School district to pay for lights at planned Corona del Mar stadium

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will spend $900,000 on field lighting at the planned Corona del Mar High School stadium, bringing the district’s share of the project price tag to $8.3 million.

The CDM Foundation, a school support group, previously had included the lights in its portion of the budget for the $14-million stadium, but the school board decided 7 to 0 on Tuesday night that the district should pick up the cost after it paid for new lighting at Costa Mesa High School fields.

The district’s cost also includes a new all-weather field and seating for 1,000.

The CDM Foundation has said it will pay for 385 additional seats and a new building for restrooms, concessions and a ticket office at a cost of $5.85 million.

The district will draw up a memorandum of understanding with the foundation. District staff also will prepare a scope of work to give to the architect for a preliminary design. The district will hold a community meeting once the design is available.

But the project could change down the line, depending on findings from an environmental analysis, which is required.

The project, in the works for years, has polarized the neighborhood, with some residents calling the lights and anticipated stadium noise a quality-of-life and property-value killer. Supporters have said lights and a new track would give teams more practice time and reduce athletic injuries.

On Tuesday, opponents urged the board not to turn Eastbluff Drive into a “Greek Theatre fiasco,” referring to noise and traffic that spills into neighborhoods surrounding the popular venue in Los Angeles.

“I don’t even know when I can and can’t get out of my home,” Paul Doremus said. “My neighborhood is paralyzed six or seven times a day … and yet you want to bring even more traffic and noise.”

But Jane Jones, a foundation board member, thanked the board for paying for the lighting. “This is the right thing to do,” she said.

Some called on the board to form a committee to hash out what will be included in the project, particularly the sound system and type of lights.

Board member Dana Black said the board wants to involve neighbors in the process and said the project is in a very early stage.

Also Tuesday, the board voted to exempt renovations planned at Davidson Field at Newport Harbor High School from the California Environmental Quality Act. The $8.5-million renovation will include an all-weather track and field, lights, team rooms, restrooms, concession space and a press box. The work will be funded through Measure F, a $282-million bond measure passed by district voters in 2005.

Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report.