San Ramon opens hearing on municipal code changes to implement parkland impact fee; resident urges purchase of tennis facility

The San Ramon City Council opened a public hearing on March 10 on an ordinance to amend the municipal code to implement updated development and parkland impact fees based on an updated nexus study, and continued final adoption to the council’s March 24 meeting.

Senior staff member Ryan Driscoll summarized key code edits: replace references to the 2017 nexus study with a general nexus study reference to allow periodic updates, add a new chapter establishing a parkland development impact fee, and amend the parkland dedication rules so payments in‑lieu of land dedication are calculated on square footage in accordance with recent state guidance. Driscoll said the changes would make the city’s fee structure consistent with AB600 requirements and remove a separate land appraisal requirement to streamline staff review. The staff presentation noted the parkland level‑of‑service metric in the general plan of 4.91 acres per 1,000 residents and said the new fee is designed to fund park needs proportionate to new development.

Driscoll also told the council that fees are typically paid at building‑permit issuance, but noted state law permits certain residential projects to defer fee payment until occupancy — a timing change staff said could create short‑term revenue timing impacts for some capital projects.

During public comment Susie Ferris pressed the council to treat parkland trust revenues as a tool to secure new parkland rather than only maintenance: she asked the city to consider using parkland trust funds to acquire the Club Sport tennis courts adjacent to a proposed townhouse project, arguing the facility could be refurbished as a citywide court park serving two rapidly growing nodes and avoid a protracted legal dispute over the housing proposal. “The changes being made to the ordinance for parkland dedication are clearly lowering the number of parks required for the community by shifting it away from new development to a composite view of the greater city,” Ferris said.

Staff responded that the nexus study and fee methodology identify proportional demand for parkland tied to new residential development; staff also noted city policy can include fee waivers for qualifying 100% affordable housing projects and that any expenditure of parkland trust funds would be decided through the budget and capital improvement planning process.

Council voted unanimously to close the hearing and continue the ordinance to the March 24 meeting for adoption, directing staff to return with final ordinance text and supporting materials.

What’s next: Staff will provide the ordinance and nexus study materials for the March 24 meeting. The council may consider whether the parkland trust should be used to purchase privately owned recreational properties as part of a CIP or acquisition strategy.