Glendora California - Residential Sports Parks
Goddard and Sandburg Middle Schools

Glendora Community Services

 Residential Sports Parks

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Listen to the sounds generated by a residential sports park. You can experience living in neighborhood with a sports park.

Most Requested Pages Last 30 Days
Good Neighbor Policies
Sound of Sports Park
Violence in Youth Sports
Glendora EIR
Pompei Sports Park
Sunflower Private Sports Park
Spot Zoning
Glendora Bougainvillea
Rubel Castle
 

Adverse Health Effects of Noise
A study on community noise compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO)

All Sports Groups required to have formal and enforceable good neighbor policies.
 
“Noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere.”
— Dr. William H. Stewart
former U.S. Surgeon General

Noise is Pollution "Excessive noise affects us all. It creates a heightened level of anxiety, distress, and an unfriendly environment throughout our neighborhoods".

Jan 25, 2005 Save Our Neighborhood -- No Stadium The New Metairie Civic Association was formed to champion the opposition, and it signed up more than 600 members in its first six weeks.

National Association of Sports Officials. 80% believe inappropriate behavior is destroying youth sports
 

September 23, 2004 -- State funds for park delayed. Howard County MD -- Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich , State Comptroller William Schaefer and State Treasurer Nancy Kopp postponed the vote while their staffs investigate opposition to three lighted athletic fields and the overall size and scope of the park

Glendora Code On PA System Use
"It is unlawful for any person, other than personnel of law enforcement or governmental agencies, to install, use or operate within the city a loudspeaker or public address equipment, in a park, place or public property without first filing a registration statement and obtaining approval. Public address equipment shall not be operated within two hundred feet of churches, schools, hospitals or city or county buildings."

Glendora California Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Parking lot noise levels at property lines will exceed the Cities 55 dBA noise standard for residential neighborhoods. This impact is considered significant unless mitigated.

Seattle WA --The decision reflects growing public sentiment nationwide that light and noise from major sports field complexes are rapidly becoming primary sources of pollution in the U.S.

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Public Involvement. Under CEQA, an agency must solicit and respond to comments from the public and other agencies concerned with the project. EIR requirements are the heart of CEQA

Aerial Views of Goddard Middle School and Sandburg Middle School including the Sports Parks. Glendora, California. Provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Dept.  Ground level view of Goddard
The sounds of a Sports Park

Glendora Park Survey - By a 2 to 1 majority, Glendora residents say "there are adequate recreation opportunities".

Lighting Cost Not Included in Fees for Park Use. 100 percent of residents pay for the less then 10 percent are allowed to play on sports parks. Over $1,000,000.00 to light!

Glendora Little League Baseball -- "Parking, littering, and noise on residential streets present a serious problem for neighbors."

Director Community Services  
Mr Jim Henderson (626) 914-8228

Recreation Superintendent
Mr John Aguirre

Glendora Jr All American Football
"If tranquility is what you are after then sell out and move to
Wyoming"
Ron Vega  President Glendora All American Football and Cheer (1)

Glendora Pony Colt "If your complaints had validity, we could talk, but they do not."  President Glendora Pony Colt

April 12, 2005 -- Boy, 13, held in death of another boy at Pony League ball game

July 15, 2995 -- T-Ball Coach Paid Player to Assault Teammate.

January 2005 -- California's 2nd District Court of Appeals ruled: city council members must actually listen when their constituents make appeals before them. In a sharply worded, six-page decision, The Court concluded" A fundamental principle of due process is "He who decides must hear."

August, 2004 -- ELEVEN power light generators have been delivered to the Goddard Middle School football field and are in use nightly

August 26, 2003 -- ELEVEN power light generators have been delivered to the Goddard Middle School football field and are in use nightly

April 29, 2003 -- Glendora dims lights in Master Park Plan. The Glendora City Council dropped the lighting issue at Goddard and Sandburg Middle Schools after strong opposition from neighbors.
*San Gabriel Valley Tribune

April 27, 2003 --  Residents perceive Glendora differently from what a small, vocal minority might have them think. A recent survey debunks myths about the lack of support for lighted youth sports fields...  *San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Jan 19 - Glendora residents angry about lighted sports facilities. "They say between the lights, the traffic, the noise and the chaos as a result of increased sports activities at the two locations, Goddard and Sandburg Middle Schools have come to resemble sports complexes"
*San Gabriel Valley Tribune
 

Cities Opposed to Residential Sports Parks and Lights

Residents in California and the nation opposed to lights in residential parks. Some of the battles going on in California and across the nation to stop the lighting of residential parks. Ranging from lights, noise, traffic, cost, and depreciated property values.

Sports Park lights will have negative impact on real estate values in the nearby homes said Park Commissioner Sue Gould

U.S. Birth Rate At Lowest Level Since 1909 -- The U.S. birth rate in 2002 fell to its lowest level since records were first kept. According to federal officials, this presents major implications on how communities allocate their resources.  Reported June 26, 2003

Depends upon who conducts the survey ...homeowners living around the park, say that they are "strongly opposed" to the Park plan because it will be a "detriment to the tranquility... and general quality of life" in the neighborhood.

Philadelphia  December 12, 2003  I don't think it's unreasonable to ask our sports groups to pay a portion of the cost of these fields,"

Glendora Municipal Code
 PA Systems Public Nuisance Zoning

Nov 12, 2003 - Council approved and funded a project to take out the
existing light poles and fixtures at Henderson Field and replace them with energy-efficient fixtures

April 28, 2003 - Joint meeting City Council and Community Services Commission. Results of the meeting: "Resolution was made and passed to remove Goddard and Sandburg Middle Schools from the Parks Master Plan for consideration of installation of permanent lighting on football fields."

April 8, 2003- Glendora Residents Able to Form Restricted Parking Districts to prevent parking and traffic problems in residential neighborhoods.

Glendora Zoning
21.04.010 Single-family residence
A. Purpose. The purpose of single-family residential zones is to protect and promote the unique single-family nature...
2. Public Facilities. Development shall be subject to development plan review prior to the issuance of permits in accordance with Section 21.02.040 of this title;

Spot Zoning
Spot zoning occurs when a area of land or section in an existing neighborhood is singled out and placed in a different zone from that of neighboring property.

Louie Pompei Memorial Sports Park approved

City of Glendora Noise Standards in Adobe PDF format. They may take a few moments to load. Human response to different sound levels  What is considered acceptable under  California Noise Guidelines. Acceptable Noise Levels in Parking Lots or streets used as parking lots

Glendora General Plan on file at State of California

Other City Council Actions

Seattle City Council Resolution - Athletic fields within residential zones and increasing the number of hours of play at athletic fields could negatively impact neighborhoods by generating an increase in traffic, noise, lighting, and parking

City of Encinitas CA agrees to ban lights in sports park --  the city has banned sports park lights. North County Times

Carlsbad California -The 22-acre site was earmarked to include illuminated ball fields, tennis and basketball courts, But because of neighboring residents' concerns about traffic, noise, lights and vandalism,  it will be turned into a passive park for people. North County Times

 Sonoma County California -- There’s a consensus among county residents that they want passive park and recreation facilities that they can "visit." 

MOUNT OLIVE NJ --  Councilmen Rob Greenbaum said the lighted fields would intrude on the quality of life for neighboring residents.  It’s not a not-in-my-backyard issue. But you have to balance the needs of residents and the needs of the baseball club.
Mt Olive Chronicle


Because the residents' distrust of the park board, compromise is not an option. "If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile," Thurston said. "If they put up lights there, the next thing is going to be seats, then a building. Why should I lose property value on my home?" Michael Puente Daily Herald Staff Writer  June 08, 2004

Pollution: "Any substances in water, soil, or air that degrade the natural quality of the environment, offend the senses of sight, taste, hearing, or smell, and/or cause a health hazard"
As defined by:

US Congress has defined Noise as Pollution -- "Alteration of the environment, as through the introduction of hazardous or detrimental substances, heat, or noise whose nature, location, or quantity produces adverse health or environmental effects."
Congressional Research Service
Report for Congress
National Institute for the Environment
1725 K Street, NW Suite 212, Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 530-5810 cnie@cnie.org

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