Title
Recommendation to Approve a Memorandum of Understanding Between the City and Alameda Little League Baseball for Exclusive Use Permit of Littlejohn Baseball Field from March to June 2026 and August to November 2026. (Recreation and Parks)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Adam W. Politzer, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Alameda Little League (ALL) is requesting a one-year trial for the exclusive use of Littlejohn Park baseball field for its 10-12 age division baseball league during the 2026 season due to the loss of a field at Wood Middle School. The proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allows seasonal use while addressing community concerns through safety improvements, a parking plan, and maintained public access when the field is not in use. ALL will reimburse the City of Alameda (City) for all improvement costs, resulting in no financial impact to the City while supporting continued youth baseball programming and adding Americans with Disabilities (ADA) improvements to the park facility.
BACKGROUND
In October 2025, ALL approached Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) staff to discuss field usage for the 2026 spring season. ALL indicated the need for a field to support their “Majors” age group due to the removal of one field for the reconstruction of Wood Middle School campus. ALL needed a field to accommodate eight teams with a total of 96 players. ALL teams have both male and female players.
The Littlejohn Park baseball field was identified for a one-year trial due to the size of the infield and minimal impact on other user groups since ALL has been permitted for the last three years to use Littlejohn baseball field six (6) days a week for their younger age groups.
ARPD held two community meetings to discuss the change in usage from a younger age group to the 10-12 year old division. One community meeting took place in December 2025 and the second was held in January 2026. To advertise the meeting, ARPD placed fliers at the park, online, emailed all ARPD user groups and for the January meeting, also posted fliers at all residences surrounding the park. The community feedback focused on three themes: safety, parking, and continue community park access.
DISCUSSION
ARPD and ALL have worked together to support Alameda youth access to baseball for more than 30 years. APRD currently allocates 8-10 fields for the ALL spring season March through June and August through November. This agreement provides ALL with the exclusive use of the field at Littlejohn park from February through June and August through November. The City Manager has discretion to approve this departmental level of MOU and that has been past practice. Staff will ensure any departmental MOU is reviewed by the Recreation and Parks Commission for additional public input opportunity.
ARPD held two community meetings presenting the proposed change in use from a younger age group to an older age group hosting games. ALL stated four (4) games would be held on Saturday each week starting at 9:00am and finishing approximately at 7:00pm and practices would be held Monday through Friday approximately 4:30-7:00pm for the duration of the MOU.
The community meeting feedback focused on three themes, safety, parking, and overall park access.
• Safety concerns focused on fencing improvements to protect pedestrians, playground users, and vehicles from foul balls.
• Parking impacts to the neighborhood.
• Maintaining park access to all when ALL does not have exclusive use of the field.
Safety improvements are included to protect pedestrians, playground users, and vehicles that existing park infrastructure does not address. Many of these improvements support overall field improvements for all field users and include ADA improvements in the dugout that benefit all users. The improvements are listed below. All temporary fencing would be removed when the ALL’s exclusive use permit ends and includes openings for public access to the grass outfield area when the field is not in use.
• 20-foot netting along first and third baselines
• Temporary fencing extensions along first and third baselines
• Dougout widening and enclosure, including ADA compliance
• Temporary outfield fencing
Parking plans provided by ALL, instruct parents, coaches, and spectators to park at Jean Sweeney Park and Wind River business park to minimize the impact to neighborhood parking (Exhibit 2). The MOU provides progressive enforcement including suspension of usage up to termination if parking plans are not followed.
Community access to Littlejohn baseball field will be maintained at all times by leaving two 30-foot openings in the temporary fencing along the field open for all park users when the field is not in use by ALL.
ALL agreed the City would make all improvements to the park following City procurement policies and ALL would reimburse the City for all costs associated with the improvements.
The MOU stipulates that ALL must keep walkways clear and accessible, ensure compliance with the parking plan, maintain the field and keep the property clear of debris, and comply with the City mobile vendor ordinance. The MOU requires ALL to respond to all concerns raised by community members or the City within 24 hours and provide resolution to the concerns within seven business days.
Residents can contact ALL representative Ron Matthews ron-matthews@comcast.net <mailto:ron-matthews@comcast.net> or residents can contact ARPD at ARPD@alamedaca.gov, 510-747-7529, and after hours 510-775-5459. This information will be available at <https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Recreation-Parks/Littlejohn-Park>.
The goal of the MOU is to create a successful program to support ALL youth athletes and minimize impacts on the neighborhood. Staff will bring the MOU to the Recreation and Parks Commission for discussion prior to executing a second year and to Council, if requested.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize approval of the MOU as attached.
• Provide direction to change, add or delete specific points of the MOU prior to approval.
• Declines approval of the MOU.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact to the City for the exclusive use by ALL. ALL already reimbursed the City for all safety improvements in the amount of $55,000. The MOU also requires ALL to fund any safety improvements for athletic field facility as determined by the City and mutually agreed upon ALL.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Adoption of this resolution is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act in that it relates to administrative activities of the City that will not result in direct or indirect physical impacts on the environment and hence, no environmental review is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Alameda Little League Baseball for exclusive use of Littlejohn Baseball Field from March to June 2026 and August to November 2026.
Respectfully submitted,
Justin Long, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Littlejohn Park Baseball Field
2. Parking Plan
3. MOU