LAGUNA NIGUEL : Planned Lighting of Playing Fields Hit

A week before the city begins installing lights at Bear Brand Park for nighttime recreation, residents of a nearby subdivision are protesting the effect the lights will have on them.

Seven residents from the Stoney Pointe development, some of whom bought homes there recently, told the City Council on Tuesday that they were never told of the city’s plans to light the fields, either by the city or realtors.

“When residents look out their bedrooms, they will see the light. No on can say they will be unaffected,” said resident Frank West. “We are asking the City Council to take immediate action and stop sport lighting at Bear Brand Park.”

No council members or city staff members responded to the complaints, which were made during the “public communications” part of the agenda.

After the meeting, City Manager Tim Casey said the residents’ objections will not change the city’s plans to install the lights.

Plans for lighting the park’s Little League baseball and youth soccer fields began about 18 months ago as part of the city’s attempt to find ways of meeting its growing demand for recreation facilities.

In September, the council approved plans to add lighting to Bear Brand Park and Chapparosa Park.

“This has been in the works and on numerous public agendas since June of 1992,” Casey said.

The lighting project, which effectively doubles the amount of recreation space by extending its usable hours into the evening, has also been advertised and reported in local newspapers.

Casey previously has said that while it costs $100,000 to install lights for a baseball or soccer field, the cost of buying land and developing a new field can cost from $400,000 to $600,000.

Crews will begin digging trenches for the lighting system next week, with poles and lights scheduled to be installed next month, Casey said. The fields are scheduled to be ready for evening use by February, he said.

The city is installing a state-of-the-art system that focuses light on the playing fields, Casey said. Also, games and practices at Bear Brand Park will be required to end by 9:30 p.m., with the lights turning off 15 minutes later.

“We really went out of our way to plan this set of lights with the knowledge that there were going to be single-family homes and condominiums on both sides of the park,” he said.

However, Stoney Pointe resident Bill Sharp, who moved into the development a year ago, told council members that the homeowners’ association has approved going to court to halt the lighting project. Sharp added that his remarks shouldn’t be taken as a threat, saying the association had not yet decided to file a lawsuit.

The residents’ comments were met with remarks from eight parents and volunteers for the city’s youth sports leagues, who support the lighting plan.

“We need all the playing space that is now available to us,” said Sam Cowan, president of Laguna Niguel Little League. “I ask . . . that you remain committed to Little League baseball and (youth) soccer. Put the lights on at Bear Brand Park.”