Neighbors rap planned athletic field at Long Beach High

A group of Lido Beach residents are up in arms over the Long Beach school district's plans to build a new athletic field at the high school, a move they say will directly impact nearby homeowners.

The planned football, soccer and lacrosse field is part of the district's $98.9-million "School Preservation Plan" for which residents approved a $92.7-million bond in May 2009.

But homeowners along nearby Blackheath Road said they thought they were voting for a bond to preserve existing facilities, not to build a new field with 1,200-seat bleachers and lights. The high school has a football practice field, but plays games at the middle school nearby.

Blackheath residents Ira Stern and Greg Naham say teams could continue to use the newly renovated middle school field, and the district could build a new practice field at the high school.

"We voted to preserve what we have," said Naham, "not to duplicate a field and build a new sports complex." He said discussion with residents on the project has been minimal.

District officials said they have "tremendous support from the community" for the field and have kept residents informed through public meetings, mailings, local newspaper articles and the district website.

"These recommendations, the board didn't come up with them in the middle of the night," Superintendent Robert Greenberg said. "These were very deliberate, methodical recommendations made by representatives of the school district community."

He said it was made "abundantly clear" there would be a new field and it was actually a "selling point" for the bond.

Officials said the existing fields aren't enough. Athletic director Arnold Epstein said there are 74 athletic teams in the district, with 25 using the high school and middle school fields. More than a dozen community teams outside the district also use the fields, he said. The district has about 4,000 students, officials said, with 1,350 at the high school.

Residents who oppose a new football field say it would cause clogged streets on game days and might hinder emergency vehicles getting through. The district said it will provide 275 parking spaces at the school.

Anita Bickman, a retired teacher in the district whose house sits next to the planned field, said she will be most directly impacted.

"It looks to me like the bleachers will butt-up against my house practically," she said. "I bought this house because I love kids and being near the school, but this is ridiculous."

District chief operating officer Michael DeVito said an environmental impact study did not indicate a negative impact on the neighborhood. He said there may be more cars on game days but that the relocation of a pre-K that is at the high school will mean less traffic overall in the community.

Stern and Naham said they don't object to providing students with fields. "We are not trying to defeat it," Naham said. "We are trying to scale it down."

Greenberg said the district is looking into residents' concerns and will address them at the Sept. 14 board meeting.