Concerns Raised About Impact of Baseball Plan

Environmentalists and mobile home park residents are urging local officials to take a closer look at the noise, traffic and other impacts that a minor league baseball team could have on the surrounding neighborhood if it is allowed to play at Oxnard College.

The Pacific Suns are seeking to start play at the college next spring but must first win approval from college district trustees and the Oxnard City Council. Suns representatives went before trustees Tuesday night, but the issue was postponed until Nov. 4 because of the lengthy debate over college district labor negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Environmental Defense Center in Ventura and lawyers for the Country Club Mobile Estates have sent letters to the college district saying that the ballpark plan needs closer study.

In its letter, EDC representatives call the city’s initial environmental review “cursory” and assert that it “downplays the noise, traffic and lights that the neighborhoods are objecting to.”

The letter also raises concerns about some of the ballpark promotions planned for next season. Those include having fans sumo wrestle one another and scream as loud as they can to win pizza.

“The trustees have very little information to consider whether they should approve this at all,” said Carla Bard, an analyst with the environmental group. “Clearly this won’t do.”

A letter from Santa Barbara lawyer David C. Fanier, who represents the mobile home park, points to similar concerns. It states that no vote from the college district should be taken until further environmental study is completed.

Michael Begley, the Suns’ general manager, said that there is tremendous support for the team among local residents. Team officials have gone door-to-door near the college to try to resolve residents’ concerns, he said.

This month, city officials said that a full environmental impact report is not necessary for the ballpark plan. Instead, they said a scaled-back study will meet all state requirements and be completed before the end of the year.