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Politics & Government

Controversy Lights Up Planning and Zoning

Another public hearing on stadium lights; this time at Holahan Field.

Will the Darien Planning and Zoning Commission see the light? It's a question on the minds of many Darien Junior Football League board members, vying for practice lights at Holahan Field.

Darien’s Junior Football Leage has 550 more participants than the larger towns against which they compete. Yet the young athletes lack what their competitors all have: practice fields that light up as dusk sets in earlier and earlier throughout the fall season. The situation not only poses a competitive disadvantage, but it is also unsafe. To remedy this, the DJFL has applied for the utilization of portable lights at Holahan Field, much to the dismay of some neighbors who say the lights will be disruptive.

The proposal, which was submitted to Planning and Zoning Comission in August,  requests permission for utilization of portable lights at Holahan Field, behind Town Hall. The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on the proposal Monday, Sept. 21 at Town Hall.

"When you have a contact sport like tackle football, with balls flying and kids hitting up against each other as dusk draws in, we need to provide these young athletes with a safe environment to practice," said Guy Wisinski, a DJFL board member.

The proposal is for a one-year pilot program; a chance to "test out" the utilization of three sets of 20-foot-high portable lights, powered by diesel generators and positioned in such a way to avoid shining lights onto neighbors’ properties. The goal is to create the same amount of light in Oct. and Nov., as shines in late afternoon in Sept, said Wisinski. After daylight saving time takes effect, the sun sets at 4:30 p.m. As it stands, parents have to shine their headlights onto the field once the sun begins to set, said Wisinski. 

If approved, lights will shine for a maximum of 20 weekday afternoons, during practice hours 5:30 to 7:15 p.m., the earliest timeslot that volunteer coaches are available after work. A sepearate application by the DJFL for portable lights at the stadium field at Darien High School, which would further extend playing time, is also pending before the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Wary of the neighbors' concern, the DJFL spent $800 to rent three of the portable lights in Aug. for a demonstration on Holahan Field. Several neighbors who attended spoke out at Monday's hearing.

Frank Albrizio, who lives on St. John’s Place, objected to the noise of the diesel generator and light spillage onto his property.

"We do not have any buffer," he said. "That’s simply not acceptable."

Albrizio also expressed concern that the 30-gallon fuel tanks on what he called the "flood-prone field," might pose an environmental threat.

Kent Eppley, who owns a house on Cherry Street, offered to provide an electrical connection through an underground conduit leading from the house to meet neighbors’ objections to the noisy, diesel generators.

Wisinski cited three private clubs in Darien, which utilize recreational lighting in close proximity to residential neighborhoods as precedent.

Several speakers noted that Darien’s Plan of Development encourages recreational use of public spaces; people who purchase homes near playing fields should not be surprised when the fields are put to use, they said.

Wisinski reiterated that the League’s application was for a one-year pilot and that the League would be sensitive to neighbors’ concerns.

The Commission closed the public hearing and will be voting on the application shortly. The application for electric-powered portable lights at the high school is also pending.

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