PREPARED BY: LIBBY TYLER DATE OF MEETING: 12/15/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A QUITCLAIM DEED FOR PREVIOUSLY VACATED, CLOSED AND ABANDONED RIGHT-OF-WAY CONSISTING OF A PORTION OF 27TH STREET BETWEEN MARKET AVENUE and THE SOUTHERLY CITY LIMITS TO ASSIST IN CLOSE OF ESCROW FOR SALE OF THE FORMER ROCKEFELLER LODGE PROPERTY AT 2650 MARKET AVENUE, SAN PABLO, APN 527-061-004
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2025-2027 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statements:
Major Policy Area, “Focus on Economic Development and Fiscal Diversification,” and particularly Priority 402, “Find Creative Ways of Attracting New Business and Economic Investment”, is a current policy item under the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan Update, adopted and effective April 7, 2025.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This resolution to help “clear up title” for the former Rockefeller Lodge property at 2650 Market Avenue to assist in its transfer to a private party (J R Business Investments, LLC), who wishes to renovate and reopen the facility, is not an activity that may cause a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical environmental change and is not a project as defined by CEQA (California Government Code Section 21065) or the CEQA Guidelines. Future development of the property may require further environmental review.
BACKGROUND
The former site of Rockefeller Lodge is in the process of being sold to a private party who wishes to renovate and reopen the now-closed property as a community facility. The property is split between the City of Richmond on the south and the City of San Pablo on the north, with most of the building located in the City of Richmond and the access, parking area, and a portion of the building in the City of San Pablo. The property originally contained several APNs and portions of two vacated roadways including Market Avenue and 27th Street. These properties have now been consolidated into two APNs: 527-061-004 in San Pablo and 527-061-015 in Richmond (see Attachment B).
The San Pablo portion of the property contains an area of a vacated portion of 27th Street. This former right-of-way was vacated, abandoned and closed through Ordinance No. 349, which was adopted by the City Council of the City of San Pablo on August 7, 1961. The Ordinance vacated, abandoned, and closed 26 segments of roadway and alley rights-of-way throughout the city. The Title Company for the real estate sale has advised the purchaser to obtain a quitclaim deed for this area in order to provide a cleaner title for the property. Accordingly, the real estate broker for the sale contacted the City to request the quitclaim deed on behalf of his client, J R Business Investments, LLC.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
In order to assist in the sale and future improvement of the Rockefeller Lodge property, staff recommends that the City quitclaim the previously vacated portion of the property to the new owner, J R Business Investments, LLC. The City has no current or future roadway or utility interest in this area, which is currently used for access to the Rockefeller Lodge facility. City staff have prepared a form of a Quitclaim Deed and are requesting the authority to execute this, and any ancillary documents to effectuate this transaction as approved by both the City Manager and City Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact to the recommended action. However, helping to facilitate the transfer of the former Rockefeller Lodge property at 2650 Market Avenue to a purchaser who is interested in reopening a community facility at the property will be beneficial to the City generally and financially.
ATTACHMENTS:
Att A - Resolution
Exh A - Quitclaim Deed
Att B - Site Location
Att C - Ordinance No. 349