Santa Clara council adopts new field-use fee schedule after months of talks with youth sports groups

The Santa Clara City Council on Tuesday adopted a phased fee schedule for use of city sports fields and turf areas that will charge resident youth nonprofit groups $8 per hour beginning July 1, 2025, while approving an incremental escalation plan and reserving synthetic-turf and lighting surcharges for future rollout.

Council approval followed more than a year of meetings with local sports organizations and a Parks and Recreation staff recommendation intended to balance affordability for resident youth leagues with the city’s need to recover operating and long-term capital costs.

Parks and Recreation Director Damon Sparacino told the council the city began charging youth sports organizations for field-use permits in fall of 2022 as part of an effort to narrow the gap between General Fund subsidies and maintenance and replacement needs. “The city began charging youth sports organizations for field use permits in fall of '22,” Sparacino said during his presentation, noting staff held nine stakeholder meetings with more than 20 local groups since March 2024.

Nut graf: The new schedule keeps a steep discount for resident youth…