(Nov. 18, 2015) -- At its Nov. 17 meeting, the City Council approved an item brought by Councilwoman Stacy Mungo, joined by Councilmembers Lena Gonzalez and Roberto Uranga, asking LB's Parks & Rec and Public Works Depts. to provide the updated cost estimates for soccer field turf conversion projects at Seaside (1st dist.), Admiral Kidd (7th dist.) and El Dorado Park (5th dist.), including putting mini parks used by children in El Dorado Park. The three locations are in the Council districts of the three co-agendizers, who verbally indicated during the Council item that they want to hear "all options" for the fields, including natural grass and artificial turf (which could include "crumb rubber" or "natural" type infills, including coconut husks.) [Scroll down for further.] |
The Council item as agendized was ambiguous in not explicitly including or excluding evaluating natural grass, which soccer field users have on several occasions stated they prefer and park open space advocate Ann Cantrell has argued can be less costly than artificial turf. (The formal agendized text was "to provide an update on and current cost estimate for previously approved soccer field turf conversion projects at three parks - Admiral Kidd, El Dorado and Seaside - and request further report on what other appropriate park uses could be developed at El Dorado Park in lieu of an artificial turf project and request further report on when it would be feasible to bid on any such in lieu projects.") The agendized item's ambiguity led to an ugly moment after a soccer advocate reiterated support for natural grass, and Ms. Cantrell (now in her 80s) provided the Council/staff with what she said are data and website links showing natural grass is feasible and cost competitive or more economical...and inquired whether the Council item as agendized means to include evaluating natural grass. The item's three co-agendizers said nothing and the Council's six other members and the Mayor remained similarly silent. Minutes earlier, Councilwoman Mungo and Mayor Garcia were seen speaking during Ms. Cantrell's testimony; Ms. Cantrell halted her prepared remarks, noted that Councilwoman Mungo was talking, and the pair desisted.
The Council agendizing memo is below. [Mungo/Gonzalez/Uranga agendizing memo] Scroll down for further
Following public testimony, the three co-agendizers thanked the speakers and variously acknowledged that grass is preferred by some users, indicated they wanted a staff report that provides all options, leaving open consideration of artificial turf of some type. Councilman Uranga indicated that he wants to see a report that includes grass among the options to be presented...but both Councilmembers Gonzalez and Uranga noted that soccer players in their districts are now using areas that had basically turned to dirt. Councilwoman Mungo explicitly sought evaluation of mini fields that she said are used by children, a proposal that she floated to mixed responses from a group of invited stakeholders in a meeting at El Dorado Park on Sept. 28 (LBREPORT.com coverage here) after plans to convert a full size current soccer field to artificial turf with possible lights at Studebaker/Willow drew resistance from area residents. Soccer field users have indicated in several fora that they want a level, safe playing surface (twisted ankles are cited over gopher holes in El Dorado Park) and at the Nov. 17 Council meeting a soccer advocate reiterated that soccer players prefer natural grass. Artificial turf is hotter, crumb rubber infill has raised health questions, cocoanut-infilled artificial turf reportedly comes from a single supplier and may be costly. In addition, the original rationale for artificial turf (saving potable/drinkable) water proved inapplicable to Willow/Studebaker (which is irrigated with non-drinkable reclaimed water.) At the Sept. 28 invited stakeholder meeting, Councilwoman Mungo presented the idea of installing two mini-soccer fields using artificial turf, possibly crumb rubber, in the El Dorado Park area west of the tennis courts/behind the library near service road. She indicated at that time that operation and administration of the mini-fields could be outsourced to the Los Altos YMCA, said the YMCA arrangement had already been vetted and approved by the group's board...and said 11 such mini soccer fields are currently operating in San Diego under a similar type of arrangement. Councilwoman Mungo said similar arrangements between cities, school districts and non-profits are a tested model that has been proven successful. A speaker from the Los Altos YMCA spoke at the meeting and expressed the organization's willingness to participate in such an arrangement. Ms. Mungo's self-written bio (www.stacymungo.com) states that she "began her professional career at the YMCA of Greater Long Beach in 1997." (As indicated above, the Nov. 17 Council item asked management to report "when it would be feasible to bid on any such in lieu projects.") LBREPORT.com will continue to follow this story as it develops.
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