Vote sidelines team sports

No one will be able to legally play soccer or any other competitive team sport in 28 Costa Mesa parks if the City Council upholds the unanimous decision by the Parks and Recreation Commission.

All five commissioners voted Wednesday to designate 28 parks as “passive parks,” and two parks as “active parks” in response to a public outcry about team sports being played in smaller parks that might not be able to accommodate them.

This comes after a few large boulders and trees were installed in Paularino Park last year to prevent soccer games after some residents complained it was a safety hazard to their children and an annoyance.

Under the new ordinance, some mild sporting activities like throwing around a Frisbee or kicking a soccer ball would be allowed, but with the provision that no teams are formed and no cleats are worn.

“I think the idea is to remove the competitiveness of it and limit the number of people in the park so others can still recreate,” said city Maintenance Service Manager Bruce Hartley.

No new boulders or trees will be planted in parks under this new proposition, but signs would be put up, telling people they are no longer allowed to play the sports they used to.

Police and park rangers will be authorized to issue citations, but they can also choose to merely throw the athletes out of the park.

“The signs will mostly serve as a reminder or a warning, but if there is a problem police can go over and cite people,” said Public Services Director Peter Naghavi.

The signs shouldn’t be a significant expenditure for the city, Naghavi estimated.

If staff were to decide to put signs up in every park it might cost a couple thousand dollars, Naghavi said.

The two parks designated as active are Balearic Park and The Farm.

In addition, the Parks and Recreation Commission voted to continue discussion of a possible wall sealing off a minor entrance to Fairview Park at next month’s meeting.

Some neighbors say it’s dangerous, but many use the entrance as an alternative to walking an extra half mile to another entrance.

City staff says renovating the entrance would cost more than $100,000 that the city can’t afford to spend right now in light of other pressing concerns.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.