PREPARED BY: MEL MACKSON DATE OF MEETING: 02/24/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION APPROVING MAJOR DESIGN REVIEW AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO DEVELOP A 4.86-ACRE PARCEL INTO A PUBLIC PARK BY THE CITY OF SAN PABLO, TO BE KNOWN AS “MCNEIL PARK” LOCATED IN THE I - INSTITUTIONAL ZONING DISTRICT, LOCATED AT 2600 MORAGA ROAD, SAN PABLO, APN: 416-140-053, ALONG WITH A FINDING THAT THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15304 AND 15332
CEQA: The McNeil Park project (previously called the SPARC project) has been determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Sections 15304 and 15332 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Section 15304 exempts from environmental review “minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.” The Project would involve alteration of the site from an empty lot with demolition debris to a park, including grading, new landscaping, and minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored. The Project would not remove any mature trees; the trees within and adjacent to the Project site would be preserved in place. The project would also be categorically exempt under Section 15332, Infill Development Projects, in that it is consistent with general plan and zoning designations; is located within city limits on a site of no more than five acres and is substantially surrounded by urban uses; has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species; would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality; and can be served by all required utilities and public services.
Label
Location: 2600 Moraga Road
APN: 416-140-053
Zoning: I, Institutional
PLAN No.: PLAN2512-0001
CEQA: Exempt under Sections 15304 and 15322
Owner: City of San Pablo
Applicant: City of San Pablo
Staff Contact: Mel Mackson, Associate Planner
Recommendation
Conduct public hearing; adopt Resolution
Body
REQUESTED ACTION
A request for approval of Major Design Review and Conditional Use Permit to develop a 4.86-acre city-owned parcel into a public park by the City of San Pablo, to be known as “McNeil Park”, and to be located at 2600 Moraga Road (APN:416-140-053). The project will include play equipment, picnic areas, a restroom facility, grass fields, a soccer field, a basketball court, and a parking lot with 28 off-street parking spaces.
Surrounding Zoning and Land Uses:
The subject parcel is currently located in the Institutional zoning district. Zoning designations and land uses for surrounding properties are as follows:
North: Institutional (I); Contra Costa College campus
South: Institutional (I); Self-storage facility (Extra Space Storage)
East: City of Richmond; Public, Cultural, and Institutional (PCI); Contra Costa College campus
West: Institutional (I); Contra Costa College campus, U.S. Army Reserve Center
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Notices regarding this public hearing were mailed to owners of properties within a 300-foot radius of the site on February 11, 2026. In addition, a Public Hearing Notice was published in the West County Times newspaper (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
SITE LOCATION AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project site is located in the north-central portion of San Pablo abutting the Castro-Moraga road loop off of El Portal Drive and adjacent to the Contra Costa College campus. The new park would be located at the long-vacant, underutilized 4.86-acre parcel - formerly the site of the El Portal Elementary School, which closed in 1997. The parcel has two frontages, one on Moraga Road and one on Library Drive. The parcel also adjoins Rheem Creek to the north and east and is adjacent to a recently developed Self-storage facility to the south.
The site is zoned I - Institutional District. The Institutional District is intended to implement the Public/Institutional land use designation in the General Plan by providing for a city-owned park with active and passive recreation and open space areas and amenities. The site is surrounded by parcels zoned I - Institutional, most notably those used by Contra Costa College.
The proposed project would feature the following amenities: a soccer field, a playground, a basketball court, a parking lot, park furnishings (i.e., benches, picnic tables, etc.), a drinking fountain, bioretention and stormwater treatment facilities, lighting, a restroom facility, a trash enclosure, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, landscaping, and an open grass area for unstructured recreation.
Along with the application form, the City has prepared a detailed plan set including a site plan, elevations, construction plan, grading and drainage plan, stormwater control plan, planting plan, and irrigation plan. (Attachment D)
BACKGROUND
The 4.86-acre project site is the location of the former El Portal Elementary School, which closed in 1997. The parcel has remained unoccupied and under-utilized into the present day. The City of San Pablo purchased the parcel in 2006 with the intention of developing a new park. The buildings of the former school were demolished in 2023. In 2025, the site was designated as a Priority Conservation Area (PCA) by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in partnership with the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) on September 12, 2025 by ABAG Resolution No. 11-2025.
Named in honor of Leonard R. McNeil, San Pablo’s long-serving African-American Councilmember and Mayor, McNeil Park would serve a densely populated, lower-income neighborhood with limited access to public green space. The City has historically faced barriers to park development due to its compact urban form and limited land availability, resulting in one of the lowest parkland-to-resident ratios in Contra Costa County. The completion of McNeil Park would raise the City’s ratio from 0.82 acres to 0.98 acres per 1,000 residents. This would significantly improve local access to outdoor recreation and nature and bring San Pablo closer to the General Plan goal of 3.0 acres per 1,000 residents.
To refine the park vision, City staff conducted extensive outreach between 2019 and 2024, including public meetings, workshops, online surveys, and participation at community events. Community input guided the development of proposed park features, such as a soccer field, playground, basketball court, and essential amenities, including restrooms, picnic areas, and lighting.
Based on 95% design plans and a current construction estimate of $11.2 million, the project cost exceeds the $7.79 million secured to date. Funding previously awarded includes:
• $4.79 million from the California Natural Resources Agency’s Urban Greening Grant Program
• $3.0 million from the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Legislatively Specified Grant Program
This leaves a remaining funding gap of approximately $3.3 million. To help close the project funding gap and fund all of the intended park elements, City Council has authorized staff to submit a PCA Grant Program application, and staff is preparing an application for $500,000. In August 2025, staff submitted a $3.3M grant proposal for the NPS Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant program to close the funding gap. The LWCF grant program will issue award notifications in early 2026 to successful applicants. The Public Works Department is also working with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to establish a grant agreement to accept and appropriate a $1 million State earmark from State Senator Jesse Arreguín. If grant funds are ultimately unable to close the gap, the project would still move forward, and the Public Works Department would engage a value engineering approach to remove elements determined to not be necessary to meet the goals of the grant agreements and residents.
GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE
The General Plan designation for the site is Public/Institutional. The proposed development of a public park would be consistent with the designation of the General Plan. The following General Plan 2035 Guiding (G) and Implementing (I) policies apply to this request:
Guiding Policies for Parks, Schools, Community Facilities & Utilities
PSCU-G-1 Provide an expanded, high quality, and diversified park system which allows varied recreational opportunities for the entire community.
PSCU-G-6 Support the efficient use and conservation of water.
Implementing Policies
PSCU-I-1 Seek to achieve a standard of 3.0 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.
PSCU-I-3 Develop new park and recreation facilities and continue to upgrade existing ones with universal accessibility, durability, and low maintenance in mind.
PSCU-I-6 Provide security lighting to illuminate communal areas and pathways in all parks to ensure safety and where feasible, select DarkSky-compliant lighting fixtures that will not produce glare or illuminate the night sky.
PSCU-I-21 Prioritize the development of new, upgraded, or revitalized community facilities and infrastructure in neighborhoods that are currently underserved or where they can be put to maximum use.
Guiding Policies for Open Space & Conservation
OSC-G-1 Acquire, protect, and enhance open space, including hillsides, for the benefit of future generations.
OSC-G-3 Strive to provide access to open spaces for all residents in a manner that considers social, economic, and racial equity.
OSC-G-4 Protect and enhance wetlands, creek systems, and rare and endangered species and their habitats.
OSC-G-5 Ensure both access and ecological functionality of the creek system in San Pablo.
Implementing Policies:
OSC-I-11 Maintain, protect, and enhance San Pablo’s creeks, including Rheem, San Pablo, and Wildcat creeks, as local environmental and aesthetic resources, with approaches including but not limited to:
• …Identifying and working with property owners to take advantage of unique opportunities where human active use (e.g., through trail development) would enhance creek appreciation without disrupting ecological function…
OSC-I-24 Support non-polluting transportation modes and opportunities (i.e., pedestrian, bike, carpooling opportunities and public transit improvements) as specified in the Circulation Element.
Guiding Policies for Community Health and Environmental Justice
CHEJ-G-1 Ensure that all San Pablo residents have access to a variety of transportation and physical activity options that enhance health and that work for diverse lifestyles, incomes and abilities.
CHEJ-G-3 Work to achieve additional opportunities for access to parks and open space as well as recreation amenities that can enhance the health of all San Pablo residents.
CHEJ-G-11 Build community resilience to the effects of urban heat with action to:
• Increase tree canopy, green spaces, and heat-reducing public amenities throughout San Pablo;
• Expand access to information and services to help residents manage heat.
Implementing Policies
CHEJ-I-35 Leverage available grant funding and target investments in public infrastructure, recreational facilities and programing, and air pollution control so as to benefit disadvantaged communities in San Pablo.
CHEJ-I-41 Prioritize the installation of heat-reducing public amenities in areas with vulnerable populations most affected by urban heat. Amenities could include the following:
• Drinking water fountains or bottle refilling facilities in public parks, and community facilities, transit centers, or other appropriate locations.
• Splash pads sprinklers, fountains, and other water features in public parks, where appropriate.
• Shade structures and shading elements in parks and public facilities, where appropriate.
• Additional trees planted in passive landscape areas in parks and public facilities.
The proposed project would be responsive to these policies by developing a new public park that will increase the acreage of parkland per 1,000 residents, further maintain, protect, and enhance Rheem Creek, include permeable surfaces, bioswales, and other green infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff, reduce erosion, and improve water quality, provide access to community members of all ages and abilities, and create recreation opportunities for sports as well as unstructured play. The project would fit well into its surroundings and would redevelop a vacant and underutilized site. The project would enrich the community with more opportunities to gather for play, relaxation, and exercise. The project would visually enhance the area with well-appointed amenities for recreation and enjoyment of nature, elevated by the planting of new trees and ample landscaping.
ZONING CODE CONFORMANCE
The property is currently in the I - Institutional zoning district. The intent of the Institutional district is described as follows:
The I - Institutional district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use designation in the general plan by providing for uses such as parks, government administrative offices, schools and school playgrounds, hospitals, convalescent homes, fire stations, public utility stations, post offices, and various types of state and federal facilities. In some situations, other types of complementary uses are allowed with a use permit.
Development standards for the I zone are set forth in §17.36.040 of the Zoning Code. A breakdown of the relevant standards and project compliance is provided in the table below:
|
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT |
|
Standards |
Zoning Code Requires |
Proposed |
Complies? |
|
Maximum building height |
27 ft |
14 ft 8 in |
Yes |
As described above, the proposed project would be in conformance with the applicable development standards for the I - Institutional zone, as the height of the proposed restroom facility would measure well below the maximum height limit. No setbacks are applicable as the project site does not directly abut any residential zoning districts or uses.
Parking
Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance Table 17.54-A, the parking requirements for Recreation, Parks and Playgrounds is “as specified by Use Permit”. The project proposes 28 off-street parking spaces, three (3) of which are ADA-accessible, and eight (8) of which are designated EV for parking. Moraga Road also provides 15 on-street parking spaces. Therefore, 43 on and off-street parking spaces are proposed for the project. Bicycle racks are also proposed, and the site is 0.2 miles (approximately 4-minute walk) from the nearest AC Transit bus stop.
MAJOR DESIGN REVIEW
The City proposes to develop a new public park on a 4.86-acre parcel at 2600 Moraga Road. The new park proposes a number of relevant amenities for recreation and leisure. The park would have frontage along Moraga Road and Library Drive, with driveway access to the proposed parking lot from both frontages.
San Pablo Zoning Code section 17.20.030(B) requires Major Design Review by the Planning Commission for all development in a public and semipublic zoning district. Section 17.20.030(C) of the San Pablo Zoning Ordinance states that the Planning Commission shall ensure that the proposed development meet the following requirements:
1. Design Guidelines. The proposal is consistent with applicable design guidelines.
2. Community Plans. The proposal is consistent with any community design plan or specific plan.
3. General Plan. The proposal is consistent with the land use, physical design, and economic development element and the open space element of the general plan.
4. Location and Design. The location and design of proposed development gives particular consideration to privacy, views, and sunlight on adjoining properties and fosters the orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the public health and welfare of the city and its neighborhoods.
5. Design and Colors. The architectural design of structures and their colors and materials are visually harmonious with surrounding development, landforms, and vegetation.
The project’s overall compliance with the San Pablo General Plan and Zoning Ordinance are addressed above. Several of the policies within the General Plan are aimed at fostering the orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the public health and welfare of the City and its neighborhoods. The project is located in a community identified as severely disadvantaged by CalEnviroScreen 4.0, with high poverty, health, and pollution burdens. The project would serve over 1,200 low-income residents living within a half-mile radius, many of whom lack access to a vehicle. McNeil Park aims to demonstrate equitable, inclusive park development that improves community health, strengthens neighborhood identity, and builds climate resilience.
As depicted in the site plan submitted as part of the Planning Submittal included in Attachment D, the proposed project would feature the following amenities: a soccer field, a playground, a basketball court, a parking lot, park furnishings (i.e. benches, picnic tables, etc.), a drinking fountain, bioretention and stormwater treatment facilities, lighting, a restroom facility, a trash enclosure, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, landscaping, and an open grass area for unstructured recreation.
The proposed single-story restroom facility would be centrally located on the site, easily accessible from all surrounding amenities and buffered from adjoining properties. It would feature a metal roof and stucco over concrete masonry unit (CMU) split-face block walls. The colors of the building would complement both the other design features of the park and surrounding uses. The floorplan shows a roll-up door leading to a foyer/vestibule area with two water fountains. A door provides access to a mechanical room, as well as a men’s and a women’s restroom. On the rear side of the building another roll-up door and two standard doors provide access to a storage room.
The location of the proposed park is buffered from surrounding uses by the creek, parking lots on Contra Costa College’s campus, and the underutilized U.S. Army Reserve Center. These buffers will serve to maintain the privacy of neighboring uses. The only adjoining property with minimal buffering is the self-storage facility, which is not a sensitive use and does not require any unique design considerations. In addition, the design of the park gives consideration to views and sunlight on adjoining properties with its only structure located deep within the parcel, and no structures proposed that would impact views or sunlight on any adjoining property.
This analysis shows that the project meets the Design Review findings and that the project is consistent with the San Pablo General Plan and the Zoning Ordinance. Also, as noted, the location and design of the proposed development gives consideration to privacy, views, and sunlight on adjoining properties and will foster the orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the public health and welfare of the city and its neighborhoods at this location. The architectural design of structures and their colors and materials are visually harmonious with surrounding development, landforms, and vegetation.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
San Pablo Zoning Ordinance Section 17.36.030 requires a Conditional Use Permit for Parks and Playground uses in the Institutional zone. Through this process, the Planning Commission is given an opportunity to review the proposed use, impose conditions of approval, and set terms for revocation. In approving the Conditional Use Permit to allow the new Park and Playground use, Zoning Ordinance Section 17.20.040 requires the Planning Commission to make a finding that the establishment, maintenance, or operation of the use applied for will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, morals, comfort, and general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of such proposed use or be detrimental or injurious to property and improvements in the neighborhood or to the general welfare of the City.
Findings to support the granting of a Conditional Use Permit in this case include the following:
A. The establishment, maintenance or operation of the Parks and Playground use will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, morals, comfort and general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of such proposed use or be detrimental or injurious to property and improvements in the neighborhood or the general welfare of the city because the use will provide space for outdoor recreation and leisure that will be beneficial to the health, safety, peace, morals, comfort, and general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood.
B. The proposed Park and Playground use would serve to develop a long-vacant parcel and would offer a space for outdoor recreation and leisure for residents of the neighborhood and the City as a whole.
C. The proposed Parks and Playground use would be responsive to General Plan policies calling for an expanded, high quality, and diversified park system which allows varied recreational opportunities that can enhance the health of all San Pablo residents.
D. The proposed Parks and Playground use would be compliant with Zoning Ordinance development regulations pertaining to such uses as parks and playgrounds are named as some of the intended uses of the Institutional district. In addition, the height of the proposed building is well below the maximum height.
E. The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in accordance with CEQA Guidelines pursuant to Sections 15304 for minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, and 15332 for infill development projects.
F. Public notice of hearing has been given by mail to local affected agencies and to all property owners within 300 feet of the subject property and has been published in the West County Times (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) in accordance with the requirements of Government Code Section 65905.
As discussed above, the proposed parks and playground use will meet all applicable findings, and will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, morals, comfort and general welfare of persons residing or working the neighborhood. Nor will the use be detrimental or injurious to property and improvements in the neighborhood or the general welfare of the city. The new use will redevelop a long-vacant and underutilized site, and it is in compliance with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance development regulations.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Sections 15304 and 15332 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Section 15304 exempts from environmental review “minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.” The project would involve alteration of the site from an empty lot to a new city park, including grading, new landscaping, and minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored. The project would not remove any mature trees as the trees within and adjacent to the project site would be preserved in place.
The project would also be categorically exempt under Section 15332, Infill Development Projects, in that it is consistent with general plan and zoning designations; is located within city limits on a site of no more than five acres and is substantially surrounded by urban uses; has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species; would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality; and can be served by all required utilities and public services.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission determine the proposed project to be categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA and approve the Major Design Review and Conditional Use Permit for a new 4.86-acre park to be located at 2600 Moraga Road, along with the conditions of approval identified in the attached proposed Resolution (Attachment A).
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution PC26-02
B. Site Location
C. Project Application
D. Planning Submittal: Site Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations, Stormwater Control Plan, Planting Plan
E. Proof of Publication from West County Times