Submitted By: City Manager
Prepared By: Andy Hall, City Manager
Subject:
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DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION TO INITIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY AMPHITHEATER IN THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
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Summary:
As requested by Mayor Pro Tempore Knoblock and supported by at least two members of the City Council (Councilmember Cabral and Councilmember Wu) on June 16, 2026, at the Regular Meeting of the City Council, staff examined several options for the development of an amphitheater in the City. There are several potential sites that would accommodate a new facility and some existing locations that could be further improved to initiate uses and programs that would expand the recreational opportunities in the community to include more arts and cultural events.
Background:
The City of San Clemente has a rich history as a community that embraces an active lifestyle with a variety of recreational opportunities. For several years, the City has explored the possibility of constructing an amphitheater to further arts and culture in the community and even formed a task force to evaluate potential sites. Although little progress has been made, it is clear there is significant community interest in a facility that would allow community members to showcase their talents and interests.
Staff studied both existing and undeveloped sites located on City property but did not consider any locations that would require the use or purchase of private property. Through the high-level review process, staff identified two potential sites for further examination. Some of the criteria applied to select the sites included:
• Site Suitability
o Surrounding Uses
o Natural Grade
o Utility Availability
o Parking
o Impact of Light and Noise
• Project Costs
o Construction Costs
o Utility Upgrades
o Opportunity Costs
New Construction at Steed Park
A large portion of the overall footprint of Steed Park remains undeveloped. The area is currently used primarily for equipment storage. A portion of the undeveloped area has been designated for recreational uses such as, but not limited to, additional pickleball courts, athletic fields, and volleyball courts.
An area that has not been identified for future use is the natural slope near the western end of the existing parking lot. The City Park includes the property to the top of the slope with a business park located immediately adjacent. The natural topography of the property creates a bowl-shaped area with a slope that could be improved to contain elevated seating like many other outdoor amphitheater facilities. The stability and suitability of the slope would need to be studied to determine development feasibility, but many of the criteria used to evaluate sites would be satisfied in this location. The biggest draw-back to the site would be construction costs. All improvements would be new as no construction, other than grading, has previously occurred on the site. Utilities are relatively close and there is an adjacent parking lot. However, it is likely that additional parking would be necessary because the athletic fields at Steed Park are equipped with lights for evening activities and the parking lot is often full.
The impact of light and noise would be minimal on residential areas because there are none in the area, and it is unlikely that the activities would impact the adjacent industrial uses. Finally, the opportunity costs are low because it is unlikely that the property would be used for any other purpose.
Upgrade the Existing Facility at Forster Ranch Community Park
The City has an existing amphitheater located at Forster Community Park. The facility is located on the northern portion of the park adjacent to Capistrano Unified School District property. The current facility is used by the City for activities such as ‘Movies in the Park’ but by all accounts, the facility is underutilized.
To increase the usage of the existing amphitheater additional improvements would be necessary, but it would be less costly than starting from scratch. There are potential improvements that would benefit both the City and the School District through an effective joint use facility agreement. In fact, there is an existing agreement between the City and the School District immediately adjacent to the site where the School District owns a soccer field and track that is maintained and used by the City.
The existing amphitheater is already graded into a bowl shape, includes a small undeveloped stage, and has stairs leading from the parking lot near the top of the slope down to the stage area.
The athletic fields within the park do not include lighting facilities. Therefore, if the various performances at the existing amphitheater were scheduled in the evening hours, there would be little conflict with the current parking lot. Additionally, if there is a desire to have seating, the landscaped area near the parking lot could be removed and seating installed. Although there are homes in the vicinity, they are a fair distance from the amphitheater and through proper sound design and lighting configurations, it is likely any noise and light concerns could be mitigated.
There are utilities near the facility that could be upgraded and expanded to serve the amphitheater. The existing use of the facility would not be impacted by an expansion of uses and the site would not be appropriate for an alternative use. Therefore, the opportunity cost is minimal.
A primary consideration associated with the Forester Ranch Community Park location will be the need to collaborate with the School District. There will need to be proper fencing installed, joint use agreements negotiated for use of playground and overflow parking, and scheduling coordination. However, there could be significant benefits for the School District as well, such as the installation of much needed security fencing and use of the facility for District activities.
Another consideration is the relatively small size of the facility. This can be viewed as an opportunity or as a constraint. A small venue will provide an opportunity for a new program to grow and develop to the point that a larger facility may be warranted. Conversely, there will be limitations on the size of events that can occur in this location. Perhaps in the future, the City may need to consider two facilities; one that can accommodate smaller events and one for larger, more regional events.
Discussion:
Prior to additional research and preliminary design activities, additional direction from the City Council is appropriate. Next steps would include some nominal costs and staff time, but a meaningful proposal could be developed in a relatively short period of time. Staff would anticipate that the proposal would include information about construction basics (utilities, conceptual layout and design, general development constraints), seating capacity, general cost estimates, and potential timelines. Discussion by the City Council, recommendations from the Arts and Culture Committee, and input from the public will help shape the efforts of staff to provide and acceptable proposal for consideration by the City Council.
Considerations Identified by Staff:
From a staff perspective, the Forester Ranch Community Park location is highly preferable if for no other reasons, predictability and cost containment. The park is in a known location, it is an underutilized existing facility and can very likely be improved with far fewer financial resources than starting from a completely unimproved site. Staff would also suggest that with thoughtful improvements and expansion, it is a great size for initiation of new programs and use for District activities. In short, although very little cost estimating has been completed, staff are confident that with a modest investment, the facility could be improved to provide the opportunity for expansion of the arts and culture activities in the community.
However, these considerations are based on very superficial information. If the City Council would like staff to provide additional detail before making a final site selection, staff could complete that assignment within a couple of months and return to the City Council for further consideration.
As a final note, this project can be shared with the Arts and Culture Committee for suggestions and recommendations.
Council Options:
• Direct staff to initiate review of a newly constructed amphitheater in a portion of Steed Park.
• Direct staff to initiate review of an upgrade to the existing amphitheater located in Forester Ranch Community Park.
• Direct staff to initiate review of both potential locations.
• Direct staff to perform a cursory review of each site and provide additional information before initiating a review of either location.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
Initial discussion of this project is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The appropriate level environmental review will occur at the appropriate time in compliance with CEQA.
Fiscal Impact:
None at the discussion stage, with a significant variance in cost depending on direction provided by the City Council.
Potential Action(s):
There is no action required by the City Council, but this issue is not a typical receive and file report. Additional discussion and formal direction from the City Council will allow this item to be advanced to next steps.
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Attachment:
None.
Notification:
None.