Schools

Neighbors Pushing Back on Friday Night Lights

Residents near Carlmont High School have hired a lawyer to fight the football stadium light proposal. Do YOU think lights should be allowed? Take our poll below.

 

At a in February, Sequoia Union High School District and Carlmont High School officials laid out a proposal to make some enhancements to the school's athletic stadium. Part of that proposal calls for the installation of field lights on the playing field. 

During that meeting UHD superintendent James Lianides gave an overview of the , which would include four 80-foot light poles around the field, an aluminum bleacher and additional parking. 

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The project has since undergone an environmental study and the public had through March 16 to comment on or protest the project before the school board. As reported yesterday in the San Jose Mercury News, the district received eight letters of concern. 

However, according to the Mercury News story, a group of neighbors who live on Cranfield Avenue near the Belmont high school have hired an attorney to mitigate the light project.

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In an email to Belmont Patch, SUHSD board president Alan Sarver said, "The District is ensuring that the comments received from the City of Belmont, from the group of Cranfield residents, and from other neighbors are all reflected in the final version of the study to be reviewed by the Board. 

The District wishes to meet with the concerned neighbors to review these issues, and is working to set up a meeting soon. Our clear objective is to provide great benefit to the students of Carlmont High School and the Belmont and San Carlos communities, while mitigating identified negative impacts of the project and providing the best possible outcome for our neighbors."

The lawyer representing the group, Tamara Galanter, suggests that to reduce noise and other impacts, Carlmont High School limit the number of hours and events needing the lights. 

The comments and responses to the environmental study will be incorporated into the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration, which will be reviewed by the school district at its May 2 meeting. 

 

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