SAN BRUNO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
October 13, 2026
Public Comment(s)
From: Christine Beltran Ardema
To: City Clerk
Cc: Matt Ardema
Subject: Crestmoor Fields: Preserve a Path Forward for Youth Soccer Date: Monday, October 12, 2026 6:50:57 PM
Dear City Clerk,
I am writing as a San Bruno parent of two young soccer players to urge the City Council not to place the Crestmoor Fields Improvement Project on hold indefinitely. I understand concerns about rising construction costs, maintenance expenses, and competing demands on the General Fund. However, the City should explore every viable option before abandoning this muchneeded recreational facility.
Crestmoor represents a significant investment in our community's children. Youth sports provide physical activity, teamwork, confidence, resilience, and belonging. Families need accessible, well-maintained fields, and the report identifies 2,200 hours of annual field use.
Although approximately 54% of reported participants are San Bruno residents, the benefits of youth recreation extend throughout the community.
Before halting the project indefinitely, I encourage the Council to:
- Complete the financial picture. Clarify the status and restrictions of existing developer fee credits and the approximately $5.4 million in San Bruno Community Foundation support referenced by community members, including funding approved for lighting. Explain how these resources relate to the current budget and could reduce the City's long-term exposure. - Explore a public-private partnership. Direct staff to test whether a private operator could assume construction, maintenance, and turf replacement costs. Any partnership should guarantee access for San Bruno youth sports, resident-priority scheduling, reasonable fees, and meaningful evening and weekend availability.
- Evaluate public benefit alongside cost. Public parks are not generally expected to pay for themselves through user fees, and full cost recovery may be unrealistic. Please weigh the value of youth recreation, demand for athletic fields, and appropriate public investment against other City priorities.
- Preserve a path forward. The proposed Field Improvement Agreement includes a pause point after design and construction bids are obtained. Consider whether that option, alongside partnership exploration, would preserve flexibility and provide a more informed basis for decision-making.
An indefinite halt could leave our community without the athletic field capacity this site was intended to provide, even as the need for youth sports facilities continues. A basic park or open space may serve other valuable purposes, but it is not a substitute for lighted athletic fields.
I respectfully ask the City Council to direct staff to evaluate the partnership option, clarify available funding and financial assumptions, and return with a defined recommendation that protects youth soccer access while addressing the City's long-term responsibilities.
Please include this email in the public record for the October 13, 2026 special meeting and forward it to the Mayor and City Council.
Thank you for supporting San Bruno families.
Sincerely,
Christine and Matt Ardema
San Bruno Parents
From: Nancy M
To: City Clerk
Subject: Crestmoor Fields
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2:03:08 AM
Hi,
I have been a resident of San Bruno since 2012, my two children have played in AYSO soccer for years. My daughter is still playing AYSO currently. A brand new field would mean a lot to the community. We have had the good fortune of meeting so many wonderful people through soccer. Please don't abandon it due to costs of maintenance. This is for upcoming future families, and we can figure out a cost system (in affordable manner for all those who play soccer). Millbrae, Burlingame, and even South San Francisco has great athletic fields. We should have one too. Please continue to work with the AYSO and San Bruno committees.
There has to be a way to figure this situation out. Thank you, Nancy
From: Elaine Tam
To: City Clerk
Subject: Development of Crestmoor Field
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 9:14:35 AM
Dear San Bruno City Council,
As you know, SB already has a limited number of field options. Without access to these fields, our ability to play would be severely impacted, and many families could be priced out due to the high costs associated with securing field space. Losing Crestmoor would be detrimental to AYSO, which has been a source of joy for SB soccer players for over 50 years. Please continue with the development of Crestmoor! Thank you for your attention to this matter! Best regards,
Elaine Tam
(Parent of Evan Lim, SB AYSO player)
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
From: f
To: City Clerk
Cc: Pauline Sanchez
Subject: Crestmoor Fields - Build The Fields
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 9:26:23 AM
I have recently learned that the city is meeting to discuss permanently halting the construction of soccer fields at Crestmoor. This decision would result in the loss of a 50-year program that has fostered community spirit and provided our children in San Bruno with opportunities to participate in AYSO soccer.
We strongly urge the city to reconsider its decision and refrain from removing soccer fields from our community.
Instead, we propose the creation of new siccer spaces that will allow our children to engage in physical activity, exercise, and develop a sense of community.
Sincerely,
Fernando & Pauline
30-year residents of San Bruno
From: Shelley Prasad
To: City Clerk
Subject: Crestmoor Field
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 3:11:42 PM
Hello,
I heard there may be a halt in the development of our beloved Crestmoor Fields! Without Crestmoor fields our SB AYSO would have very limited field options! My son plays SB AYSO and we already have limited field options.
Losing Crestmoor would really hurt AYSO which has brought so much joy and community to San Bruno soccer players. So PLEASE don’t halt the development of Crestmoor Fields! This wonderful field has brought so many beautiful memories to my family and friends. It’s a place where my son can practice and play soccer. Please don’t take that away from the kids. Theres not many fields out there for our kids to play soccer!! Crestmoor fields is where kids can play and families get together. Please don’t take that away from us!!!
Shelley Prasad
From: Ez Alc
To: City Clerk
Subject: Yes on Crestmoor Development
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 6:38:51 PM
Dear San Bruno City Clerk,
I want to keep Crestmoor open because it was a childhood field for me. As a AYSO player, it has been called a second home for me. As a matter of fact, it was also where I got my chance to first experience the sport. It was promised to be done first thing after it got demolished. It has been two years since you have said that. Without the field, we would have to pay thousands of dollars to play the sport and we would have to find new fields. I really need this field because it was where I got a chance to tryout for the AYSO Region 249 Select Team. As a result, I made the team and that was where we practiced. It was an important field to me and my team. There, I made many memories such as a game winning goal, new friends, and a better version of my soccer skills. This field was where I fell in love with the sport. After I first saw the ball and kicked it, I felt an exciting emotion and I felt like if I practiced alone, then it would make me better. Then I would practice. One time, my sister asked me if I wanted to go to Crestmoor to practice. I said yes and we went and played a one on one for 2 hours. I felt like that was a memory that I can’t remake without that field. I really need the field back so I could try to ask my friends if they wanted to hang out at Crestmoor. I been at that field since I was 3 years old. Please don’t take it away from me. These are reasons why I need the field back and Yes on Crestmoor Developement.
Warm Regards,
Ezrah Alcantara U14 AYSO
From: Brendan
To: City Clerk
Subject: Keep Crestmoor Fields
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 7:09:40 PM
Dear City Council,
I am writing because of the decision to try and stop remaking Crestmoor Fields. I have been playing soccer since I was 4 years old, and it was always at Crestmoor. AYSO at Crestmoor is a place of fun, competitiveness, and somewhere the community can come together. It is a great place for kids to enjoy soccer, watch it, and just play around. Many people have created lasting memories there, and if it stops being remade, then there won’t be a place where the next generation can create fun memories and learn more about soccer. Without the Crestmoor Fields, there will be a shortage of fields and less spots for kids and adults to play. I hope you consider to take back the decision and keep building Crestmoor Fields.
Thank you for your consideration.
Brendan Sanchez
From: Deepthi Shankar
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment: Crestmoor Fields Improvement Project (Item 3a) Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 8:16:34 PM
Dear Mayor Medina and Members of the City Council,
As a San Bruno resident and parent, I am disappointed by the recommendation to place the Crestmoor Fields Improvement Project on indefinite hold. I understand the City’s financial challenges, but after years of planning and public investment, shelving the project raises serious concerns about the City’s priorities, planning, and management of community resources.
I urge the Council to reconsider this recommendation for three reasons:
1. San Bruno should invest in its community and youth sports. Updated participation figures identify 968 youth sports participants, confirming strong demand for recreational facilities. Youth sports support children’s physical, social, and emotional development, and our local AYSO teams and athletes in other sports proudly represent San Bruno at regional and national competitions. Neighboring cities like Millbrae and South San Francisco have invested in excellent parks and sports facilities, while San Bruno families often travel elsewhere for activities. We should be investing in facilities that keep families engaged locally, bring our community together, and encourage residents to spend their time and money in San Bruno, supporting our local businesses.
2. The City should seriously reconsider natural grass. I recognize that natural grass has already been evaluated and has limitations, including maintenance costs and fewer playable hours. However, the City should weigh those tradeoffs against ongoing health and environmental concerns about artificial turf, including potential chemical and PFAS exposure. Millbrae has banned new artificial turf installations, and other communities are raising similar concerns. With research into long-term impacts still ongoing, I believe the City needs to take these concerns seriously. Before committing millions of dollars, we should revisit the financial, environmental, and health implications of both options.
3. The City should pursue funding and operational solutions rather than abandon the project. After years of planning and public expenditures, I would expect the City to present a credible funding strategy rather than recommend an indefinite hold. Has the City made a serious effort to engage AYSO and other local sports organizations, community members, local businesses, corporate sponsors, and major employers? Have we fully explored grants, naming rights, community fundraising, and public-private partnerships? I am not suggesting that families or youth organizations bear the financial burden, but the City should be leading a coordinated effort to bring public and private investment together.
The City should also take a closer look at projected staffing and operational costs. Are there opportunities to work with local sports organizations on field management, scheduling, maintenance, or shared operational responsibilities? Have alternative staffing models and operational efficiencies been fully explored? These are questions that deserve answers before concluding that the project is financially unsustainable.
What concerns me most is how we arrived at this point. After years of planning and spending public funds, we are now being told that the project is too expensive to move forward. How did we get this far without a financially sustainable plan, and why is putting the project on indefinite hold being presented as the solution? This does not inspire confidence in the City’s ability to plan, prioritize, and manage taxpayer resources responsibly.
Putting the project on hold may be the easiest short-term decision, but it does nothing to address the underlying need. San Bruno residents deserve clear priorities, responsible financial management, and a genuine effort to deliver facilities that benefit our community.
Our children proudly represent San Bruno beyond our city limits. We should be equally committed to investing in them here at home.
I urge the Council not to accept the recommendation for an indefinite hold without first pursuing a credible funding, partnership, staffing, and operational strategy. Bring local sports organizations, residents, businesses, and corporate sponsors to the table and show the community that the City is committed to finding a solution rather than walking away.
Please distribute my comments to the City Council and include them in the public record for Item 3(a).
Thank you,
Deepthi Shankar
San Bruno Resident
From: Lindsay Yamamoto
To: City Clerk
Subject: Fwd: Please Keep the Crestmoor Fields Project Moving Forward Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026 9:26:44 AM
Dear Mayor Medina and Members of the San Bruno City Council, I am writing as a parent and member of the San Bruno community to urge you to keep the Crestmoor Multi-Use Fields project on track. I understand City staff is weighing whether to halt development of the fields, and I respectfully ask the Council to ensure that does not happen.
The fields were the community's part of the bargain when new housing came to the former Crestmoor High School site, and we learned we would be losing the soccer fields TEMPORARILY. As this Council knows, residents, youth sports organizations, and City staff have worked through a public master planning process to design the fields. Last December, the Council approved an agreement with Toll Brothers to build the fields, backed by City impact-fee credits and a sizeable grant from the San Bruno Community Foundation. Stopping now would break faith with the community who has trusted the process thus far.
Without the Crestmoor Fields, San Bruno AYSO’s program would not be able to continue. AYSO is not just a weekend activity. For many local children it is their first team, their first coach outside of school, and their first experience of showing up for others. It is a way for families to integrate into the San Bruno community, especially for those families with children who might never make a competitive club roster, at a price families can afford. It runs almost entirely on volunteers: parents who coach, referee, line fields, and run the snack bar. That kind of civic fabric is hard to build and very easy to lose.
The benefits to children are well established. Regular team sports build physical health and coordination, but they also build the things we worry about most for kids today: confidence, resilience after a loss, the ability to get along with teammates who are different from them, and a reason to spend a Saturday outside instead of on a screen. Programs like AYSO give younger children a positive place to belong, and they keep older kids connected to adults and peers who are invested in them during the years when that matters most.
I listened to the Council Meeting on October 13th and there seemed to be an argument by the City Manager’s team that soccer gets more city funding than baseball or other sports, or at least as much. I am not sure how this argument supports breaking the obligations put forth to the community back at the start of this endeavor. The Q&A session felt like a bit of a red herring to side step the main issues at hand of trust in the council and budget.
I recognize the City faces real budget and planning pressures, and I appreciate the difficult tradeoffs staff must weigh. But abandoning fields that were promised, planned, and largely funded is not the path forward.
If adjustments are needed; phasing the work, revisiting the scope, or partnering further with the Community Foundation and local youth leagues, I hope the Council will exhaust those options first. AYSO families and volunteers are ready to help find a path forward.
Please direct staff to move forward with the Crestmoor Fields. Our children, and the families who have invested years in this community, are counting on you.
Thank you for your time and your service to San Bruno.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Yamamoto
Crestmoor 2 Resident