City of Albany, CA
Home MenuGolden Gate Fields Transition
On July 16, 2023, it was announced that Golden Gate Fields will be ending its operation as a horse racing track in December 2023 (this date was later extended to June 2024). Considering this, the City has compiled informational resources to provide context to the community about the property. This page will be updated periodically as additional information becomes available.
The City appreciates that this is an opportunity with potential to provide long-term benefits for our community. The transition of Golden Gate Fields will take time and is primarily driven by the property owners. We understand they are working through potential next steps and opportunities. Changes to this Albany Waterfront District property are subject to Measure C Citizens' Waterfront Approval Initiative, passed in 1990 in Albany, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
It should also be emphasized that the current business generates approximately $1 million in special revenues for the City and over $700,000 for the Albany Unified School District. These are significant amounts and must be part of the considerations in moving forward.
2035 General Plan Waterfront Element:
The Waterfront Element of the City's General Plan, adopted in 2016, provides background information about the waterfront, and details the City's waterfront-related goals, policies and actions.
2035 General Plan Waterfront Element
2008-2010 Voices to Vision: A Community Vision for Albany's Waterfront
In 2008, the City embarked on a community engagement process that came to be known as "Voices to Vision." The Voices to Vision process included one-on-one interviews, focus groups and group discussions, large community workshops, and surveys to gauge public opinion and build consensus about what uses might be appropriate in the event the racetrack site was redeveloped. The result was a series of recommended guidelines that were intended to serve as a starting point for future discussions on the site.
2009 Voices to Vision Background
2010 Voices to Vision Final Report
Financial Impact:
The GGF racetrack generates revenue for the City through several types of taxes and fees. This revenue is utilized to fund city services. Most of the revenue comes from property taxes. In addition to revenue from property taxes, the track has generated approximately $200,000 to $300,000 a year from other types of revenue for the City’s general fund over the last five years. This comes from a combination of racetrack, sales, business license, and utility users’ taxes. Prior to the COVID-19 shut down, racetrack revenues were already decreasing year over year as betting has moved off site. For fiscal year 2023/24, the portion of non-property tax general fund revenues related to GGF was approximately $300,000, or just under 1% of budgeted revenue.
If the property were to be sold, the biggest issue for the City would be if the property were sold to an exempt entity. If the track were to be sold to a taxable entity, property taxes would be reassessed based on Prop 13 rules. This means that general taxes could increase significantly (based on market value), and the increase would most likely offset any loss in racetrack revenue, assuming the property was re-purposed.
In addition to the above-mentioned general fund revenues, the property generates approximately $1 million in special revenues for the City, for sewer, library, sidewalks, storm drainage, emergency medical services, landscape and lighting and open space. It also generates more than $700,000 for the School District. These taxes will continue to be collected regardless of if the track is operating, or if it is sold to another taxable entity. If the property were sold to an exempt entity, some of the revenues would be redistributed, increasing the tax on all other Albany properties (ad valorum taxes such as bond payments, for instance), the majority, however, would simply go away (parcel taxes such as Library, EMS, etc).
Current Planning and Zoning Code Requirements Waterfront District Uses:
Golden Gate Fields (GGF) is a “Waterfront District Property” as defined in the City’s code language. Further details and information on specific uses for this district are provided below.
Permitted Land Uses in the Waterfront District (WF):
- Park and recreation facilities
- Utilities (Major, Minor and Underground)
- Bars
- Commercial recreation/entertainment
- Marinas and boat launching ramps
- Parking facility, nonresidential
- Restaurant
- Waterfront and waterfront-sports-related commercial sales and service
Specific Purposes of Individual Public and Special Districts - Waterfront District (WF):
Consistent with Measure C (1990), the Waterfront District provides for the water-oriented uses called for in the Waterfront Master Plan, as well as the open space conservation, parks and recreation, and commercial recreation uses outlined in the Land Use Element and the Conservation Recreation and Open Space Element of the General Plan, in the area west of the Interstate 80 and 580 Freeways. Measure C stipulated that the following actions, if they authorize any use not authorized by the Zoning Ordinance for the Waterfront District as of the effective date of Measure C, shall only be taken by passage of a ballot measure approved by a majority of voters voting.
- (a) Any amendment to the land use designations for the Waterfront Area in the City's General Plan;
- (b) The establishment of, or any material amendment to, the Waterfront Master Plan or other specific plan for the Waterfront area. The meaning of the phrase "material amendment" shall be defined in the Waterfront Master Plan itself or other specific plan for the Waterfront area itself;
- (c) Any amendment to the Zoning Ordinance for the Waterfront area including changes to the text and changes to the map of the Waterfront Area.
- (d) The entry into any development agreement and/or any material amendment to a development agreement for the Waterfront Area. The meaning of the phrase "material amendment to a development agreement" shall be defined in the development agreement itself. A development agreement or an amendment to a development agreement shall be deemed "entered into" on the date that the election results approving the agreement or amendment are certified in the manner provided by the Elections Code.
Site Regulations by District — Nonresidential:
- Table 2B prescribes development regulations for the various, commercial, public and waterfront zoning districts.