09-09-2026 Public Comment

Dear Council Members, On behalf of the families, players, and volunteers of Alpine Little League, and alongside our partners on the Parks & Recreation Committee, I’d like to share our perspective on the Ford Field Restroom and Concessions agenda item ahead of tonight’s meeting. Alpine Little League is committed to helping make this project a success, including $60,000 in pledged donations. Our families and volunteers spend countless hours at Ford Field, and we care deeply about creating facilities that serve the community well while making thoughtful use of Town resources and community contributions. We had hoped to be included in preliminary discussions with the consultants before the proposal came to Council. Our volunteers bring firsthand knowledge of how concessions operate, how families use the facilities and what is needed on game days. We believe that experience can make a meaningful contribution to the design and we welcome the opportunity to work together as the project moves forward. After reviewing the CALA & Associates presentation closely, we have several questions about the layout, day-to-day operations and cost that we believe deserve further discussion before Council settles on a direction. We ask that Alpine Little League and the Parks & Recreation Committee be included in those conversations so we can help resolve these questions and keep the project moving toward a practical, cost-effective outcome for the Town. We appreciate the time and effort Council, Town staff and the project team have put into improving Ford Field. We share the goal of delivering a facility the community can be proud of and we are ready to do our part. Bringing everyone’s experience to the table now will help us make sound decisions and move forward with confidence. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued support of our players, families, and volunteers. Sincerely, Dan McDonough President (Volunteer), Alpine Little League Dear Council Members, As key stakeholders of the Ford Field Restroom/Concession project, several of us Parks and Recreation Committee members would like to comment and provide feedback on the CALA presentation. We would have appreciated the opportunity to discuss this with the consultants before receiving it on Friday along with the Council agenda packet, as we feel the answers to these questions will help you in making a decision about next steps. LOCATION ALTERNATIVES ● The Council, the Planning Commission and ASCC are open to considering an option using the existing Snack Shack location - can you please provide a rendering of that option? It was our understanding that there was agreement to evaluate an option within, or partially in, the setback. ● In previous meetings, concerns were raised as to the impact on the view corridor. Can you please provide a visual (straight view) that helps us better assess that impact, given different building locations? MEASUREMENTS AND DIMENSIONS Given that a topographical survey was completed, can you please elaborate regarding: ● What is the actual buildable area between the setbacks? ● How will home runs impact each alternative? ● What are the dimensions of these proposed areas: ADA parking, restroom-only option, concrete pads, distance from outfield fence to the building? IMPACT ON PARKING ● How many net parking spots will be lost in each alternative? ● It appears that the proposed ADA parking along the left field line may interfere with the maintenance gate and vehicles entering in left field. Can you provide more detail? ● Are there other options for the ADA parking - perhaps on other sides of the building, either on the southwest side or in the current snack shack area? COSTS As previously stated, Parks & Rec does not support a $1M restroom, but think approximately $500K to $600K is in the ballpark (pardon the pun) and could be raised through private donations. ● Can you identify the options and alternatives that would allow us to meet that target? ● In your list of Implementation Estimated Costs, are there items that could be decreased or eliminated, and how would that change estimates? ● Is an ADA picnic table area necessary? If not, what would the cost impact be without so much concrete? ● What is the cost differential between building in the existing Snack Shack area vs outside of the setbacks? ● Parks & Rec received significantly lower bids in July 2025 for the CTX restroom-only (Cortez) and joint restroom/concessions building (Cortez Sectional). We would like to better understand why the estimate has risen so much, and if additional items have been included. OTHER OBSERVATIONS & PREFERENCES: ● Little League has stated a strong preference for one restroom/concessions building, and its donation may be contingent on that. ● We would like an alternative that does not significantly decrease the number of parking spots. ● Time is of the essence, given our $180,000 grant expires in 2028, so basic and utilitarian are significant variables. ● WE NEED TO START FUNDRAISING AND SECURE PLEDGES NOW! Last fall, we had identified $180K in possible donations but we will need to reverify with these donors, and begin a large-scale campaign. ● Given the Town’s fiscal uncertainty and competing priorities, we do not feel comfortable and would not support a higher-cost alternative. We do have other comments/questions but we wanted to help the Council focus on the higher-level decisions. We would welcome the opportunity to continue to be engaged. As always, we are deeply appreciative to our Council members for your commitment to Portola Valley and its residents. We look forward to hearing your questions and thoughts at the upcoming meeting. The following are submitting their remarks as individuals and are noting their committee affiliation w/ the Town for reference only. Thank you, Patty Dewes (Parks & Rec Chair), Karen Askey (Parks & Rec Vice Chair), Jon Myers (Parks & Rec Committee member), Steve Ericksen (Parks & Rec Committee, Alpine Little League Board Member), Cindy Rowe (Parks & Rec Committee member)