City Council Meeting Page 1 of 13 October 14, 2025
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City of Lafayette
City Council Minutes
Lafayette Library and Learning Center – Don Tatzin Community Hall October 14, 2025 3491 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, California 7:00 p.m.
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City Council Meeting Page 2 of 13 October 14, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER – 7:00 P.M.
Mayor Candell called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Candell; Councilmembers Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon Absent/Excused: Vice Mayor Anduri
Staff Present: Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager; Tracy Robinson, Assistant City Manager; Mike Moran, Engineering and Public Works Director; Greg Wolff, Planning and Building Director; Matt Luttropp, Engineering Services Manager; Gerardo Jimenez, Code Enforcement Officer; Mala Subramanian, City Attorney; Joanne Robbins, City Clerk
3. Disclosure and/or Take Action on Remote Participation due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances Pursuant to AB 2449 (Gov. Code section 54953(f).)
4. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Mayor Candell requested removal of Item 16.B and place the item on the October 27th agenda at their request.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Cervantes) to adopt the agenda, as amended. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 4- 0-1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None; Absent: Anduri).
5. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Mayor Candell led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
6. Mayor Candell - Land Acknowledgement Statement
We acknowledge that Lafayette is part of the unceded, ancestral homeland of the Bay Miwok people. The Bay Miwok and neighboring Ohlone people have lived in and moved through this place for thousands of years. They stewarded and shaped this land for hundreds of generations.
We express our appreciation and gratitude for this profound legacy, which enhances and contributes to our lives to this day. We will strive to honor this land and strengthen our ties with the Indigenous communities that continue to live and work in our East Bay region as our neighbors and community members. We acknowledge and honor them and their ancestors, elders, and next seven generations.
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS (For items not on the agenda)
SALI JAWSON, Lafayette Rotary President, thanked everyone who supported them for Keep on Truckin’ which was an amazing event. The last count revealed over 1,700 people show up at the event for the Monument Crisis Center. She said next year will be Rotary’s 80th year. They are the grandfather of all other clubs. They hold many events, and she is looking for community members to help support their events.
Their club is different as all they do is focus on Lafayette and the community and they meet on Thursdays at Oakwood Athletic Club at 12:30 p.m. weekly and people can visit their website at [email protected].
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Councilmember Cervantes commented that he volunteered for the event which was terrific, and the vibe was tremendous with young families and small children. The money being raised is for a good cause and he thanked Ms. Jawson and all volunteers. Councilmember McCormick echoed comments and thanks.
LARRY BLODGETT, Rotary Club of Lafayette, said he personally thanked the City Council and the City of Lafayette for their participation in allowing them to hold the event on Golden Gate Way on Saturday. If not for Public Works, Police and shutting down the street the event would not have happened. It was one of Lafayette’s finest hours and everybody had an amazing time.
ERIC FONSTEIN, former member of the City’s Environmental Task Force, urged the Council to support the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Bill, which would make major fossil fuel companies fund climate damage costs, easing the burden on taxpayers and generating billions for climate-resilient infrastructure and vulnerable communities. The bill is currently under consideration in the State legislature and he asked that the City provide a local resolution or letter of support.
Mayor Candell asked Mr. Fonstein to email information on the matter to the Council and they can consider this as part of their Legislative Committee.
8. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE
City Manager Srivatsa provided the following update:
• The Senior Services community and Commission were happy to participate in the Community Foundation of Lafayette’s Senior Symposium on the 27th of September. Director Katayanagi was a speaker, along with Lamorinda Village and they spoke about building community through collaboration.
• The Lafayette Youth Commissioners are busy getting ready for the Community Parks & Trails Annual Spooky Walk which will take place on October 25th and 26th. Tickets are available on the City’s website.
• The Public Art Committee is excited to announce that the production of the first mural as part of the Downtown Mural Program will begin the week of October 27th. • Since the last Council meeting, staff hosted an Open House to present 65% plans for the Connecting Lafayette Project which are the improvements along School Street and Topper Lane.
The next steps will be to present to the Transportation and Circulation Commission and a final update to the City Council prior to bidding the project in the winter and spring of 2026. • This Thursday, staff will be involved in a hands-on emergency training. They will activate the EOC at the Jennifer Russell Building. All staff will be trained by Andy Comly to be ready and prepared in the event of a disaster.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
9. PRESENTATIONS – None.
10. CONSENT CALENDAR
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Mayor Candell asked if Councilmembers wished to remove any items. Councilmember McCormick requested removal of Item 10.A. There were no further requests and no public comments on remaining items.
A. Resolution 2025-51: Resolution of Local Support for Downtown Lafayette Aqueduct Pathway Project – Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) Funding Recommendation: Adopt Resolution 2025-51.
B. Resolution 2025-52: Resolution to Remove Three Parking Spaces in front of 50 Lafayette Circle and Repurpose Parking Spaces for Outdoor Dining
Recommendation: Adopt Resolution 2025-52.
C. Award of Construction Contract for Lafayette Town Center Pathway and BART Bike Station Project, Number 014-9721
Recommendation: Award the construction contract for the Lafayette Town Center Pathway and BART Bike Station Project, Number 014-9721, to Integra Construction Services, Inc. in the amount of $2,590,000.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Cervantes/McCormick) to adopt Consent Calendar Items B, C and D. Vote: 4-0-1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None; Absent: Anduri).
11. OLD BUSINESS – None.
12. STAFF REPORTS
A. Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Transit Oriented Communities Policy Recommendation: Direct staff to submit comments on the TOC Policy to MTC requesting that the mandatory TOC requirements be replaced with voluntary, incentive-based guidelines that support housing and affordability without penalizing jurisdictions making good-faith efforts to comply.
City Manager Srivatsa provided an overview of the TOC Policy, noting its goal to promote higher-density development near transit hubs like Lafayette’s BART Station. While technically voluntary, cities must score 85% to qualify for OneBay Area Grant funding. The requirements include upzoning, increased commercial FARs, housing programs, and parking changes. However, staff found achieving this threshold would require significant resources and adoption of policies that conflict with Lafayette’s General Plan.
Additionally, some housing policy requirements—such as rent stabilization and anti-displacement measures—are impractical for smaller cities already burdened by extensive Housing Element mandates.
Councilmember McCormick hosted a meeting with the Chair of MTC and representatives from Walnut Creek and Orinda were there, as well.
Councilmember McCormick explained that he, Vice Mayor Anduri and Planning Commission Chair Stephen LaBonge have closely reviewed the TOC Policy matrix, which offers a menu of weighted options to reach the 85% compliance threshold needed for grant eligibility. A major issue is the fixed radius around the BART station, similar to concerns raised with SB 79, which doesn’t allow flexibility for local context.
Other cities like Walnut Creek and Orinda share similar challenges. He noted that some requirements like parking maximums of one space per unit may suit high-density areas but are unsuitable for neighborhoods like Happy Valley. The one-size-fits-all approach fails to account for Lamorinda’s unique topography.
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In a meeting with the MTC Chair, it was acknowledged that half the MTC Board has turned over since the policy was introduced and feedback has been limited. The Chair was sympathetic, and Councilmember McCormick suggested the City send a letter requesting reconsideration, emphasizing that while they want to compete for funding, the current requirements are unworkable. Therefore, he wanted to bring this to the entire City Council.
Councilmember Cervantes said in looking at the one-half mile sphere, he asked if it indicates how much properties get upzoned or he asked if there is a new density threshold. Councilmember McCormick said yes, there is a new density threshold of 30 or 35 du/acre, and they had oddities on what can and cannot be counted. It did not affect parcels that already had homes on them, but more issues with the parking requirements, the FAR for commercial buildings, so the entire thing did not make a lot of sense.
Councilmember Wotherspoon said if someone were to demolish a single-family house north of the freeway, she asked if they would be subject to the density. City Manager Srivatsa emphasized it is confusing and staff was not given all answers. It appears you can exempt lots that already have residential, but they were not sure about the question of when someone demolishes their house and rebuilds.
Councilmember Wotherspoon said there was a minimum density also implemented and she asked if it was close to 30 du/acre. Councilmember McCormick said yes, the minimum was close at 30 du/acre, but the maximum was pretty high. It was sort of a one-size-fits-all approach and it was clear after the meeting that the MTC Board needs to weigh in on it with new eyes. The City’s voice mirrored Walnut Creek and Orinda’s views exactly.
Councilmember Wotherspoon referred to the timeline of early 2026. She reviewed some of the agenda reports from Councilmember McCormick’s meetings and the Planning Subcommittee, and there was a timeline that went month by month by month. She asked if the MTC Chair indicated the current status of this. Councilmember McCormick said this was also concerning, noting the timeline was indeterminate but soon and the City would have to hold monthly meetings from here through mid-next year to get all of these zonings approved and there were concerns with people understanding implications. So, not only was it ill-conceived, it was rushed for something so important.
Mayor Candell said MTC is famous for over-reach and this does not seem legal because they are a transportation agency and they are dictating cities’ housing and land use policies. She asked if that is in their purview.
City Attorney Mala Subramanian said she thinks it is because they are tying it also to the grant funds. She suspects it is connected because of the proximity to BART which means less traffic.
Councilmember McCormick likened it as more housing close to transit idea, but the policy was not as well thought out as to how to get there. He said the Chair of MTC was also the Mayor of Pleasant Hill was very sympathetic and she has heard all of their concerns, similar concerns mentioned at the Mayors’ Conference, and they are planning on holding a retreat and re-thinking the whole thing, so the Council’s letter will help her craft the next step working with staff.
Ms. Srivatsa added that the letter will largely reflect what is in the staff report, and in addition to Chair Noack, Supervisor Andersen serves on the MTC Board and staff has conveyed to her their concerns and they will follow up with the letter as well.
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Councilmember Cervantes asked how much money do grants involve here. Mayor Candell said over the past 5 years, the City has been awarded over $3.4 million and this is significant. Councilmember McCormick said he thinks the City would have had to make some hard decisions to make if they stuck with this particular scenario whether they would have done the zoning to get the funding, especially in the current situation with federal funding, and this is why they need to be more thoughtful about this because it is too important.
Councilmember Cervantes referred to things like the six affordable housing policies and rent control, just cause eviction, etc. and would argue rent control would cut against any developer who wants to build housing.
Councilmember McCormick agreed and it is like putting in parking minimum and maximums. Even the one space per unit is non-existent, as most have more than one space per unit because developers realize it is necessary to convince people to move to the homes. Potentially one of the options was expanding inclusionary housing to 80% of median income, and this would also make it more challenging for developers to build because it would make all other units more expensive. There were many things that were anti-developer as well which would not help Lafayette get more housing built if they make it less economically viable for developers.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
Councilmember Cervantes said after reading this, if you want to further housing you need to do thing that further housing, and part of that is seeing what the market is doing and relate to that. He spoke with developers and they want to have two spaces for parking because that is the market and how they can sell product. It seems there is this alternative universe that does not correspond to what makes housing work, and if they want to kill housing, the “seeds are imbedded in this.” Councilmember McCormick said he thinks the Mayor’s comments were right—this is supposed to be a transportation centric group and they do not know housing. It went off the rail and there was no reconciliation or alignment about the goals toward a particular end.
Councilmember Wotherspoon asked they have one menu for all jurisdictions.
Councilmember McCormick said he actually likes the idea of being able to pick and choose from a menu of things and they had some things that were tiered, but the tiering was not very significant. Lafayette was in the third tier because they were the smallest jurisdiction and so that means they can do a 1.2 instead of 1.0 or 1.4. So, it is almost like they thought to put that in, but they did not think about what it would mean for a city like Lafayette versus a city like Walnut Creek or Concord. And, you cannot draw a circle around a transit stop and have the same blanket policy across the whole circle.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Cervantes/Candell) to direct staff to submit comments on the TOC Policy to MTC requesting that the mandatory TOC requirements be replaced with voluntary, incentive-based guidelines that support housing and affordability without penalizing jurisdictions making good-faith efforts to comply. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 4-0-1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None;
Absent: Anduri).
13. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Jonathan Katayanagi, Parks and Recreation Director
City Council Meeting Page 7 of 13 October 14, 2025
Resolution setting Fees for Use of the Lafayette Sports Fields and Establishing Use Categories Recommendation: Conduct public hearing and adopt Resolution 2025-49 Setting Fees for Use of Lafayette Sports Fields and Establishing User Categories effective January 1, 2026.
City Attorney Mala Subramanian announced that the agenda item is for consideration of fees for the Lafayette Sports Field and establishing the use categories. The Council will not be considering or discussing the use of the fields, lease agreements and/or any modification to the fields. Comments should be specific for setting the fees for the fields and establishing use categories.
Parks and Recreation Director Jonathan Katayanagi presented the staff report to the Council about setting fees and defining use categories for the Lafayette Sports Field. The City has four multi-sport fields with hourly rates, including higher fees for soccer due to field impact. Lafayette Little League (LLL) leases Buckeye Fields and pays actual hourly costs, which work out to be roughly $24/hour in 2024.
LLL will also pay the current hourly rate to use the Community Park fields year-round and Buckeye Fields in the fall. All other user groups pay hourly rates, which haven’t changed since 2011 and are due for an update. The end of the Little League lease is prompting a review, as the lease has effectively subsidized the need to raise rates. He said public comments were received and the current maintenance model will continue, with Lafayette families and user groups sharing responsibility. Exhibit A outlines a collaborative process for allocating field time and maintenance duties. The allocation process also prioritizes high Lafayette residency user groups that will get first priority for in-season use. He noted that the recommendation, supported by the PTR Commission, is to adopt Resolution 2025-49 and adopt fees and use categories.
Councilmember Wotherspoon asked if the snack shack is open to the public for members renting the facility. Director Katayanagi said the snack shack is typically locked and user groups would have to go through a process to be trained to use that facility. User group snack shack use would be worked out through the allocation process.
Councilmember McCormick asked whether the PTR Department’s workload would increase. Director Katayanagi responded that maintenance work will likely remain similar. While the annual allocation process is already somewhat challenging—even with the current lease—going forward, there will be more negotiation involved as hourly rates are applied across all facilities, but user groups generally collaborate well.
Councilmember McCormick referred to rink rental fees, and Director Katayanagi explained the Parks Subcommittee asked that to be listed because there are so many requests for field use the City cannot meet; that lacrosse and soccer clubs must utilize the rink. So, there are groups paying $50/hour as a nonprofit group or higher amount if they are a private resident, renting the rink to utilize the Rink/pickleball courts at the Lafayette Community Center, as a field.
Councilmember Cervantes said in 2011 the rate was $8/hour and the proposal is to get up to $20/hour, which is over 4 years. This is a 5-5 ½% growth rate. If the City raised the rate every year by 5%, they would be looking at the same numbers, as presented. Director Katayanagi confirmed and they also compared the rate with other cities.
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Councilmember Cervantes asked and confirmed that it is typical for cities to charge higher rates for people further away from Lafayette, and that a new field would cost north of $5 million and there are not many flat lots. Katayangi confirmed and added that the possible lots include a lot of grading, drainage issues, and other expensive work.
Mayor Candell asked why staff thinks this will change the use patterns, and Director Katayanagi said he was addressing some of the questions that come in as public comment, and there is a request from softball right now, they likely will see and additional request from a newly formed softball group; however, the change of fees would not cause the change of use.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period.
NANCY HU echoed Director Katayanagi’s comments and thanked him for answering many of her questions. Having the fee structure change and have people even come for birthday parties to rent the facilities could lead to deterioration of the fields. This is new to her because her two boys have now started playing baseball and she has come to respect a lot of the care, people and efforts that it takes to take care of the fields, and she has been impressed with Lafayette Little League. They have rented from the Community Center for birthday parties before and use community spaces a lot for her family. So, she worries things will deteriorate or follow-up of maintenance would fall on the Parks and Recreation Department which is a burden on them.
ROGER HU said he is a Little League coach and serves on the Board to help with evaluating kids, and spent time looking at the financial implications of the proposed use structure because he has access to the schedule, games, and tournaments for last year’s field usage. What he found was somewhat concerning because Lafayette Little League used to operate under a lease model and they would ask for more hours than what they would use it for. They found out that their real field usage was about 1250 hours. Director Katayanagi did the math and they asked for 1800 hours. So, in his estimation, this would result in a net loss of $20,000 under the new model. If the Little League no longer has a preferential lease agreement, it means the number of hours requested would be optimized around this structure. He knows the proposal is also to raise the fees on upper and lower Community field which would potentially offset that, but he pointed out that Lafayette Little League already invests heavily in the maintenance of Buckeye and Chaney Fields. They spent over $20,000 on landscaping costs and thousands of volunteer hours to keep the field safe and playable. His question would be, under this new model where in some ways Lafayette Little League was entrusted as the caretaker of the fields from February through August, and he read through the lease agreement where the Little League was helping reimburse the City on costs, he asked where is that cost come from. So, this model is not just a price structure change but actually a change in how the City operates those fields because since the fields were transformed in 2004, it is a major departure from this 20-year partnership.
Mayor Candell asked if what Mr. Hu is saying is that Little League invested $40,000 on maintenance from February to August for just Buckeye Fields. Mr. Hu clarified it is $20,000 for Buckeye and Chaney where this was spent on maintenance. What he is saying is if they optimize for the number of hours they actually use the fields for, it would be a lot less.
Councilmember Cervantes asked and confirmed the $20,000 spent was for last year.
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DAN EMERSON said he is an impassioned father of three boys, spent countless hours prepping the fields, maintaining them, has joined the Board as well to try to help and be supportive to create a special environment for their kids. Lafayette Little League has been around for 61 years doing the same thing.
Over the last 20 years, Lafayette Little League has been a steward for those fields, committing their time and energy every single week all year and creating an opportunity for kids to have a great baseball experience. With this shift here in changing the structure and maybe disrespecting the longevity of those relationships that have been in place, it does not feel very characteristic of the community what they have here in Lafayette, and it is disheartening. He feels it may not have the intended benefit of keeping the relationship of all parties and thinks this actually splinters the community even more. Everybody looks forward to going to Buckeye and he is looking forward to bringing his boys there, and the same way Lafayette has traditionally evaluated decisions methodically and not be rushed to judge, he thinks it needs to merit an evaluation that takes time.
Mayor Candell said she is hearing that people think that if the City has less use for the Little League, she asked if Mr. Emerson is concerned that the quality of the fields will go down, and she asked for a comparison of the quality of the Buckeye Field versus the other community fields that Little League plays on.
Mr. Emerson said the Community Field is played on by Advance Baseball Program, while Chaney and Buckeye are the same because the same parents maintain them. Every Sunday he was out there dragging fields at Buckeye himself, and in comparing them to the Community Fields, Upper Community is not maintained, and the School Fields are the same which are unsafe and unreliable about balls bouncing irregularly. He has seen many kids get hurt and injured because of a lack of maintenance. This is something they joke about when taking kids to practice at Upper Community, but the reality is that it is not being maintained and has the wrong soil and ultimately, if you can handle an Upper Community bounce, you can handle anything. His son had a broken nose from up there, so these are things that do happen. He did not think this is fully appreciated of what it means to put the time in. LLL spends about 3,000 hours a year supporting the fields in the broader program and it is a lot of commitment.
JOE DOUGHERTY, Parks Subcommittee Chair, said he would like to commend staff and their work on this project between the Subcommittee and the PTR Commission. The proposal is very well detailed, thought through and presented, and reviewed by the public as well as the PTR Commission—hence the proposal is a 9-0 vote in favor of the proposal. He also said this is not about Lafayette Little League. This is about public fields. These fields are for all of Lafayette. For 21 years, girls’ softball has not been allowed on Buckeye Fields. He has two daughters, has a son that played Little League baseball. He has coached them both. The experience is 180 degrees different between the two. All they are asking for is to let the girls play on Buckeye Field. The PTR Commission agreed the way the data was presented to them.
With regard to fees, this needs to be a fee discussion only on what is equitable for the City and how much they will subsidize the baseball fields and the sports fields because in Lafayette, they have multi-use fields.
To have a baseball fee, a softball fee, and a soccer fee does not make sense when the City is responsible for the field year-round as a multi-use field. So, their field fee needs to be for field use and not sport use.
Councilmember McCormick asked whether the proposed fee changes would be revenue-neutral.
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Director Katayanagi responded that the changes aim to align with market rates and adjust for inflation, not to be revenue-neutral. They considered usage patterns, noting that Lafayette Little League often reserves more field time than it uses, and that higher off-season rates could offset reduced hours. The change could open up availability for other user groups, potentially increasing revenue. McCormick also raised concerns that switching to an hourly rate might reduce the extra work currently done by groups like LLL and asked how that would be managed.
Director Katayanagi said he has a lot of faith in the Lafayette families and volunteers from organizations that will come out and work together to utilize the fields. This was one of the reasons he wanted to address Ms. Hu’s comments in knowing there are passionate parents that play baseball and softball, and he would expect both groups to come out. But, there is a bit to work out getting the work groups to work together. This is something they do at the rink with the sports user groups that are playing pickleball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse and other various uses that take care of that facility. Each user group utilizes the facility in a different way, but they all work together to keep it in great condition for everybody to enjoy.
So, he looks forward to working with the field user groups and managing that process.
But, he also would expect the City will maintain a very good foundation for those user groups. Staff have always worked with Lafayette Little League to do improvements needed each season. Those get billed back to Little League currently as part of the lease, but in this cost neutral model where we do not expect revenue to drop, as long as they have the partners reserving the facilities, they will still have the funds to go out and improve the fields in the way they need to be improved. If the user groups want to come forward and have suggestions regarding improvements, staff will be happy to work with the user groups to continue that process. If users are concerned that they will bring forward less of those improvements because they are sharing, that is something that would need to be worked out amongst the user groups that are sharing that facility. If the groups can find ways to work together so everybody can benefit from them, this is something the Department would be happy to facilitate.
Councilmember McCormick said staff did surveys of the other cities, and he asked if other cities deal with it this way as well.
Director Katayanagi said he does not know of any other cities that have had a preferential lease in place.
There are several cities that use a field alliance model where user groups come together and some of them form separate non-profits where they work together to allocate field time and raise funds for those fields. So, there is an opportunity here for them to develop that process.
Councilmember Cervantes said this is a different pricing model—from a one user group lease with other groups using it on an hourly basis to all hourly.
Director Katayanagi stated the hourly rates are already in place. There is an expired lease and staff has not brought forward an extension to the lease or a new lease. Right now, all groups will be utilizing the hourly rate model because that is all they will have in place. Prior to the expiration of the lease, one user group, during the one season, utilizes a lease agreement, and everybody else has the current hourly rates.
Councilmember Cervantes said there are different groups that would want to use hours, and the allocation of that between local teams and some other outside parties will have to be sorted. He asked if there is a way that gets done and asked if this is something Parks and Recreation staff do.
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Director Katayanagi said it will be department staff working with the user groups and liaisons from the PTR Commission that go through that allocation process. Traditionally, they have only been able to take two to three user groups. The requests are such that they were not able to consider any other groups. He added there was a concern regarding birthday parties, and he cannot think of the last time the City was able to offer a birthday party out on the fields just because the youth sports user groups have the fields reserved year-round. Outside of the time the fields need to rest, they are absolutely utilized. They have other rates in the event if for some reason they can negotiate time, which is a process they could go through. He commented that Roger Hu shared that LLL may not reserve the hours to mitigate for the new cost and this might open up the opportunity to use some of those other categories to reserve time on the fields.
Councilmember Cervantes asked if the department had been operating at a loss since the fee structure hadn’t changed since 2011, and whether the new model would help them break even. Director Katayanagi explained that while the new model will move them closer to cost-neutral, the fields will still be subsidized and not generate full cost recovery. However, it will help maintain service levels, adjust for inflation, and address the end of the lease while updating fees.
Mayor Candell said she loves the concept that they believe in Lafayette parents taking care of the fields, but the Council has heard from everybody here that the Buckeye Fields are better. This concerns her quite a bit because she would almost go for higher fees so the City could maintain its fields better. She asked if this was considered because she is concerned they are not maintaining their fields as well as they could.
Director Katayanagi noted that Lafayette Little League had been the main caretakers of the fields at Community Park and Buckeye Fields until recently when there was an additional user added to upper field, with volunteers playing a key role in maintenance. There were concerns about the quality of the infield mix at the upper field, which the City hopes to improve to the ideal 70/30 ratio, noting that the current mix is still infield mix intended for baseball and softball budget constraints are limiting how much the Department can do, but they’re working to address the mix issue and other field improvements. As volunteer involvement declines over time, maintaining the same level of care may be challenging.
Nonetheless, the Community fields remain high-quality compared to others in the area.
Councilmember McCormick said he hopes for the best and hopes that when they have the new model, parents will put in just as much love into it. But, he questioned that if they do not feel as attached, will they put in as much effort and he wondered if the City needs to compensate with additional staff. He thinks if the Council approves this, he would actually look to get an update in a year to see how they are doing. He appreciates a four-year plan but would not like to be locked in and not be able to do anything.
Director Katayanagi said this is something that could be brought forward. On the bottom of page 3 in the staff report it notes this is a rollout over 4 years to get to the current benchmark of cities around Lafayette, so they are trying to lessen the impact to the groups, but there is the concern that if inflation continues, they may have to bring it forward because of that as well.
Mayor Candell and Councilmembers agreed on the importance of reviewing the new field fee model after one year, as it represents a significant shift. Councilmember Cervantes emphasized the need to also consider capital improvements to bring field conditions and amenities up to standard, noting upcoming CIP discussions. Director Katayanagi acknowledged existing and potential capital costs, including a $650,000 project at Buckeye and other maintenance needs.
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Councilmembers McCormick, Cervantes, and Wotherspoon expressed appreciation for the LLL's contributions and acknowledged support for the Parks, Trails, and Recreation (PTR) Commission’s unanimous 9-0 recommendation. They acknowledged the change as well-reasoned and necessary due to the end of the lease, while recognizing the role of community volunteers.
Mayor Candell reiterated that this change only concerns the fee structure—not the use or configuration of the fields—and supported aligning fees with those of nearby cities. She confirmed that the annual review could occur without being written into the resolution.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Cervantes/Wotherspoon) to adopt Resolution 2025-49 Setting Fees for Use of Lafayette Sports Fields and Establishing User Categories effective January 1, 2026. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 4- 0-1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None; Absent: Anduri).
14. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT
A. City Council Minutes
September 22, 2025
Recommendation: Approve.
Councilmember McCormick referred to page 30, paragraph 3, “Councilmember McCormick said this is why he thinks the condition could should not prescribe a the solution and defer…” Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Cervantes/McCormick) to approve the September 22, 2025 City Council Minutes, as amended. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 4-0-1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None;
Absent: Anduri).
15. COUNCIL / COMMISSION REPORTS
A. Councilmembers report on activities and consideration of matters a Councilmember wishes to initiate for placement on a future agenda.
Councilmember McCormick reported on his attendance at the Second Annual Lamorinda Village Sip and Savor held last week, which was well attended.
Councilmember Wotherspoon reported on her attendance at the EBRPD Director Study Session two Fridays ago and she spoke to encourage the prioritization of repairing the trail by Lafayette Creek and Leigh Creekside Park, and the bridge by the Gazebo Park. She spoke with representatives who said reconstruction funds of $1.9 million are allocated and are in the current CIP, and the project is undergoing permitting, but they did not want to give commitments about dates.
Councilmember Cervantes reported on last week’s Emergency Preparedness Commission meeting where a robust conversation was held about the fire off of Pleasant Hill Road. Chief Bachmann will be at the next meeting to review lessons learned, etc. The fire was dealt with quickly and there were great pictures and well-covered.
City Council Meeting Page 13 of 13 October 14, 2025
Mayor Candell reported on her attendance to the League of California Cities meeting in Long Beach, and the general consensus was that sessions were not very exciting. She attended a session regarding fires and learned that the City of Grass Valley got magnets for every residents with their evacuation zones on them.
16. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
A. Request from John Fazel, National Coordinator and Co-Founder of the American Discovery Trail Society, requesting a proclamation recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the Three Quarters Century Club Celebration on October 21, 2025.
Recommendation: Approve the proclamation recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the Three Quarters Century Club Celebration on October 21, 2025.
Mayor Candell said all residents 75 years old and above get invited to this event and she stated she will provide the proclamation to Mr. Fazel.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were not speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Wotherspoon) to approve the proclamation recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the Three Quarters Century Club Celebration on October 21, 2025. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 4-0- 1 (Ayes: Candell, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None; Absent: Anduri).
B. E-mail from Sue Serverson, on behalf of the Acalanes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), requesting a proclamation recognizing December 1, 2025, as “Rosa Parks Day:
Illuminating Our Pathy to Civil Rights.”
Recommendation: Approve the proclamation recognizing December 1, 2025, as “Rosa Parks Day:
Illuminating Our Pathy to Civil Rights.”
This item was moved to the October 27, 2025 City Council agenda, as requested by the Acalanes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
17. ADJOURNMENT – 8:33 p.m.
APPROVED:
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Susan Candell, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Joanne Robbins, City Clerk