County completes funding for major improvements to Maxwell Farms Regional Park

The Board of Supervisors this week earmarked $3.35 million to complete $7.2 million in renovations for Sonoma’s Maxwell Farms Regional Park, to include a new all-weather baseball field, a new all-weather soccer field and expanded parking including improvements for ADA accessibility.

“The renovation and improvements at Maxwell Farms has been a long-awaited project that we are proud to support,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, whose District 1 encompasses the park. “I’m excited for this first phase of the project that will expand park facilities that Sonoma Valley residents can enjoy for generations.”

Maxwell Farms Regional Park was developed in 1988. Over the years the 85-acre park has provided residents of Sonoma Valley and the city of Sonoma with a variety of recreation opportunities within one of the densest urbanized unincorporated areas in the county. 

Sonoma County Regional Parks updated the Master Plan – the document that guides a park’s development and stewardship – for the park in 2019 in response to strong community interest, increasing population and shifting demographics. The improvements also address deferred maintenance needs at the park as well as the loss of an adjacent local ball field, which necessitated a redesign of Maxwell’s fields to meet increased demand.

The Master Plan supports the community’s vision for the park to meet the current and future recreational needs while preserving and enhancing the natural resource values of the floodplain and riparian environments along Sonoma Creek.

The approved funding supports the construction of priority projects as the first phase of implementing the Master Plan:

• A new all-weather baseball field
• A new all-weather soccer field
• Two new restroom and concession buildings
• Expanded parking, including ADA accessible parking
• Parking lot lighting improvements
• Accessible paths of travel
• Picnic areas and seating

The new fields are designed to decrease Maxwell’s overall water consumption footprint, with the conversion of the sports fields to artificial turf and the addition of a modern irrigation system and stormwater catchment system. Work will also focus heavily on parking lot improvements in the form of parking capacity expansion, ADA accessible parking and pathways, pedestrian crosswalks on Verano Avenue, improving community safety in that area.

Additionally, this phase will provide an expanded park entrance to better accommodate emergency vehicles and buses and to better facilitate drop-offs and pickups at the Boys and Girls Club, located centrally within the park.

The new round of funds include $1.65 million from the District 1 Community Infrastructure Project Funds, $1 million from a state grant, $500,000 from Parks Measure M Category 3, and $202,045 from Park Mitigation Fees Area 6. The funding for the project also includes $1.4 million approved by the Board of Supervisors during the 2022-23 budget hearings in June.

Previously approved funding for this first phase of construction include:

• $1.4 million approved by the Board of Supervisors during the 2022-23 budget hearings
• $925,899 from a State Parks Recreational Infrastructure and Revenue Enhancement grant
• $250,000 Ag + Open Space District Matching Grant
• $125,000 in Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation funding
• $972,933 in Parks Measure M Category 2 funding
• $65,000 in Parks Mitigation Area 6 funds
• $130,000 in General Fund Disabled Access funds
• $57,067 from a Community Development Block Grant

The Board of Supervisors this month awarded the construction contract to Bauman Landscape and Construction Inc. Construction will begin in August and is expected to run through summer of 2023, weather and emergencies permitting. The new facilities are expected to open shortly thereafter.

To learn more about Maxwell Farms Regional Park visit: parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/maxwell-farms-regional-park

For more about the park’s Master Plan improvements please visit: parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/learn/planning-division/project-directory/all-active-projects/maxwell-farms-master-plan/project-detail.