Council Has 'Serious Concerns' with 'Late Night' Lights at Stevens Field

Author Jonathan Swift may have been impressed by 'a modest proposal' brought by one resident at Wednesday night's council meeting, a way to solve the controversial field's policy issue, and one that was met with raucus applauds. Resident Leonard Eisen said he didn't have one view or another on whether the field lights policy should be revised to allow for

But, he said by way of story, perhaps the residents touting the 'greater good' benefits of the fields should switch homes with the neighbors of Stevens and Stadium Field, who charge that the quality of their lives will be greatly harmed if the lights stay on that late. Although said in jest, it partly underscored some of the issues on Wednesday. Who should sacrifice? Participants of fields? Or neighbors?

Outside of the neutral Eisen, a wide cross section of the village was on-hand Wednesday night stumping for their respective positions. Parents involved in sports living near the high school urged the council to pass the motion; residents from far corners of Ridgewood panned the 10 p.m. proposed allowable time as a detriment; sports group organizers, coaches and participants stressed the need to help lessen the burden caused by a lack of fields; neighbors vocally opposed to the lights, particularly at what they called an unreasonable hour.

The policy, drafted by the Fields Committee and , would allow the lights at Stevens and Stadium during the spring and fall to be on as late as 10 p.m. on no more than 50 percent of Friday and Saturday nights, as well as one week day Monday through Thursday to accomodate RBSA games on Stevens Field during just the spring.

From June to July summer, five days per week could go as late as 10 p.m. at Stevens Field with the understanding Stadium would not exceed a 9 p.m. time limit.

Like residents, the council too sounded off, putting the divisive issue at something of an impasse. The council needs to sign the joint agreement before it can go into effect.

Council eyeing 9 p.m. at Stevens.

Deputy Mayor Tom Riche said he wouldn't vote for the revision as presented because the Schedler property is designated for possible future use as "Schedler Field". That excerpt would need to removed even for his consideration, he said.

The council recognized there was a shortage of fields and more participation but Mayor Keith Killion asked the Fields Committee: "When have we reached capacity? When do you reach that cutoff point?"

"Every town has that cutoff point," he quickly added before asking if fields will continually be lit around town to accommodate even further participation. Ed Seavers, the scheduler on the Fields Committee, responded that RBSA will accept anyone who signs up on time but will have to cut back on practices, games. "Kids are getting cheated" but he said at least they're getting a program. He also said he'd like to see every field in town under lights.

Ultimately, however, the council told the Fields Committee that it had "serious concerns" letting Stevens Field run until 10 p.m. on the two days of contention although RHS Stadium didn't appear to be the concern, just Stevens.

Killion asked if there was "any other way" to find fields outside of Ridgewood even if it did require more traveling–something baseball teams are accustomed to as they play well over 50 percent of their games away from Ridgewood, according to Seavers.

The mayor said he knew this put the Fields Committee in a difficult spot, but said the council is exploring other options as well. "We're trying every way we can just like you are." He pointed to possibly having the water department sell off a property on Cedar Hill Avenue in Wyckoff, something Seavers said was once explored before the department said nay. The council's response: there's a new sherriff in town.

Still, the council response was a blow to the hopes of sport organizers, the fields committee and sport parents. "We haven't had any feedback about the proposal as to where there would be some middle ground here," Paul Sheridan, a Fields Committee member and head of the Ridgewood Lacrosse Association, said in response to Killion's urging for the committee to "dig deep" with other ideas.

Maybe Vets field could take on an altered schedule to accommodate more use until a more long-range solution could be worked out, the mayor noted.

The council is still debating and has not reached a definitive conclusion, Killion said, and will vote on April 13 at its next public meeting.

Sports groups, residents stump for policy

"We would have to make due," Seavers said when asked by Councilman Paul Aronsohn what would happen if the council does not approve a 10 p.m. allowable time. Because games are filled from early morning throughout the day on weekends, advocates for later light times said it's not simply as easy as scheduling things an hour beforehand and have games end at 9 p.m.

Some community members said the impact on children would be difficult to stomach should the current 9 p.m. ruling remain in effect.

“We need lights on until 10 o’clock. It’s an hour in the summer. If you don’t allow it some number of little baseball player boys are not going to be able to play ball,” Bob Davies, active in the Ridgewood Soccer Association, said prior to the council informing the community of its current stance on Stevens.

Jeff Gluck, a member at large on the fields committee, said he’s quite familiar with both sides of the issue. Gluck had once opposed the portable diesel-generated lights by his house at Glen School several years back. “The neighborhood has learned to deal with it,” he said, adding that allowing lights to 10 p.m. would be “for the greater good,” a common theme for the residents who spoke in favor of the lights.

Fields Committee member Brian Abdoo, also a member at-large, said a healthy balance was struck in the policy developed. Both neighbors and sport parents are likely somewhat disappointed, he said.

“I’m sure some will feel this is too disruptive to their neighborhood, their homes and their lives, just as some will feel it [the policy] is too restrictive in terms of fields use.”

“The fields committee has put in front of you guys is an extremely fair compromise to both constituents,” he said.

The baseball teams, Sheridan reported, already "don't play practice" because of the facilities crunch and would stand to lose greatly if the 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot isn't permitted. Games could not be scheduled at 8 p.m. due to their length, meaning baseball and softball would likely lose games.

In response to neighbor charges that the policy revision doesn't take into account neighborhood concerns, Gary Muzio, of the RBSA, said the group is very willing to work with them to help mitigate concerns.

"We would definitely enter into talks with them as far as doing what we could financially in support," he said. Muzio said the group will do what it can "to make it more palatable” for neighbors.

Neighbors say proposal is a compromise between sport groups, not for residents

Paul Woodburn, a neighbor of Stevens Field on North Irving, said the lights "are brighter than the sun" and go into his living room, as did another resident. Woodburn was particularly miffed that three transformer boxes lie a foot next to his property line. Neighbors have complained their property values will drop, traffic will be unmanageable, the noise too great and shining lights will disrupt sleep for numerous residents, including children who play on the fields. Many in the audience argued kids are already up late.

Tom Kossoff, of Heermance Place, said as he has in the past that the responsible thing is to look out for the well-being of taxpayers and said the school board tucked the resolution through in the dead of night with nary a soul. Ultimately, Kossoff concluded, "This is not a NIMBY issue, this is a Not-In-My-Ridgewood issue."

He said "Ridgewood wouldn't remain Ridgewood" if the policy is granted, pointing to a possible slippery slope of lights being placed at more fields, which he said would negatively impact other neighborhoods.

Board of Education Vice President Bob Hutton defended the board's passing move, saying it was always the intent to have lights and that was communicated appropriately throughout the process.

Councilman Paul Aronsohn, however, said he didn't feel the same way in terms of how this policy has ultimately developed. Aronsohn said he had "problems with the process," remarking he felt that was a "conscious decision" to not explicitly discuss a 10 p.m. time.

"There was no talk or very little talk about sort of setting this to 10 o'clock at night. I don't remember that conversation," he said.

Jim Morgan, of Beverly Road, said this impending village council decision was "the last chance for a fair hearing" for neighbors and the "compromise" Fields Committee members touted "wasn't really a compromise, but a compromise between sports groups."

"I ask you all to act responsibly . . . turn off those lights at 9 p.m. and allow the neighbors to have use of their property, allow their children go to bed, and allow the village to stay the village we love," he said.

Muzio, however, as countless residents at the meeting argued–from Zoning Board members to ex-professional football players like Jeff Feagles–said that 10 p.m. is needed or consequences will impact participants. Sports groups have estimated as many as 5,000 participants play youth sports throughout the village, in addition to adult leagues.

If not, he said, there would be “fewer kids, fewer teams and fewer games.” Although he admitted adding the track at B.F. and thus eliminating two baseball fields didn’t help, he said “sometimes as a community you have to take one for the team."

"We thought perhaps the same would be done for us,” he said.