Hamilton Fields Sports Complex

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(INACTIVE PROJECT)

Current Status: WITHDRAWL OF HAMILTON FIELDS PLANNING APPLICATION As of July 18, the application filed by the Marin Sports Academy for the Hamilton Fields project in March 2015 has been withdrawn and closed out at the request of the applicants, Marin Sports Academy LLC. This means that there is no application being processed by the City for this project. The original application, submitted in March 2015, proposed a 55-acre commercial sports complex and community park project at Hamilton Parkway and Todd’s Road. As part of the City’s planning process for proposed private development projects, the City sent the applicants a letter in April 2015 documenting aspects of their submittal which were incomplete. While the applicant made public announcements regarding a revised plan to reduce the size of the stadium seating, eliminate lighting, and relocate portions of the project to adjacent city land, no revised application was submitted to the City. If a new application is filed with the City, the community will be notified and the application will be posted. All information regarding the prior proposed project can be found here. To sign-up for City news and e-notifications, please go to novato.org/connectwithus.

Current Status:

WITHDRAWL OF HAMILTON FIELDS PLANNING APPLICATION

As of July 18, the application filed by the Marin Sports Academy for the Hamilton Fields project in March 2015 has been withdrawn and closed out at the request of the applicants, Marin Sports Academy LLC. This means that there is no application being processed by the City for this project.

The original application, submitted in March 2015, proposed a 55-acre commercial sports complex and community park project at Hamilton Parkway and Todd’s Road. As part of the City’s planning process for proposed private development projects, the City sent the applicants a letter in April 2015 documenting aspects of their submittal which were incomplete. While the applicant made public announcements regarding a revised plan to reduce the size of the stadium seating, eliminate lighting, and relocate portions of the project to adjacent city land, no revised application was submitted to the City.

If a new application is filed with the City, the community will be notified and the application will be posted. All information regarding the prior proposed project can be found here. To sign-up for City news and e-notifications, please go to novato.org/connectwithus.

Background & History >>
Technical Studies >>

Introduction

Hamilton Air Force Base was decommissioned in 1974 and made available for redevelopment. The Hamilton Master Plan adopted by the City for a 414-acre planned mixed-use community included the Hamilton Community Park designated for the former base landfill (Landfill 26) and adjacent former ammunition bunker area, comprising about 81 acres. The former landfill and buffer area was retained by the Army (48 acres), and adjacent property was deeded to the City of Novato by the federal government for recreational use.

Hamilton Fields Development Proposal

Hamilton Fields is a private development proposal submitted to the City for a 55-acre commercial recreation complex including four baseball fields, a tournament baseball field with bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators, two multi-use fields, a 50,000 square foot indoor sports training center, parking and other site amenities. In addition, the project proposes a 12-acre neighborhood park including a youth baseball field, a youth multi-purpose field, dog park, water play feature, play structures, sports courts, and picnic facilities. The development would be atop a former military base landfill on property owned by the Army and leased to the private developers. The area has been planned for community recreationall uses since master planning for the military base conversion. The project proposes use of City-owned property adjacent to the Army-owned landfill for development of parking for the commercial recreation project and for the neighborhood park facilities.

The applications include:

A General Plan Land Use Map amendment for approximately 2 acres from Open Space to Parkland to allow active recreational uses,
A Hamilton Master Plan amendment to allow development within 300 feet of Ammo Hill,
A Planned Development Master Plan and Precise Development Plan,
Design review of proposed improvements,
Environmental Impact Report

The Hamilton Fields proposal only entails development of the Army property (former landfill). There is no proposal for the City property, other than creation of an access road to the Hamilton Fields project and maintenance levee to allow abandonment of the current Todd's Road and a portion of the Community Park.

photo of site location

City Review Process

Updated Process Graphic

The planning process will include review and approval of a Master Plan (establishing the location and extent of permitted uses), a Precise Development Plan (including details of proposed structures and operational limitations), and design review of structures, landscaping and parking. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared by a consulting firm hired and directed by the City. The applications and EIR will be reviewed by the Design Review Commission, the Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Advisory Commission and the Planning Commission. These appointed bodies would make a recommendation to the City Council for their ultimate decision on the development applications and lease of the City-owned parcel. This public review process will include numerous opportunities for public participation, and typically takes at least 18-24 months for a project of this scale and nature.

Technical Studies

As part of the City’s review process of this proposed project, a number of technical analyses will be required by the City and other regulatory agencies as part of our legally mandated application review process and paid for by the applicant. These studies will inform the City Council as part of their decision-making process. These include study of biological impacts, soils/geotechnical (including grading atop the landfill), traffic, parking, noise, and light/glare, all of which will be analyzed as part of the environmental impact report (EIR) to be prepared for the project under direction of the City.

To assess the project’s effect on the community, the City has also initiated the preparation of four studies, paid for by the applicant, in advance of the preparation of the EIR.

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