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Impacts from Marine fields, youth center debated
by John Tawa
The Manhattan Beach Planning Commission acted last Wednesday to bring the proposed Marine Sports Complex closer to reality, while at the same time expressing concerns about noise, parking and other impacts from the planned open space development.
During the five-hour public hearing, the Commission heard from architects and engineers working to maximize use and mitigate environmental impacts of the 7.2-acre site, which is at 1701 Marine Avenue next to Marine Avenue Park. The Commission also heard from area residents concerned about the impact on their neighborhood of the planned sports fields and youth fitness center.
As currently proposed, the Marine Sports Complex would consist of three lighted little league fields and one lighted regulation soccer field, supported by a snack bar, restrooms and storage areas, dugouts and fencing. The grass areas could be converted to five and one-half practice soccer fields.
A two-story, 16,000-foot youth fitness center operated by the Beach Cities Health District would occupy an acre at the site's western edge. The center will include a multi-purpose court for indoor sports like volleyball and basketball, an adventure challenge par course for younger children, a conditioning room, a child development room and classrooms, among other things. A climbing wall is planned for outdoors.
Parking for the fitness center will be satisfied by 36 restricted on-site spaces. Parking for the fields will be accomplished by using an existing 35-space parking lot on the site's eastern edge, plus 376 spaces furnished by TRW on nights and weekends under a license agreement with the city. The license can be revoked upon one year's notice.
Local residents who spoke at the public hearing expressed concern about traffic, parking, noise and lighting.
Traffic engineer Jack Greenspan explained that the project would generate relatively low traffic relative to the existing traffic flow on the surrounding streets. He concluded that there would be no significant impact generated by the playing fields and youth fitness center. Drop-off areas on the development's eastern and western edges would help with circulation.
Parking will not be a problem weeknights and on weekends, Greenspan said. The only shortage will come during weekdays, with a "worst case scenario" deficit of 17 spaces. Creating 30 parking spaces on westbound Marine or reducing the field usage during weekdays were considered the best ways to mitigate the parking shortage.
Acoustical engineer Martin Newson reported that noise from the fields would not have a significant impact on the surrounding neighborhood. He reached his conclusion after studying noise levels at other city parks and comparing them to the noise generated by the car traffic currently on Marine.
"The overall noise level will increase slightly, but the impact won't be dramatic because what you're adding is less than what's there," he explained.
Field architect Randy Meyer said that a mature tree buffer along the site's southern edge would help muffle noise from the fields. The trees also would help reduce glare from the lights, although new advances in lighting technology made the problem of a lighting nuisance almost a non-issue.
Lighting designers said that the 15-year-old lights currently at Marine Avenue Park represent old technology, the "embryo of what we have now." Joe Montana of Musco Lighting explained that those lights emit glare more than twice that of a high beam headlight. With the latest technology, the glare would be reduced to three times less than a low beam headlight.
After the presentations, parking and noise remained the biggest concerns for residents and commissioners. Residents worried that people would park in their neighborhood and cross Marine to access the site, a problem that would be exacerbated should TRW ever revoke the right to use its spaces. Residents and commissioners alike dismissed parking on Marine as a viable option, noting safety and noise issues. Commission chairperson David Kirkpatrick stressed the need for a parking contingency plan should the TRW parking go away. Eliminating one of the fields for more on-site parking was discussed as a possible parking solution.
Residents and commissioners expressed skepticism about the noise report.
"I know for a fact that if you combine two noises, the noise elevates," Commisioner Mitch Ward said.
"We want a noise report we can believe in," Kirkpatrick added. "Our perception is that the methodology presented was flawed."
Residents also uniformly concluded that the quintessential small town America sounds of balls hitting bats and children cheering would have a negative impact on their quality of life.
"Does anyone really believe that the hundreds of screaming kids along Marine will not have an impact on noise?" Bill Eisen asked.
The Commission also questioned the health district's plans for the youth center. Kirkpatrick and Ward wondered whether the health district had spent enough time focusing on what the building would be and how it would add value to the community. Commissioner Chuck Milam suggested doing away with it altogether to add more on-site parking. Only Commissioner Bruce Kuch endorsed the project unequivocally. Commissioner David Simon was absent.
Ultimately, the Commission voted 3-1 (Ward dissenting) to consider resolutions at its March 8 meeting amending the site's land use element and zoning to an open space designation and permitting a use permit for the youth center facility subject to numerous conditions on its operation. ER