Costa Mesa council approves plan for field lights at Davis and Kaiser schools

Costa Mesa City Council members voted 4-0 on Tuesday night to work with the Newport-Mesa Unified School District on lighting and other projects at sports fields at Davis Magnet School and Kaiser Elementary School. The decision was cheered by local youth sports advocates who have long lobbied for additional lighted facilities.

In light of the projects proposed at those sites, council members opted to discard plans to build two artificial turf fields at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex.

Mayor Katrina Foley recused herself from the vote because she lives near the sports complex.

City Manager Tom Hatch said artificial turf could be installed at Jack Hammett in the future but, at this point, lighting the fields at Davis and Kaiser is “a higher priority.”

“We have an opportunity with the school district at this present time,” he said Tuesday. “They’re interested in working with us on lighting some additional fields that the community has been talking about for many, many years.”

At Davis, the city is looking to build an artificial multiuse field, install permanent field lighting and redesign the parking lot to connect with adjacent ones, which would aid traffic flow and make parking options more flexible, according to city staff.

Permanent lighting and parking lot upgrades also are proposed for Kaiser. Artificial turf is not on the table there.

Temporary lighting is already used at both sites.

One reason for the city’s decision to pull back on artificial turf at Jack Hammett is the arrival of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, who are leasing two of the complex’s fields for their annual preseason training camp.

Those fields, which have been upgraded to NFL standards, are available for public use when camp isn’t in session.

“Since future summer training camps are scheduled at approximately the same time annually, when the fields are historically scheduled for rest and renovation, the installation of artificial turf fields is no longer as beneficial as it was originally envisioned,” according to a staff report.

Tuesday’s vote authorizes Hatch to negotiate draft agreements with the school district, youth sports groups and nonprofit organizations for the “implementation of field improvements” at Davis and Kaiser, according to the staff report.

Those agreements would be subject to review by the city Parks and Recreation Commission, the council and the school board.

Brett Eckles, a former parks commissioner who is on the board of Costa Mesa United, a support group for local youth athletics, called the project “long overdue.”

“This is a huge, huge opportunity for us to bring the light, so to speak, to the community,” he told the council Tuesday. “It’s a really good partnership, not only for the children that are active sports users in soccer, baseball, lacrosse, but also for the schools themselves.”

Others echoed that sentiment, either in person or in emails to the council.

“We are in desperate need of additional lighted facilities in our community so that all children who wish to play in youth athletics can have the space and time to do so throughout the year,” Lance McBride, an AYSO Region 97 parent and volunteer, wrote in an email.

Councilman Jim Righeimer praised parents who have been active in local youth sports.

“Everywhere I go, whether it’s baseball, soccer, basketball, the moms and the dads that are out there donating their time — that’s just phenomenal,” he said.

The proposed projects at Davis and Kaiser carry a combined estimated $8.3-million price tag.

The city previously budgeted about $5 million for a series of projects at Jack Hammett, including building the artificial turf fields, constructing walkways compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, expanding the parking lot and building permanent storage facilities.

The council’s decision to scrap the synthetic fields is expected to free up about $3.5 million that can instead go toward Davis and Kaiser.

An additional $1.24 million is available in a general field lighting account, according to city staff.

Following up on comments from one of the speakers Tuesday, Councilman Allan Mansoor said he wants staff to look into possible renovations to Jack Hammett’s restrooms.

[email protected]

Twitter @LukeMMoney