Athletic fields on city agenda

Costa Mesa has a limited number of athletic fields, and they’re

always in high demand. Tonight the City Council will try to clear up

problems involving sharing time on the fields and keeping them in

playable condition.

The parks and recreation commission, after holding three meetings

on field use, has recommended few changes to city policies. Despite

fears that the council would scrap an agreement to share fields with

Costa Mesa’s schools, most council members seem committed to

retooling the plan.

The biggest policy change would prohibit adult soccer groups from

playing on fields at Costa Mesa’s elementary schools. If the council

agrees, adult soccer could be played only at Costa Mesa and Estancia

high schools and the Parsons and Davis school fields.

The change would mean many adult soccer groups would have to look

outside the city for fields, but neighbors of the elementary schools

are expected to applaud the suggestion.

Even though it’s hard to keep fields in shape when they’re used

year-round, the commission did not suggest taking any out of

commission temporarily, probably because such a move would worsen the

shortage of field space.

Lighted fields also are in short supply, and youth soccer groups

need them for evening practices. The council will be asked to

reconsider allowing American Youth Soccer Organization Region 97 --

fewer than 50% of whose members live in Costa Mesa -- to have the

same priority as youth sports groups with more than 90% Costa Mesa

residents.

Some minor changes are proposed to the joint-use agreement between

the city and Newport-Mesa Unified School District. The agreement lets

city recreation staff dole out playing time to community sports

groups, while the school district has certain rights to use fields

for school teams.

One change to that agreement would make the school district

responsible for who gets to use indoor sports facilities such as

pools and gymnasiums. The district also would take over the mowing of

fields and other ongoing maintenance.

The city and school district have been working since September

2004 to fix problems with the joint-use agreement. Before the

agreement was in place, the schools did the scheduling for fields.

That plan may have worked better because the district had more

control, Councilwoman Linda Dixon said.

“I believe that in some cases our staff has been blamed for things

that have been out of their control,” she said.

“I don’t believe it would be as detrimental as people think if the

agreement can’t be worked out,” she said, though she added, “That’s

not saying that it can’t be.”

Several other council members said they want to stick with the

agreement, although it may require more tinkering.

“I want my school principal working on school issues, not divvying

up fields,” Councilwoman Katrina Foley said. “It won’t be as

effective in terms of providing as many fields as we have now.”

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at

o7alicia.robinson@latimes.comf7.