Santa Clara City Council Approves New Fees for Youth Sports Fields – Santa Clara News Online

By Robert Haugh

In a bid to recover operational costs, the Santa Clara City Council voted 6-1 to approve new fees for youth sports field use. The move comes as demand for sports facilities grows, stretching the City’s budget.

City Councilmember Kevin Park was the lone no vote.

For years, the City offered free field access to youth sports groups. But as maintenance and staffing costs increased, that model became unsustainable according to City staff. 

The City’s solution: start charging fees for field use permits, a policy first rolled out in Fall 2022.

The Council’s decision follows months of meetings with local sports groups. Discussions centered on safety, facility conditions, and funding options like the Wade Brummal Scholarship Program. 

In response, the City waived fees for nonprofit youth groups in Fall 2024, but now, the new fees will take effect starting July 1, 2025.

The new system prioritizes resident youth organizations, ensuring they get first dibs on fields. 

Commercial groups and non-residents will face higher fees. 

The goal: keep fields accessible for local youth while covering the costs of maintenance and upgrades.

The City’s process is a lot different than the Santa Clara Unified School District’s (SCUSD) roll out of their facility master plan earlier this year.  

SCUSD caused a community uproar when they threatened to pave over some Westside Little League fields.