The public voiced their concerns on the Sherbeck Field Improvements Project Final Enviromental Impact Report at the Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 22.
The project was initially part of the Facilities Master Plan EIR. However, in response to public concerns during the scoping meeting in 2016, the North Orange County Community College District created a separate environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
The project set out to build, six field lighting stanchions, a sound system only used for athletic competition events, a press box, a storage building, scoreboard and install 4,417 permanent aluminum bleachers.
The Sherbeck project is estimated to cost $5.6 million and the EIR total was $538,500. The funding came from several years of savings due to an accumulation of the campus fund carryover. The project does not use Measure J nor Measure X funds for the stadium. Additional information regarding the NOCCCD financial report can be viewed here.
Clay Gaetje and Tanya McCrory were among the residents who believed that the money should be used for other needs instead of spending it on bleachers and lights.
“The chancellor of the system said we need to focus on veterans, returning students and STEM,” Gaetje said. “Getting students out faster, getting them into their ADT program. None of that is related to the stadium.”
McCory expressed her concerns about the Fullerton High School stadium directly across the street is redundant.
In response to the concerns addressed during the meeting and previously, FC Director of Campus Communications Lisa McPheron expressed that during the district meeting there were alternative solutions discussed. The four options included: no project, continue for a 2000 seat bleachers, using FUHS and using CSUF.
Having games played at a high school stadium does not meet sizing requirements for post-season games, according to the Community College Athletic Association. CSUF limits football games being played and the rental cost is impossible for Fullerton College to pay. A reduced seat solution will not be enough for competitions and commencement.
McPheron also addressed that having the bleachers and lights in the stadium, will save FC more than $55,000 of field rentals and transportation costs per year, along with the commencement ceremony cost.
The community was not happy in the first place that a stadium is being built next door to them. That means heavy traffic, noise and light spillage will affect the community.
The spillages were addressed and outlined in the Sherbeck Field Environmental Impact Report, it was found that no significant noise and light spillage will affect the community under controlled limits, however traffic noise during the game is not avoidable.
The plan for Sherbeck Field is to hold additional night classes, athletic training, competitions and the Commencement Ceremony. However, there have been strict rules placed on the stadium for outside users and time limits that will be enforced.
The next meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 12 and the board will discuss further on the next decision for Sherbeck Field.
FC is set for other construction and renovation projects in the future years. More information about future construction plans on the Fullerton College campus, can be viewed here.
Ben Vega • Nov 8, 2019 at 12:17 pm
What isn’t mentioned in the article is the support from former students that spoke up at this meeting for lights and seating on Sherbeck Field. Some of there points are only 5 home games a year. More cars from Fullerton College Students, Faculty and visitors then a couple hundred cars that would attend at home Football game. Lights on the field would be adding more class rooms associated with the field and a safer environment for the students and visitors to the Field. Local residents benefit from the security cameras that would be put up around the field and the school, safer environment for Students visitors and residents. Fact, Sacramento has published that class sizes are going to decrease over the 10 years, spending monies on Faculty and classes doesn’t make sense in this environment. Adding classes for the school related to the field after working hours would bring in more revenue for the school to offset increasing local taxes. The school needs to cut costs mentioned in your article and increase classes related to the Sherbeck Field, this could mean millions of dollars saved and earned from lights and seating on the Sherbeck Field. How long has it been since anyone seen Fullerton College play a game at Fullerton High School? Traffic, if you want to back up local traffic send 100 football players, Coaches, trainers and equipment across the street to Fullerton High School for 6 hours, I can assure the local residents that will do the trick, not a couple hundred cars pulling in and out of the parking lot for home games. El Camino College has experienced homeless camps around there campus, which I have personally seen with my own eyes. Lights and security cameras would be great way to keep away such camps. Benefit local residents.
I am unique because I lived in Fullerton at The Hill Crest apartments when I was going to Fullerton college, Berkeley was right outside my window. I heard Fullerton H.S stadium, I heard the traffic and the cars when there were no games and I didn’t feel any inconvenience. Fullerton High School had the same issues with neighbors. This is nothing new to the area.
Anyone who purchased a home in this area signed documents making them aware of the College and the local schools in this area. Your paper should produce that document. They live in a School zone.
Do the eye ball check yourself, many of the homes right across the street have shrubs, walls and patio’s that would block such lights bleeding into there homes. Not mentioned in EIR report, that specialized light covers would focus lights to go down directly on the field minimizing the bleed to back yards.
More people on campus, more classes = more revenue $ = less tax dollars in the future for the local residents can someone give me an AMEN for that.
I could go on but I have to go to work and pay taxes for the City of Los Angeles because they increased my property tax for Community Colleges or I could go on longer.
More people on campus, more classes = more revenue $ = less tax dollars in the future for the local residents can someone give me an AMEN for that.