Item No. 9. Page 1 of 2
7 5
4 6
City Council
Supplemental Report
From: Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director
Meeting Date: June 9, 2025
Item Number: 9
Report #:2506-4816
TITLE
Approval of Construction Contract No. C25193640 with FieldTurf USA, Inc. in the Amount of $3,064,185 for Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields Turf Replacement Project PG-26000, and Authorization of Contract Contingency in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $306,419; and Amend the FY2025 Budget in the Capital Improvement Fund and the Parks Dedication Fund; CEQA status - categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15301 and 15302.
Question from Councilmember Reckdahl:
During Council's previous discussion about artificial turf, staff's intention was to select artificial turf whose grass blades did not contain PFAS. This week's turf-replacement staff report doesn't indicate whether or not the grass blades will contain PFAS. Are PFAS-free blades still planned? Since PFAS can be added to the chemical mix or can also be generated during the manufacturing processes' chemical reactions, will the final blades be tested to confirm no PFAS?
Staff Response:
Staff have conducted further due diligence on the synthetic turf manufacturer, FieldTurf, selected for the Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields Turf Replacement Project, including reviewing products to verify availability of a PFAS-free synthetic turf product.
Public Works Environmental Services Watershed Protection and Community Services met with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to learn more about the specific product being considered, and PFAS in general. Specifically, staff met with DTSC scientists that are evaluating artificial turf as part of their Safer Consumer Products program. DTSC indicated that it is most concerned with intentionally-added PFAS, or PFAS added during the manufacturing process.
Based on this research and follow-up, staff have confirmed that FieldTurf manufactures synthetic turf products without intentionally-added PFAS and this is the product that will be
Item No. 9. Page 2 of 2
7 5
4 6
installed at Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields. FieldTurf will test the product after installation to verify no intentionally-added PFAS. While testing of the product immediately prior to installation might be preferable, it would result in significant project delays as the time from manufacture to installation is a few weeks, while obtaining testing results could take several months.
APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director