Soccer Field Showdown: Parks & Rec Comm'n Schedules Special Monday Nite Meeting June 15 To Seek Public Comment And Vote On Type Of Material To Be Used For All Future Synthetic Field Projects And Seek Comment And Vote On Potential Items Incl. Lights & Fencing As Part of El Dorado West Soccer Field
Consultant provided Parks & Rec staff with informational (not recommendation) report in April on various types of synthetic materials; see it here
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(June 10, 2015, 12:30 p.m.) -- Hot button issues that have polarized public opinion will percolate to potential voted decisions by LB's (non-elected, Mayor chosen, Council approved) Parks & Recreation Commission on Monday June 15 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the El Dorado Park West Community Center (2800 Studebaker Rd.) on the following.:
(1) Whether to replace natural park turf at El Dorado Park West, Admiral Kidd and Seaside Parks to start) with synthetic turf for use as soccer fields. [Proponents argue, and opponents deny, that this has already been decided by a prior Council's budget action;]
(2) If synthetic material is used, what type of synthetic material should the City choose. [There are several types, detailed in a consultant's report to LB's Parks & Rec Dept.; see it here]; and
(3) Whether lights and fences should be installed as part of soccer field changes at El Dorado Park West (along Studebaker Rd. north of Willow St.) [Lights are favored by soccer field users, opposed by neighborhood homeowners and by the El Dorado Park South Neighborhood Ass'n.]
As of noon June 10, the formal agenda isn't yet available, but a recent City of Long Beach e-notify message (June 8) says LB's Parks and Recreation Commission will hold the special meeting [email text] "to seek public comment, and to vote on the type of infill materials to be used for all future synthetic field projects. The Commission will also seek public comment, and to vote on potential amenities such as lights and fencing that will be considered for approval as part of the El Dorado West soccer field conversion."
LBREPORT.com has learned in mid-April 2015, Parks, Rec & Marine staff received an informational report from a Department-hired consultant that discusses various types of synthetic turf materials available in the marketplace. LB Parks, Rec & Marine Dir. George Chapjian [whose office provided us with a copy of the report when we inquired about it earlier today] notes that it was intended to inform staff of the various types of synthetic turf materials in the market, not provide a recommendation on which product(s) to use.
Mr. Chapjian indicates that Commission’s Maintenance and Infrastructure committee has seen the report but at this point the full commission has not; it will receive the report this week. To view the informational report, click here. [LBREPORT.com hasn't had a chance to review the report in detail at this point.]
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The issues come forward amid news that at the now-ongoing Women's World Cup Soccer Match in Canada, U.S. Team Forward Abby Wamback called the artificial turf used at Winnipeg Stadium a "nightmare." Use of the artificial turf was the subject of a objections prior to the World Cup matches (to no avail) by U.S. Women's national team as well as teams from Germany, Brazil and Spain.
NBC News reported on the Women's World Cup matches at this link, stating in pertinent part: "Turf fields are also much hotter than natural grass fields. The surface at this Saturday's cup opener in Edmonton, in which Canada beat China 1-0, reportedly reached 120 degrees an hour before kickoff. At Sunday's games in Ottawa, the field temperature reached 130 degrees."
The artificial turf issue was also reported on June 5 by the Discovery Channel in a story titled, "World Cup Artificial Turf Battle: Is Grass Better?" visible at this link.
Earlier this year, KCET, Los Angeles (Ch. 28) reported on the health controversy at this link. As reported by LBREPORT.com, the state legislation reported by KCET (which would have funded a study on the health issues and required parks/school districts to consider at least one alternative and hold at least one public meeting on issue) ultimately stalled in the state Senate Appropriations Committee; its chair, state Senator Ricardo Lara (D., LB-Huntington Park), effectively blocked the bill from advancing to a vote on the state Senate floor; the bill can be amended and brought forward for consideration in 2016 [[LBREPORT.com coverage, click here.]
To date there has been no study establishing a link between crumb rubber and cancers. At a February 23, 2015 public meeting conducted by 5th dist. Councilwoman Stacy Mungo, a City hired consultant acknowledged the controversy over "crumb rubber" but opined that roughly 60 studies he'd seen to date hadn't shown a cancer link.
Councilwoman Mungo indicated in February that there would be at least one or two more community meetings before a decision was made...but that hasn't happened (apart from the decisionmaking Parks & Rec Commission meeting now scheduled for June 15.)
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When the item is formally agendized in the coming days for Parks & Recreation Commission consideration, it may include recommendations on these matters from LB Parks & Recreation staff. The Commission can accept or reject those recommendations, or tweak and amend them.
The matter comes to the Parks & Rec Commission as a result of a City Council budget vote. On September 3, 2013, three Councilmembers [part of the previous Council] from its Budget Oversight Committee discussed artificial turf in the context of the FY14 budget. Their budget recommendation came to the full Council a few hours later for budget enactment. The budget as enacted included installing synthetic turf soccer fields at three LB locations: Admiral Kidd (7th dist. WLB), Seaside Park (1st dist., NW of 14th St. Park) and El Dorado Park (5th dist). The decision was propelled in part by fiscal considerations (less water use [opponents note that artificial turf still requires watering] and, proponents say, easier maintenance.) Admiral Kidd Park already has lights. Seaside Park won't have lights...and the compound prospect of replacing natural grass at El Dorado Park and adding nighttime lighting has become a hot button issue.
The actual verbiage of the motion doesn't mention synthetic turf or "crumb rubber." To our knowledge, any health and safety issues now being raised about synthetic turf haven't been discussed to date by the City Council (whose primary policy duty is to protect public health and safety.)
LB's Parks & Recreation Commission's members are chosen by the Mayor with City Council approval. Section 902 of the City Charter provides that the Commission "shall have such exclusive authority over all leisure activities in public parks and recreational facilities, controlled or operated by the City, as may be prescribed by the City Council by ordinance; and with respect thereto shall have the following powers and duties:
a) Recommend to City Manager and City Council the acquisition of land for public parks and public recreation, the dedication of public land for public parks, the removal of public land from dedication as park land, and the acquisition of buildings, waterways, or other facilities for public recreation.
(b)Recommend to the City Manager, City Council and Planning Commission the approval or rejection of plans for improvement of parkland for public recreation and for other purposes, including but not limited to buildings and other facilities, other than land and facilities within the tide and submerged lands granted to the City pursuant to Chapter 676, Statutes of 1911; Chapter 102, Statues of 1925; Chapter 157, Statutes as of 1935; interpreted by Chapter 29, Statutes of 1958, First Extraordinary Session; Chapter 138, Statutes of 1964, First Extraordinary Session; and land and facilities situated in the local coastal zone in the City.
(c)Authorize the issuance of permits and agreements related to leisure activities in public parks and recreational facilities controlled or operated by the City.
(d)Establish fees for public recreational programs and use of public parks and recreation facilities.
(e)Perform such other duties as may be delegated by the City Council by ordinance.
As to appeals, Section 904 of the City Charter states: "The City Council shall by ordinance establish a procedure for appeal to the City Council of Commission actions relating to City sponsored programs, services and facilities. By two-thirds (2/3) vote, the City Council shall have the power on any such appeal to affirm, modify or overrule the decision of the Commission."
Developing...with further to follow on LBREPORT.com.
