In His Judgment, It’s Open and Shut

Columnist Eric Sondheimer has taken the day off to serve as a judge in the case involving Northridge homeowners seeking a restraining order to prevent Cal State Northridge from building a new football stadium.

Clerk: “Please rise, the honorable Eric Sondheimer, presiding.”

Judge Sondheimer: “Are parties present for case number C123456, Northridge Homeowners Assn. vs. Cal State Northridge?”

Plantiff attorney Stephen Gardner: “Yes, your honor. I have a motion asking the court to recuse itself.”

Sondheimer: “What is the basis for your motion?”

Gardner: “You’re a Northridge graduate, your honor. You have a bias in favor of the university.”

Sondheimer: “Mr. Gardner, thank you for coming to my defense, since for weeks, I have been receiving nasty letters accusing me of being Napoleon Sondheimer for criticizing the athletic department’s incompetence in handling a number of matters. Motion denied.”

Defense attorney Scott James: “Your honor, we are ready to proceed.”

Sondheimer: “Mr. Gardner, please state your reasons for seeking a restraining order.”

Gardner: “The homeowners near campus believe a new football stadium is unworkable. They don’t want drunken fans wandering around their neighborhood. They don’t want the university to turn their front yards into latrines. They don’t want to hear Marilyn Manson blaring from loudspeakers during a rock concert. They don’t want to smell the aroma of marijuana while sitting on their patios.

“They don’t want to endure traffic jams and strangers double-parking cars near their property. They bought their homes with the expectations of experiencing the quiet, country setting of a commuter college campus. A football stadium would produce all the rowdy scenarios of ‘Animal House.’ The university can build its stadium off campus. The neighborhood doesn’t want it. The university has no right to impose such hardships on its neighbors.”

Sondheimer: “Thank you, Mr. Gardner. Now for the defense.”

James: “Your honor, we have listened to the complaints of homeowners. We’ve held 10 open hearings. We’ve embraced compromise. We’ve cut back on plans to build a 15,000-seat stadium to 8,500 just to satisfy the homeowners’ concerns. The stadium will be built 50 yards from the existing stadium. Traffic will be diverted to the main streets--Devonshire, Zelzah and Lassen. Landscape buffers will be built to mitigate noise. This is about having a first-class athletic facility for the community.”

Sondheimer: “Thank you, Mr. James. Please have a seat. I’m ready to rule.”

Gardner: “Your honor, do you have any questions?”

Sondheimer: “No, Mr. Gardner, everything is very clear. The homeowners want a nice, quiet, safe neighborhood and feel a new football stadium might also be used for rock concerts to help fund the university, and they don’t like the kind of people rock concerts attract. But as a Valley resident for 40 years, I know the LAPD’s Devonshire Division is down the street from the proposed football field. There are police cars minutes away to handle disturbances, so security concerns don’t seem credible. A rock concert is loud and noisy. But good planning and good security can ease concerns.

“Most important, there is an existing 7,500-seat stadium. How in the name of common sense can a judge grant plaintiff’s request to bar the university from building a new stadium on almost the identical site where a stadium is already present? Homeowners had to know a stadium existed when they moved to the neighborhood. The university has shown its concerns for homeowners by reducing the proposed size of the new stadium. I suggest homeowners continue to work with the university on security, noise and traffic concerns. Mr. Gardner, motion denied.”

Gardner: “Your honor, we intend to appeal.”

Sondheimer: “Yes, that is your right, but I doubt any judge is going to grant your request. On this matter, the university has given you due process. It has heard your complaints and offered compromises. Work with them. This can be good for the community and the neighborhood.”

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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday when he’s not serving as a judge. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.