Facing stiff opposition

Norwalk commission delays vote on high school softball field upgrades

NORWALK — The Norwalk Zoning Commission on Thursday agreed to delay a vote on upgrades to the softball field at Brien McMahon High School, a project that has ignited stiff opposition from Highland Avenue residents concerned about new stadium

lighting at the field.

The proposed upgrades, which include a new artificial turf field, are aimed at leveling the playing field between sports facilities used by boys teams, which have had access to lighted artificial turf fields for years, and girls teams, which have been forced to play on unlighted natural grass.

“The girls in Norwalk need equal opportunities just like the boys,” said Brien McMahon High School Athletic Director John Cross, who had urged the commission to approve the project.

But city residents who live near the school complained that the planned five light poles, which tower 60 feet into the sky, would be a blinding eyesore for the surrounding neighborhood. After a lengthy public hearing, they successfully convinced the commission to postpone a vote on the project.

Highland Avenue resident James Wehrle said the new lights would mar an idyllic community that has for years properly balanced the needs of the high school and nearby homeowners.

“This is outrageous that you would put a lighted stadium essentially on the front of this property,” he said. “I have no problem with supporting girls’ access to better programs. I have two teenage girls myself. But it does not belong on the front of this road.”

Wehrle was one of eight Highland Avenue residents who spoke in opposition to the project. Some expressed concern that the upgraded field would draw an influx of visitors, potentially resulting in more traffic to the area, and others warned the lights would shine directly into their homes.

“There’s no way that those lights aren’t shining into my children’s bedroom when I’m trying to put them to sleep at 8:30 at night,” Daniel Deforte said.

Mike Mahoney, of Musco Sports Lighting, said the latest LED technology would allow the new stadium lights to create a “curtain of darkness” around the field, ensuring that only the field is brightly illuminated.

“This is a very dark sky-friendly approach,” he said. “We’ve been very successful in implementing this throughout the area.”

The planned upgrades are expected to cost about $1.2 million. Ken Hughes, Norwalk’s superintendent of parks and public property, said the lights will automatically shut off at 9 p.m. He also said the softball field, which is also used to host field hockey games, will not be leased to outside organizations or adult sports leagues.

Several residents claimed to have not been notified of the proposed lighting and urged the board to hold a vote at a later date so more neighbors can become aware of the project.

“Please give us an opportunity to formulate a response,” resident Ben Boulton said. “Literally we’d like to be kept in the dark, but figuratively no. It just doesn’t seem to square with the concept of democracy.”

Vanessa Valadares, a city engineer, said all legally required notices were sent to the owners of the five abutting properties — a requirement under city rules.

Commission Chairperson Louis Schulman said he believed the notices were made, but suggested the board should re-evaluate notification requirements in the future. The commission ultimately agreed to hold a second public hearing at a future date.