What kind of sports field should CdM High have? Students, neighbors and trustees view options

After weeks of collecting and reviewing community input about a proposed sports field at Corona del Mar High School, staff of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District offered a preview of the current plan Tuesday night, plus two alternative plans that also will be studied in the project’s draft environmental impact report.

“The EIR doesn’t determine the project; it looks at the environmental impacts of what could be contained in that project,” the district’s chief business official, Paul Reed, told district trustees, Corona del Mar students and staff members and residents of the Eastbluff neighborhood near the school.

Reed added that he doesn’t yet have cost figures for the project.

The project as currently defined would give the school’s existing track and field 1,000 bleacher seats, two ticket booths, restrooms, concessions, storage space, lights on six 80-foot-tall poles and a public address system. The possibility of a synthetic turf field will be studied.

The current grass field, which has 664 seats, is used for practices for lacrosse, soccer, football and track and field. Games for all those sports, except varsity football, also are played on the field.

The new field would have the same game and practice arrangements.

An alternative to be studied would replace the existing track and field with two synthetic fields with options for permanent lights, temporary lights or no lights. That concept, proposed in the spring by Newport Citizens for Responsible Growth, doesn’t specify a number of seats.

A second alternative would replace the existing field with a synthetic field with restrooms and no lights. Seating would remain at 664.

Staff also included a study on where a parking structure might go.

“This is not proposal … it’s a way of looking at what the impacts might be,” Reed told the board. “It may be needed or it may not be needed, but the point is you have studied it. All of this is for your discussion.”

Reed said the board probably will be asked to adopt the draft EIR sometime in January. Trustees can decide to adopt the report with the project as currently defined, with one of the alternatives or a combination of the options.

Eastbluff residents and members of Newport Citizens for Responsible Growth expressed support Tuesday for the two-field alternative.

“We support the kids and getting the facilities they need,” said Ron Grabino, an Eastbluff resident. “We think that lights that are portable can be used in the fall and winter. We think the two fields will facilitate more students, female and male, having full practices year-round.”

Corona del Mar girls varsity soccer coach Bryan Middleton shared his desire for two fields and permanent lighting.

“If you have student-athletes running into the portable lights, it becomes a liability for the district,” Middleton said.

Corona del Mar boys lacrosse head coach G.W. Mix said the school’s approximately 775 student-athletes need more room to practice.

After the board adopts the draft EIR, a comment period will open for students, staff and other community members. The final EIR will incorporate those comments.