Parks and Recreation Commission - November 25, 2025

Baylands youth golf proposal awaits studies and a longer-term agreement

Palo Alto staff plans to seek City Council consideration in January or February 2026 of a proposed three- to five-year facility-use agreement with First Tee Silicon Valley. If approved, it would replace an interim agreement that expires at the end of February. The Parks and Recreation Commission received the update without taking action.

Under a draft capital-partnership term sheet, First Tee could fund development of an existing grass practice area between Embarcadero Road and the Baylands Golf Links driving range. The proposal is intended to increase annual First Tee participation at Baylands from about 300 to at least 700 children and teens. The update put First Tee’s annual Baylands investment at about $350,000, plus $75,000 for school outreach.

The proposal is tied to a possible double-deck driving range and the city’s $847,789 fiscal year 2026 Golf Course Net and Artificial Turf Replacement Project. Staff said net improvements should wait until studies determine the height needed to protect the youth and short-game areas and accommodate any second deck. A ball-trajectory study is expected in January, followed by the broader feasibility study in early 2026. No construction decision was made.

Commissioner Shani Kleinhaus sought a public roadmap for decisions about turf, lighting and design, along with analysis of traffic safety, the Baylands master plan and the Embarcadero Road view corridor. Commissioner Yudy Deng asked about capacity and shade, while Roger Smith and Nellis Freeman supported expanding youth access to golf. Staff said community engagement would precede future improvements and that later review would address access, parking, safety and landscaping.

Garden rules will be reviewed as wait lists persist

Palo Alto staff will give the commission the current community-garden guidelines and intends to review them with garden liaisons before bringing potential revisions back. The commission did not vote on changes to the program, which has more than 420 plots across five sites.

Staff reported waiting lists of about 22 people at Rinconada, 17 at Johnson, nine at Ventura, eight at Eleanor, three at Arastradero and six seeking space at any available garden. Staff said it receives inquiries weekly and has restored dedicated staffing for monitoring, support and communications.

The current annual rate is 96 cents per square foot, including water, with a one-time refundable deposit of $213. Discounts include 25% for eligible gardeners age 60 or older, 50% based on income and a full fee waiver for volunteer liaisons; the discounts cannot be combined. Commissioners asked how fees and discounts balance affordability with cost recovery, but no fee change was proposed or approved.

Commissioners also explored school-garden partnerships, volunteer and corporate support, and a durable new garden site in South Palo Alto. Staff said it is open to partnerships and additional locations, but no site was selected. Plans for 2026 include expanding organized volunteer work beyond Eleanor Pardee Garden and establishing a regional resource-sharing group with other garden coordinators.

Enjoy catalog shifts online before December registration

The city is transitioning the Enjoy activity catalog from mailed copies to primarily electronic distribution as a cost-saving measure. Staff plans to retain approximately 1,500 printed copies per release for pickup and will monitor the effect on participation and revenue. Commissioners asked how the change would affect access.

Resident registration is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Dec. 4, 2025, followed by nonresident registration on Dec. 11.

Cubberley plan is slated for a Dec. 5 council presentation

Staff planned a final Cubberley Community Center master-plan presentation to the City Council on Dec. 5, 2025, followed by an update to the Parks and Recreation Commission in January. The commission took no action on the plan.

The city is holding family movie nights to keep the campus active during the planning process. The first screening drew approximately 70 people Nov. 10, and another was scheduled for Dec. 16. Staff said some attendees were first-time Cubberley visitors, prompting Freeman to ask that those visits and overall attendance be tracked and shared with campus stakeholder groups.

Baylands golf wetland approval remains pending

Water Board approval remained pending as remedial wetland work continued at the Baylands golf course, staff told the commission. A five-year monitoring program is anticipated to begin in spring 2026.

Work reported by staff included invasive-plant removal, wetland seeding, straw mulch and a test plot to be assessed later. Fencing, signs and golfer education remain in place to protect sensitive areas, and staff said encroachment was diminishing.

Wei wins vice chair post in a 4-3 vote

Bing Wei was elected vice chair over Amanda Brown on a 4-3 ballot. Individual commissioners’ votes were not announced, consistent with the protocol stated during the meeting.

Nellis Freeman continued as chair after accepting an unopposed nomination and saying he would serve for the next 12 months. The transcript records a 7-0 vote to close chair nominations but does not document a separate vote electing Freeman.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet