diff --git a/project/project_name/settings/base.py b/project/project_name/settings/base.py
--- a/project/project_name/settings/base.py
+++ b/project/project_name/settings/base.py
@@ -1,35 +1,9 @@
-# Django settings for {{ project_name }} project.
-
-DEBUG = True
-TEMPLATE_DEBUG = DEBUG
-
-ADMINS = (
-    # ('Your Name', 'your_email@example.com'),
-)
-
-MANAGERS = ADMINS
+# Base Django settings for {{ project_name }} project.
 
-DATABASES = {
-    'default': {
-        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.', # Add 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'mysql', 'sqlite3' or 'oracle'.
-        'NAME': '',                      # Or path to database file if using sqlite3.
-        # The following settings are not used with sqlite3:
-        'USER': '',
-        'PASSWORD': '',
-        'HOST': '',                      # Empty for localhost through domain sockets or '127.0.0.1' for localhost through TCP.
-        'PORT': '',                      # Set to empty string for default.
-    }
-}
-
-# Hosts/domain names that are valid for this site; required if DEBUG is False
-# See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.5/ref/settings/#allowed-hosts
-ALLOWED_HOSTS = []
-
-# Local time zone for this installation. Choices can be found here:
-# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_zones_by_name
-# although not all choices may be available on all operating systems.
-# In a Windows environment this must be set to your system time zone.
-TIME_ZONE = 'America/Chicago'
+#
+# This file contains common settings shared amongst all instances of a
+# project. Do not put any site-specific settings here.
+#
 
 # Language code for this installation. All choices can be found here:
 # http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/language-identifiers.html
@@ -82,9 +56,6 @@ STATICFILES_FINDERS = (
 #    'django.contrib.staticfiles.finders.DefaultStorageFinder',
 )
 
-# Make this unique, and don't share it with anybody.
-SECRET_KEY = '{{ secret_key }}'
-
 # List of callables that know how to import templates from various sources.
 TEMPLATE_LOADERS = (
     'django.template.loaders.filesystem.Loader',