Tatlock Lights Usage Plan Approved By Council

SUMMIT, NJ — The long-debated usage guidelines for the lights coming to the Tatlock Sports Complex were approved on Tuesday night.

Common Council voted 6-1 to adopt Ordinance 25-3363 and institute time constraints and event procedures for the high school and youth sports teams that are set to use the facility in 2026.

"We've talked about lights at Tatlock for nearly, if not over, a decade at this point," Councilmember Bob Pawlowski said. "Councilmembers have had numerous meetings with our residents, including those in the Tatlock neighborhood, the local sports clubs, supporters, and opponents of field lights.

"We've done our due diligence."

In just the last few months, a special Tatlock Light Town Hall session was held, along with multiple opportunities for public comment at different Council meetings.

Among the chief complaints and concerns surrounding the usage of the approved lights are the hours during the week that the lights are allowed to stay on, due to the impact on the surrounding community.

"We've done our very best to balance the needs of our youth with the concerns of the neighborhood, but we are faced with a series of unknowns here," Pawlowski added.

Everyone who voted in favor of the ordinance was not necessarily fully on-board, and took the opportunity on Tuesday night to voice their issues.

"Recognizing that this ordinance is flawed, I'm going to vote to enact it," said Councilmember Claire Toth. "My understanding is the schools aren't looking to hold them (games). We haven't had "Friday night lights" for several years, and that is not because of the lights."

Toth suggested the increase of night games should be incremental. She also suggested that safety issues that come with teenagers getting their probationary ID's should play a bigger role in the consideration of crowd control in the area at night.

The ordinance currently includes a mandate that there will be no more than 10 high school night games in a school year, plus youth football games.

"Did you talk to anybody at the high school about whether they want to have these games?," Pawlowski then asked. "They seem pretty excited, as do all of our youth sports programs. I'm not sure where you're getting your information from, correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard something different right from the horse's mouth."

Councilmember Jamel Boyer then quickly jumped in to highlight the safety upgrades that are also a part of this plan. "What I do really like about this ordinance is that it establishes the installation of security cameras. When the lights are on late...having security cameras there, I think it really fits into the overall security posture of the future of the town as well."

The lights, scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2026, will be used by both youth and high school sports teams under a variety of parameters. Games and practices will be treated differently, along with added caveats to the periods when they may be turned on.

Youth Sports

Practices and games must end no later than 9:00 p.m. In the event of injuries, rain delays, or other similar situations, lights may stay on.

They will be shut off 15 minutes after the conclusion of all events.

High School Sports

High school practices will continue to be scheduled during the day unless outside elements like heat-related concerns force coaches to move the session to the evening.

Practices must end no later than 9 p.m., with the lights then turning off 15 minutes afterwards.

Games must also end no later than 9 p.m., but lights will remain on for an additional 30 minutes for varsity teams. The lights will go off 15 minutes after the conclusion of junior varsity and other level events.

Playoff games are not bound by these rules.

Usage Calendar

Up to 10 games will be scheduled across all of Summit High School's sports teams during the school year. This does not include games that run late from earlier start times.

No practices or games will be scheduled from the Tuesday after Memorial Day through the Thursday after Labor Day unless an outside influence, like weather, moves an event.

No practices or games will be scheduled from Dec. 15 until the last day in February, whenever that falls each year.

The Road To Lights At Tatlock Sports Complex

On Oct. 7, a $1.2 million contract for lights at Upper Tatlock and Investors Bank Fields was approved after long being the subject of scrutiny for its potential impact on the neighborhood.

After a near-unanimous vote, Musco Sports Lighting LLC was awarded the project by Common Council. While benefitting the flexibility of scheduling and safety for the many athletic programs that use the facilities, the plan continues to have its naysayers.

At the center of the concerns are the high-powered lights remaining on and the noise created by games that may extend into the late hours of the night. "Many of the concerns of the concerns we've heard extend beyond lighting, and we remain fully committed to continuing the dialogue and resolving those issues that matter to our neighbors," added Councilmember Kevin Smallwood.

Also coming into question is the methods in which the project is being funded. In early September, Common Council approved a $500,000 anonymous donation made through the Summit Foundation.

"Even though 80 percent of municipalities in New Jersey have field lights, they are not a God-given right, and they are not an entitlement," added Pawlowski. "They are a privilege bestowed upon us by some very generous donors and made possible by a council that takes its job as stewards of our Hill City very seriously."

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