Community Corner

Bite-Sized Politics: Board Candidates on Lights

In this series, Board of Selectmen candidates tell us where they stand on the issue in a few, easy-to-digest sentences. (Answers given at Oct. 19 League of Women Voters debate)

THE ISSUE:

The utilization of lights at town playing fields has been highly contested for a long time. Proponents say that lighting the fields is necessary to ensure safe practices, especially for high-contact sports like football. Opponents, particularly neighbors whose homes abut the fields, say that the lights are too bright, too loud (when they are run off of generators) and overall, too intrusive.

Brought before the Planning and Zoning Commission is a temporary—albeit unsatisfactory—fix. The compromise is this: fewer, shorter, AC-powered portable lights, which will light the fields in November when daylight savings significantly shortens practice time.

Oct. 6 of this year, P&Z approved the Darien Junior Football League’s application for such lights at Holahan Field; and ten days later, the commission unanimously approved applications from both the DJFL and the Board of Education for the use of temporary lights at the Darien High School stadium field during a short period of the fall athletic season. The decision governing the BOE’s application will stand for the next three years. 

The issue is only within the Board of Selectmen's purview to the extent that a gift of lights needs approval (and a vote by the Representative Town Meeting); the decision ultimately rests with the P&Z Commission, an elected body.

CANDIDATES ON LIGHTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL:

Jayme Stevenson (R)

I have five children of my own who have gone through the public school system, all of whom are athletes. I personally enjoy tremendously watching athletics at Darien High School, so I am personally a proponent. I am very much in favor of community activity. We have very few opportunities in Darien to bring people together in a community setting, and I see—with some very thoughtful restriction—lights at the high school for a small number of games as being a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together.

David Bayne (D)

My personal opinion is that with reasonable restrictions, I am in favor of lights at the high school. I think it’s important to our children; but we need to be respectful of the neighbors, and I think there has to be a compromise worked out there.  We are a 98 percent developed town, and whenever you want to do something in this town, you’re going to end up impinging on what are real or perceived rights of certain neighborhoods or groups. I think it’s very important that we learn to be respectful of each other’s rights but that we also each learn to give and take a little bit, and try to see what is really best for the town in the long run.

Jerry Nielsen (R)

I think over the long run, we’d like to see some compromise; one that is both respectful of our children’s needs in Darien and also those of the neighbors of Darien High School. I hope someday that they can come up with a plan for the next four or five years—whatever that may be—so our children can safely practice.

Still hungry? Read more Bite-Sized Politics here:

Bite-Sized Politics: Board Candidates on Affordable Housing
Bite-Sized Politics: Board Candidates on Plastic Bag Ban

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