, power lines, or geologic hazard zones that would preclude recreational use or park development.
4. Access: Pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access to proposed parkland must be accommodated in a safe manner.
Analysis: The site has good access primarily from the eastern edge, and also from the northwestern edge. Primary vehicular access would be from Paseo Padre Parkway via Omega Drive to Crystalline Drive, or Cayuga Way Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 5 to Bridgeport Drive to Crystalline Drive. Crystalline Drive ends at a cul-de- sac at the Property’s southeastern edge. Similarly, Parkmeadow Court ends at a cul-de-sac at the Property’s northwestern edge. Both cul-de-sac locations would provide ideal access to the site, in addition to locations along Crystalline Drive. While there is currently no sidewalk along the Crystalline Drive frontage, sidewalk connections do exist on either side of property, allowing for future sidewalk development and connections to complete the pedestrian route. Access to the south and southwest is cut off by the 680 interstate highway.
5. Environmental Constraints: Parcels under consideration should be evaluated for presence of hazardous materials, unsafe environmental conditions, sensitive environmental conditions, and other factors, such as wetlands, flood plains, etc. that might limit development of the parkland.
Analysis: No knowledge of use of hazardous materials or unsafe environmental condition on this site exists. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment will determine any potential of hazardous materials or unsafe environmental conditions on site. Any future park development proposal will be accompanied with a detailed review of site conditions, an analysis for substances incompatible with a public park, and recommended on-site mitigations if applicable.
6. Compatibility with Surrounding Land Uses: Compatibility of the activities and functions of the proposed park with surrounding land uses must be evaluated.
Analysis: Existing land uses adjacent to the site include the following:
To the north: Residential single-family homes
To the south: Interstate 680
To the east: Residential single-family homes
To the west: Residential single-family homes and Interstate 680 Purchase of the Property for parkland would be compatible with surrounding land uses by serving the surrounding residences with a public park.
7. Maintenance Impacts: Potential impacts on maintenance of park property due to unique physical characteristics of land, such as unusual shape or small size should be evaluated to discourage maintenance impacts disproportionate to their value to the park system.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 6 Analysis: The size, shape, and general physical characteristics of the proposed parkland would not create maintenance impacts disproportionate to the benefit provided to the community. Maintenance of the Property would be similar to the City’s other undeveloped parkland properties.
8. Recreation Commission Review: Parcels under consideration may be reviewed by the Recreation Commission. The Recreation Commission will review and make recommendations on proposed parkland according to the goals, standards, and guidelines of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, including physical, economic, and recreation considerations.
Analysis: On May 20, 2025, an administrative change to this criterion allows for City Council review to expedite the land acquisition process.
9. Capital Improvements, Operations, and Supervision Costs: Costs associated with capital improvements, operations, maintenance, and supervision requirements for proposed parks must be considered prior to acquisition and development of parkland and recreation facilities.
Analysis: There are currently no plans for capital improvement of the Property. The future development of this land could be funded with Park Facilities Development Impact fees, which are intended for this purpose. All public utilities (electric, water, storm drainage, and sanitary sewer) appear to be available to the site. The actual costs of capital improvements, operations, supervision, and maintenance would be considered at the time of design development through the City’s standard operational and capital budget processes.
10. Location: The parcels being considered for new parks should be located in “high-needs” areas of the City, as determined by the gap analysis, to ensure equitable access to park land within a 10-minute walking distance from residential neighborhoods.
Analysis: A citywide evaluation was conducted with real estate consultants to identify available properties within or near “high needs” areas of Fremont.
This Property was one of the target properties identified for parkland acquisition. Acquisition of this Property would bring a public park to the immediately adjacent neighborhood, providing access to a park within a 10- minute walk of residents’ homes for approximately 2,492 residents and new access for approximately 1,763 residents.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 7
11. Current Use of the Property: Parcels should be evaluated for current use to determine cost of acquisition and development of parkland. For example, vacant parcels, underdeveloped parcels (those that are not developed up to allowable land use standards), and school sites with excess lands may be more suitable for park land use.
Analysis: The Property is currently vacant and undeveloped, and suitable for parkland use.
12. Minimum Parcel Size: The parcel(s) under consideration should be a minimum aggregate size of 4 acres. Park classifications established in the 2022 Parks and Recreation Master Plan will guide the appropriate parcel size to address the intended level of service, which may be less than 4 acres on a case-by-case basis.
Analysis: The Property is 18.29 acres, an ideal size for a Community Park per the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
13. Connectivity: Potential Park sites should have good visibility from public streets and public lands to ensure safety. They should be connected to the city-wide trail system, existing and planned bike network, and key city- wide connecting streets; connectivity to transit hubs, commercial centers, schools, places of worship, and other parks should also be taken into consideration.
Analysis: The Property has excellent visibility from Crystalline Drive and Interstate 680. Existing sidewalks end at the site’s edges along the Crystalline Drive frontage, and a future sidewalk on the Property would connect pedestrians along the eastern edge. The City of Fremont’s Trails Strategy Plan identifies a future trail along the north-south Hetch Hetchy corridor through the city. The Property includes at its southeastern corner a slim 30’ wide arm, 175’ in length, which leads to that north-south Hetch Hetchy corridor. This connection to the larger Hetch Hetchy corridor would be ideal as pedestrian and bicycle connections if a future trail were constructed per the Trails Strategy plan.
14. Ability to Leverage a Variety of Funding Sources for Acquisition:
Some park sites may have a greater ability to leverage funding from grants administered by federal or state agencies or other funding.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 8 Analysis: The acquisition of this Property as parkland would enhance the City’s ability to apply for park-related grant funding for development of park facilities at the site. In support of the purchase, the City’s Planning Division prepared a General Plan Conformity Finding letter as required by Government Code 65402 and attached as Exhibit 3.
Fiscal Impact: Funds for the acquisition of the Property are available in Fund 542, the Parkland Acquisition Impact Fee Fund (Fund 542). A 10% contingency of $450,000 in addition to the purchase price would cover title, appraisal, environmental review, taxes, City staff time, and other costs and fees associated with purchase. Staff recommends that the City Council appropriate $4,950,000 in Fund 542 to the Parkland Acquisition Project (PWC8311-542).
Environmental Review: The proposed project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per, without limitation, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning. The General Plan designation of General Open Space and zoning of Open Space - General supports public uses such as parks and the project is consistent with the vision established in the existing zoning and general plan for which an EIR was certified.
On a separate and independent basis, the proposed acquisition does not consider immediate park development nor are any park development plans currently contemplated, and any future development is too speculative at this time for reasoned analysis. Any future park uses would be subject to environmental review when the plans are available, therefore the project is exempt from CEQA per CEQA Guidelines Section 15004, Time of Preparation.
Lastly, per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the activity to acquire the Property is covered by the “common sense exemption” in that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. This action is also exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, not a project.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Draft Resolution- Purchase of Property Crystalline Drive • Exhibit 1_Aerial_CrystallineDrive
• Exhibit 2_AssessorsMap
• Exhibit_3_PLN2027-00021_GP_Conformity_Finding_Letter
Council Staff Report (ID # 5807) Meeting of September 15, 2026 Updated: 9/10/2026 8:52 AM by Alberto Quintanilla B Page 9
Recommendations:
1. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the property, APN 519-1410-011, at 501 Crystalline Drive, and all other documents necessary to complete the acquisition of the Property.
2. Find that the Property, and its purchase, is in conformity with the City’s General Plan and also meets the criteria set forth in the Parkland Acquisition Manual of the City of Fremont’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
3. Appropriate $4,950,000 in Fund 542 to the Parkland Acquisition Project (PWC8311-542) for property purchase, fees, staff time, and associated costs.
4. Find that the purchase of the Property is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), without limitation, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (General Plan and Zoning Consistency), CEQA Guidelines Section 15004 (Time of Preparation), CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption); and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 (Not a Project).