Community and Economic Development Committee
10/27/26
AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council FROM: Councilmember Zac Unger
City Administration and the Public
SUBJECT: Improving the North Oakland
Regional Sports Center
DATE: 10/7/26
____________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation that the City Council adopt a resolution requesting the city administrator to negotiate the terms of a non-exclusive agreement with the nonprofit organizations North Oakland/South Oakland Little League (NOLL/SOLL) and the College Preparatory School (CPS) to provide capital improvements and ongoing stewardship of the North Oakland Regional Sports Center known as Caldecott Field located at 6900 Broadway, and if successful, return to city council with legislation containing proposed terms and appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oakland and its residents deserve to have parks, fields, and public spaces that are safe, operational, and free to be used by the community. The North Oakland Regional Sports Center is owned by the City of Oakland and is a six-acre portion of the 57.3-acre open space property known as Caldecott Field (“Field”). This field is a valuable community resource that can operate as playing fields for various organized sports, particularly baseball, and other recreational uses. For some time now, the field has been in poor condition where it concerns the grass condition, uneven playing surfaces, and inoperable restrooms.
The city is seeking avenues of improvement for this field, so that the youth and community members of Oakland can benefit from the playing fields and public park space. North Oakland/South Oakland Little League (NOLL/SOLL) is a nonprofit youth baseball organization serving children and families in the Oakland community and The College Preparatory School (CPS) is an independent college-preparatory school located near the Caldecott Field in Oakland.
Both of these organizations are interested in investing in the city and Caldecott Field together by way of capital improvements and stewardship.
This resolution is based upon past public-private agreements that the City of Oakland has negotiated with other organizations. Key recommendations include: the City Administrator to Subject: Improving the North Oakland Regional Sports Center Date: 10/7/26
Community and Economic Development Committee
10/13/26
negotiate terms for an agreement between the interested organizations and the city to provide capital improvements and stewardship and if successful, to conduct an equity assessment of the proposed use.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
As of August 27, 2025, The City of Oakland currently has 5 Public Parks and Open Spaces Capital Improvement Projects funded at $14,700,000 and as of April 17, 2025, there are 115 Public Parks and Open Spaces projects on the unfunded list with various Capital Improvement Program prioritization scores, with the specific Caldecott Field playing field(s) and restroom improvements not included in either list. The restrooms are inoperable and the fields themselves have dried grass and are not playable and would be difficult to rehabilitate and maintain. Due to the limited financial resources and large number of projects already in need of funding, a partnership with external groups that are invested in the improvement of public spaces for the City of Oakland poses mutual benefits for the City and the Public. The City of Oakland has engaged in similar public-private partnerships, such as the improvement of Raimondi Park baseball field by the Oakland Ballers, a Minor League Baseball team.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The proposed terms negotiation would allow for the city to partner with two non-profit organizations that will provide funding and ongoing maintenance and stewardship for a period of time yet to be determined. The project aligns with the City’s goals through the Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation (OSCAR) Element:
1. Maintain, preserve, & strengthen Oakland’s network of open spaces and conserve important natural resources.
2. Build an equitable, well-maintained, accessible network of parks and recreational facilities that support and reflect Oaklander’s needs, identities and cultures.
FISCAL IMPACT
The non-profit organizations will provide funding for capital improvements and maintenance that are external to the City of Oakland’s budget. This resolution would allow for a sports field owned by the city to receive necessary capital improvements it otherwise would not have had funds for.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Subject: Improving the North Oakland Regional Sports Center Date: 10/7/26
Community and Economic Development Committee
10/13/26
Various community members and organizations, including NOLL/SOLL and CPS, have expressed interest in utilizing the public space and sports fields at Caldecott Fields. This resolution would lead to the public benefit of having access to additional operable fields.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
Upon successful negotiation, the City Administrator will return to the City Council with terms of a non-exclusive agreement and appropriate findings under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
COORDINATION
Coordination on this effort has included leadership of Oakland Parks, Recreation, and Youth Department (OPRYD), Oakland Economic & Workforce Development Department, City Administrator’s Office, City Attorney’s Office. The future success of this effort may include the Department of Race and Equity.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Potential increase of rent payable to the city for operable fields.
Environmental: By rehabilitating this field, Caldecott Field would be reestablished as an operable public space, field, and park. This resolution will also further consistency with the City of Oakland Open Space & Conservation Element of the General Plan (OSCAR) and the Planning Code, including all conditional use requirements under the Open Space (OS) Athletic Field Park (AF) zoning designation.
Race & Equity: This field will be open for public use even with private investment. This resolution specifically asks the Department of Race and Equity to provide an analysis of the terms of this agreement to ensure it is equitable to all park users in Oakland and in alignment with the city principle of “fair and just” in all the City does in order to achieve equitable opportunities for all people and communities, pursuant to Section 2.29.170 of the Oakland Municipal Code.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Recommendation that the City Council ADOPT:
Resolution requesting the city administrator to negotiate the terms of a nonexclusive agreement with the nonprofit organizations North Oakland/ South Oakland Little League (NOLL/SOLL) and the College Preparatory School (CPS) to provide capital improvements and ongoing stewardship of the North Oakland Regional Sports Center known as Caldecott Field located at 6900 Broadway, and if Subject: Improving the North Oakland Regional Sports Center Date: 10/7/26
Community and Economic Development Committee
10/13/26
successful, return to city council with legislation containing proposed terms and appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Chandani Battle, Deputy Director of Policy to Councilmember Zac Unger, at [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
Zac Unger
Councilmember, District 1
Prepared by: Chandani Battle, Deputy Director of Policy to Councilmember Zac Unger