Debate over errant balls leads to a handshake, understanding

The school board is looking into what it would cost to add netting around the Laguna Beach High School baseball diamond to keep errant balls out of the surrounding neighborhood.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District on March 5 solicited public input on ways to limit the number of balls that land close to houses and cars parked along St. Ann’s Drive and Wilson Street.

Players in uniform, parents and residents filled the board room to discuss the decade-long issue.

David Nelson, who lives on St. Ann’s Drive behind the left-center field fence, has collected buckets of baseballs since the field was realigned in 2004.

“I’m not against baseball. My issue is safety,” Nelson said. “Do we have to wait if people come in here in a wheelchair drooling on themselves?”

The 30-foot outfield fence has two sections — 10 feet of chain link and 20 feet of mesh. Thirty-foot poles hold up the netting.

The district might add 20 feet of netting to create a 50-foot fence in left-center field and a portion along the right-field foul line. Foul balls have escaped and landed near homes along Wilson Street.

District officials will gather prices for retractable and permanent poles to hold the netting, which could be raised during games and practices.

Other alternatives include playing games at Alta Laguna Park or moving the field to its previous alignment.

Mayor Bob Whalen argued against the reconfiguration option.

Before 2004, home plate was in today’s right field, and balls hit over the left-field fence landed near the high school track, which posed safety concerns, said Whalen, a school board trustee from 1997 to 2006.

Also, creating Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant ramps for the field’s former configuration would have been “much more expensive,” he said.

The field realignment was part of $3.2-million facilities upgrade that included adding artificial turf to the high school football field. Bond money approved by voters in 2001 funded the improvements, Assistant Supt. of Business Services Dean West wrote in an email.

“I strongly support added retractable fencing,” parent Jennifer Sweet said. “I understand the neighbors don’t want to see [the poles or the netting] all the time. [The players] deserve to play at their school for their school.”

St. Ann’s Drive resident Stephen Crawford suggested a way to improve views when the team is not playing or practicing.

“Bring the netting down to 10 feet tall, even with the existing chain-link fence,” Crawford said.

By the end of this month, the district will add a layer of nylon netting to nearby batting cages and to a movable cage surrounding home plate for hitting practice. The nylon is a stronger material, Facilities Director Jeff Dixon said.

The district will return to the trustees with estimated costs for poles and netting.

Laguna High senior Anthony Norelli wanted residents like Nelson to know that he and his teammates care about the neighbors’ safety.

“Thank you for cooperating with us,” Norelli said. “We know it’s a harsh topic. I apologize on behalf of the entire baseball team for the danger we put you guys through.”

Nelson and Norelli shook hands.