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GLENDORA COUNCIL/CRA/GPFA MINUTES JANUARY 14, 2003 MINUTES CITY OF GLENDORA CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY GLENDORA PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY COMBINED REGULAR MEETING COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE CITY HALL COUNCIL/CRA/GPFA MEMBERS PRESENT: Marshall Mouw, Mike Conway, Gary M. Clifford, Cliff Hamlow, Ken Herman COUNCIL/CRA/GPFA MEMBERS ABSENT: None |
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Reorder of the Agenda Due to the large number of residents in attendance to
discuss sports lighting, Mayor Mouw requested that Agenda Item 11C be
considered at this time. |
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INSERTED Resume Meeting of: JANUARY 14, 2003 PAGE 3 11. NEW BUSINESS 11C COUNCIL REVIEW/DISCUSSION/DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING PROPOSED SPORTS LIGHTING J. Henderson, Director of Planning and Redevelopment, reported that at its meeting of December 10, 2002 Council directed the Community Services Commission to discuss the issue of sports lighting in Glendora. Glen Rizuto, Chairman of the Community Services Commission, reported that the Commission recommended that Council continue to support the addition of sports lighted facilities in Glendora so that the existing level of service can be sustained. Commissioner Rizuto reported on the number of lighted fields as follows: Two multiple-use lighted fields at Louie Pompei Sports Park; One multiple-use light field at Goddard Middle School; Four lighted softball diamonds at Finkbiner Park One for adult use only, or four diamonds for youth use simultaneously; One lighted multiple-use field at Glendora High School Available for youth and high school football, high school soccer, and the high school band and drill team. Commissioner Rizuto reported that historically, from August to December, the Community Services Department has met the minimum needs of the youth and adult sports communities with the lighted areas named above. In May 2002 the lighted multiple-use facility at Glendora High School was lost due to the addition of the new aquatic and event centers, displacing Junior All American Football. In spring of 2002 the department requested permission from the school district to use temporary lighting on the football field and multipleuse area at Goddard Middle School to serve the displaced Junior All American Football program. The outfield of the major little league field was used for the cheer program. The Commission believes that when staff starts to allocate resources to meet the needs for practice and games for existing fall programs, they will be 36 hours short of meeting lighting needs. Youth football will also need a football field to host four Saturday home games. Last year youth soccer moved four Saturday game dates regularly scheduled for Goddard/George Manooshian Park to La Fetra Elementary School to make room for the Junior All American home football games. At its meeting of January 16, 2003 the Commission will discuss resident/non-resident issues. The Commission’s goal is to determine the number of nonresident participants in Glendora programs and if they are contributing to the overcrowded conditions of the City’s night-lighted facilities. The Community Services Department has facilitated a comprehensive sports program to meet the needs of the youth and adults of Glendora. The Commission believes that this has been accomplished with limited resources, cooperation, and hard work from the volunteer community. The loss of the high school field drastically reduces the department’s ability to maintain existing minimum levels of service. The Commission is recommending the installation of additional sports lighting rather than limiting participation or eliminating programs. Mr. Henderson stated the Glendora Youth Sports Programs are operated by volunteers who plan and organize the leagues. The leagues use facilities owned by the City, Glendora Unified School District, and Charter Oak Unified School District for practice and games. Each league applies for use of the facilities through the Community Services Department. The Department then applies to the school districts for approval. The school districts use their own sports facilities generally until 4:30 p.m. Sports facilities now being used are: Sellers School (three soccer grass areas and one backstop); Cullen School (two small soccer fields, one large soccer field, and three backstops); Williams School (one soccer grass area and three backstops); La Fetra School (one soccer grass area and four backstops); Stanton School (one soccer grass area and two backstops); Sutherland School (three baseball fields; home of South Hills Little League); Goddard (Pony field/soccer field with lights; football/soccer field), two baseball fields, two baseball/soccer fields); Sandburg (four baseball fields and one football/soccer field); Whitcomb School (one soccer field and three backstops); Finkbiner Park (four softball diamonds with common outfield/soccer field with lights; Sports Park East (two small softball diamonds with common outfield/soccer field with lights; Sports Park West (one large softball field/soccer field with lights). Available hours for sports facilities with lights (hours per site) are: Monday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (four days a week x four hours per day = 16 total hours per week). The youth programs are concluded by 8:30 p.m. and then Club teams and adult sports are scheduled after 8:30 p.m. Louie Pompei Sports Park, East and West fields, each provide 16 hours of use per weeks; the Goddard Pony/Colt facility provides another 16 hours; and Finkbiner Park provides another 16 hours. These four lighted facilities provide a total of 64 hours per week for practices. Facilities are not scheduled for Fridays because the youth leagues usually don’t want to use those times. The lost use of Glendora High School facility is a loss of 36-40 hours per use .The Junior All American Foothill charter requires that each team have six hours of practice per week. There are six different age groups, which totals 36 hours of need. Each age group also has a cheer program that requires the same number of hours. The Glendora Youth Soccer program has 1,800 boys and girls participating and they have 136 teams, which equates to 136 hours of practice. Mr. Henderson reiterated that the City currently has 64 hours of lighted use. The Club Soccer League uses Sunflower School as its home field and they need 15 hours per week. They have 232 soccer players and approximately 40% of those players are non- Glendora residents (click here) Adult Softball and Club Softball practice at Finkbiner Park when it is available. Mr. Henderson said 175 hours per week is needed and only 64 hours are available. Based on that information, the Commission believes that the sports lighting needs must be addressed. At Councilmember Herman’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said the last practice is supposed to conclude by 8:30 p.m. He said teams should abide by the practice schedule. At Mayor Mouw’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said the lights at the Glendora High School have been removed and may never be replaced. At Councilmember Clifford’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said Club Teams often have nonresident players; however, approximately 99% of all other players are Glendora residents or attend Glendora schools. Councilmember Hamlow asked if any groups using the fields are totally non-Glendora residents. Mr. Henderson said Glendora Club Soccer plays in the Pacific Soccer League and as such, Glendora teams may play in other cities and some of the other teams may play on Glendora fields. He said these games occur on Saturday and do not involve lighted fields. He said this City’s need is for practice time during the week in order to develop skills so that games can be played on Saturdays. Councilmember Hamlow said it may not involve lights, but it does involve noise and traffic. At Councilmember Hamlow’s inquiry, Recreation Superintendent John Aguirre said Washington School is used for the girls softball program. Willow School is used exclusively by the Charter Oak leagues. Neither facility is lighted. Councilmember Hamlow said the City is working with Charter Oak Unified School District to improve Sunflower School and he said Willow and Washington should be included as facilities that the City is involved with. Councilmember Hamlow said the City should continue researching if an agreement can be made with Citrus College. Mr. Henderson said he has had one conversation with a Citrus College official. Mr. Henderson said when the new Citrus College president comes on board, City staff will pursue discussions. At Mayor Pro Tem Conway’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said All American Football has been playing in Glendora for approximately four years. Up until this past fall they were playing at Glendora High School. Mr. Henderson said they require room adjacent to a lighted area for the marching or cheer units. Mayor Pro Tem Conway said sometimes, such as in the case of the high school, fields are no longer available. He suggested that perhaps the City cannot host all the sports activities and he asked at what point does the City say the sports program is too large. He said lighted fields are needed, but is that because the City is creating the situation. Mr. Henderson said it is the Community Services Department’s job to provide as much activity as it can with what it has. The Parks Master Plan identified park deficiencies and limiting numbers is always an option. Councilmember Hamlow said this is an issue that cities, high schools and colleges across America are facing because of something very good, which is young ladies are getting involved in athletics. He said he is not in favor of limiting participation, but he is in favor of looking at as many options as the City can get on the table, including South Hills. Mr. Henderson said the Commission is talking about requesting funds to conduct feasibility studies, such as how much would it cost to develop the bowl area in the South Hills. At Councilmember Herman’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said improvements at Sunflower School could include two multiple-use fields, with parking, a second library, and restrooms. Councilmember Herman said there is no doubt that more fields are needed, but the City does not want to make enemies of its citizens by disrupting neighborhoods. A permanent fix is needed and Councilmember Hamlow touched upon the South Hills. He said due to the current budget situation with the State, he is not inclined to committing funds and he said there are a lot of alternatives that need to be explored before disrupting neighborhoods such as Sandburg and Goddard. At Mayor Mouw’s inquiry, Mr. Henderson said the City has $219,000 to install lights and do environmental reviews. There is no provisional funding to conduct any mitigations. He said the City has $650,000 coming from the State, part of which is a 30% match. The City has filed its intent to spend the money; however a project has not yet been designated. The money needs to be spent by year 2008. The deadline for designating a specific project should be filed 18 months prior to the 2008 date. Mayor Pro Tem Conway urged neighborhood residents who are objecting to lighted fields to come forth with suggested solutions other than "don’t’ put it near my house". Councilmember Clifford said Council is looking for alternatives. The sports program needs to be nurtured, but not at the cost of residents, without first trying to work through a better solution. Mayor Mouw announced that speaker cards were submitted for this item. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Jim Martin, representing Glendora Youth Soccer, spoke in favor of lighted fields. They have two 45-minute practice times a week during sunlight hours and one 45-minute practice time when there is no sunlight. He said with the new computer-generated sports lights, you can draw a line where the lighting starts and stops. He said the stadium at Goddard sits below Palm Drive, which lets very little light go towards the homes to the north. Ron Vega, representing Glendora Junior All American Football, spoke in favor of lighted fields. He said almost all of the kids in this program are from Glendora. He said he is part of a committee formulated to resolve this issue. They have developed long-term goals, such as buying and developing property, but they understand that the City does not have funds to purchase these lands. The short-term goals involve developing the existing parks. He said lights are needed. Kenneth Edwards, a Glendora resident, spoke in favor of lighted fields. He said he coaches youth football, basketball and baseball. He said space is diminishing and more kids are participating in sports. He said existing facilities should be lighted. Many parents want to be involved with their children’s activities, but only have non-daylight hours in which to do so. Corrine Delgado, a Glendora resident, spoke in opposition to lighted fields at Goddard and Sandburg. She said property owners near Goddard and Sandburg will lose property value if lights are installed. She urged Council to find another solution. Tim Guzzy, a Glendora resident, spoke in opposition to lighted fields at Goddard and Sandburg. He said neighborhoods near Goddard and Sandburg should not be asked to give up their peace and quiet. It is time for the City to purchase property and do the right thing for the community. If building a new field costs $10 million today, it will double in ten years. Wolfgang Buehler, a Glendora resident, said he lives behind Sandburg. He coaches youth sports, but he is opposed to lights at Goddard and Sandburg. Young kids should not practice after dark. Most of the kids who participate in youth sports are not competitive players and to ask residents to give up their peace and quiet is not right. John Bennett, a Glendora resident, spoke in opposition to lighted fields at Goddard and Sandburg. He said the staff report does not address all recreation activities that the City needs to support. He said the time that a facility is used for youth sports, it cannot be used for family picnics, etc. and that needs to be balanced out. Bruce Zaal, a Glendora resident, spoke in opposition to lighted fields at Goddard and Sandburg. He and his neighbors feel that lighting at Sandburg and Goddard jeopardizes their constitutional right of the pursuit of happiness. He urged Council to abandon this plan until alternatives are explored. He said residents near Goddard and Sandburg are prepared to secure by all means at their disposal to halt this plan. They are fully committed to this task. Andrew Alfonsi, a Glendora resident, said he lives across the street from Sandburg and he expressed concern with traffic safety issues. He said use of the Citrus College field should be further explored. Bob Dawald, a Glendora resident, said he lives above Sandburg School and the plan to install lights will destroy the beauty and serenity he and his neighbors now enjoy. He said he and his neighbors are willing to help Council find a solution. Mr. Dawald said a school board member told him the number of grammar school kids is getting smaller. Frank Meyers, a Glendora resident, said residents could write to the Governor and say they don’t want the money. He said the Santa Fe Dam is a large recreation facility and he suggested that fields be put in at that location. He expressed concern that this issue will divide the City. Ed Knapp, a Glendora resident, spoke in opposition to lighted sports fields. He urged Council to stop this mistake in progress and instead put in place long-term planning for all Glendora residents, not just special interest groups. His neighborhood is forming a Glendora Homeowners Committee to help address these problems and the future development of Glendora. He invited Council to join their discussions for peaceful and reasonable alternatives. Kim Willman, a Glendora resident, said she lives near Sandburg. She moved to Glendora a year ago because it is a safe place to raise her family. She said lights at Goddard and Sandburg will ruin their neighborhoods. An additional nine citizens gave up their right to speak against the lights by stating "their concerns had been expressed by a previous speaker" Motion was made by Councilmember Hamlow and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Conway to adopt the recommendation of the Community Services Commission to support addition of sports lighted facilities in Glendora so that the existing level of service can be sustained. Councilmember Hamlow clarified his motion, stating the Community Services Commission is going to continue to look at all options and Councilmembers have indicated that a specific site, such as Goddard and Sandburg, is not being recommended at this time. Mayor Mouw said staff should prepare a cost benefit analysis insofar as what the cost would be to do certain things at other properties. He said there would be costs associated with developing the South Hills bowl and it would be helpful to have a cost analysis. One speaker suggested purchasing property and that should be explored. He asked if this could be incorporated into the motion on the floor. Councilmember Hamlow said his motion is to continue addressing the need. That could include enlarging Pompei Sports Park, developing South Hills, purchasing property, or lighting Goddard and Sandburg. Councilmember Herman said the Commission is recommending the installation of additional sports lighting rather than limiting participation or eliminating programs. He said this recommendation gives a green light to the addition of lighting at Sandburg and Goddard. Councilmember Herman said Council should not give a green light to that issue at this time. Mayor Pro Tem Conway said there is no way to sustain the existing level of sports programs without installing lights somewhere. The speakers at tonight’s meeting have stated they do not want lighting at Goddard and Sandburg. Council has not made a decision, but it would be irresponsible to say that the City does not need to explore ways to light some area. People who coach youth sports work during the day and when they come home it’s dark and there is no where to practice. He urged residents to help find solutions to this reality. The Community Services Commission meets on January 16 at 7:00 p.m. and he encouraged residents to attend that meeting. Councilmember Clifford said everyone in the room should help find a better alternative. He said money is already earmarked for development of recreational facilities. He said he wants to find a place to light that is centrally located and won’t clog the streets or put children in peril. He said the residents in attendance have done a good job and have stopped the momentum of putting lights at Goddard and Sandburg. Councilmember Herman said the motion should state that the project to put lights at Goddard and Sandburg is on hold until alternatives are looked at. Councilmember Hamlow reiterated that he would like the Commission to continue look at all the options. He said it is not right to take two options off the table. He said lights someplace will probably be part of a solution. Thinking outside the box does not include using Santa Fe Dam recreation area, but it does include looking at what little open space is left in Glendora. Mayor Mouw said his understanding of the motion is to instruct the Commission to look at all potential sites, to look at potential costs and benefits that a potential site entails, to have a matrix of potential locations and costs, and what would be involved with lighted fields. At Councilmember Clifford’s inquiry, City Manager Eric Ziegler said based on the parks Master Plan, funds in the budget are earmarked for lighting at Goddard and Sandburg. If Council wants to amend the budget by removing funding for that project, it has to be agendized for a future meeting because that action is not on tonight’s agenda. Councilmember Hamlow amended the motion as follows: A motion to support the addition of sports lighted facilities in Glendora so that the existing level of service can be sustained, with the caveat that the City will not pursue the construction of lighting at any location while the study is in progress. The motion carried 5-0 as follows: AYES: Mouw, Conway, Clifford, Hamlow, Herman; NOES: None; ABSENT: None. Mayor Mouw called a recess at 9:55 p.m. Council reconvened at 10:05 p.m. INSERTED APRIL 28, 2003
(Special) Meeting
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