1. What is being proposed?
The proposal is two fold. At Highlands Park, the proposal is to install synthetic turf to replace an existing grass field (only on the south field that currently has ball field lights). At Heather School, the proposal is to install synthetic turf and ball field lights at the existing Heather School athletic field.
10. Why are people against synthetic turf?
People are concerned about the increased usage synthetic turf would enable to happen. They are concerned about the potential for increased traffic and noise.
Some are opposed to synthetic turf because they feel that natural grass is better for the general community to play on. Some are concerned about the safety of synthetic turf. Some are concerned with synthetic turf being hotter than natural grass.
Some feel the benefit of converting Highlands and Heather to synthetic turf is relatively narrow. It generates incremental new hours primarily in the summer when the field is closed and in the winter. It also generates additional play time when it is raining or immediately after a rain.
11. Is synthetic turf safe and how does its safety compare to grass?
Research indicates that injury rates are the same or even lower on synthetic turf as compared to natural grass. This is particularly true when the grass begins to deteriorate from heavy use.
Dr. Rick Lambson, West Texas A & M University stated that bio-mechanical testing found that Field Turf (a specific brand) “...is comparable to natural grass and therefore, from a perspective of injuries, is a good alternative to natural grass.”
Dr. Bill Barnhill, M.D. a Texas based Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine offers this example. “In the past, we could expect two torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries each season, typically occurring at the end of the year, when the quality of the old grass field would deteriorate. Since installing the Field Turf surface over a year ago, we have had zero ACL’s to report. I find this to be a remarkable statistic.”
12. Is synthetic turf hotter than natural grass?
Yes, synthetic grass fields are generally warmer than the outside temperatures during hot weather. Synthetic grass fields heat up more quickly than natural grass fields but, conversely, also cool down quicker. The company that installed the synthetic grass at Hoover School in Redwood City measured 66 of their installations across the country. During sunny weather in spring and summer the average increase in temperature was 10.14 degrees with the average air temperature being 83.76 degrees and the field temperature being 93.90 degrees. Their lowest variance was a 2 degree increase and the highest variance was a 25 degree increase.
Research indicates it is not accurate to just measure the temperature of the field itself as athlete does not play the entire contest while laying on the surface. What matters more is the temperature at the 2'-4' range above the surface. That is where the athletes retain 90% of their heat. The best measurement is with an infra-red thermometer. This is the methodology employed by the company that installed Hoover School field.
One citizen, using a garden thermometer, measured the temperature at Carlmont High School synthetic field on April 27, 2004 when it was 98 degrees in the shade. He reported the grass surface as 101 degrees while the synthetic turf field 126 degrees. City staff measured the temperature at Carlmont High School synthetic field on June 19, 2003. The outside air temperature was 94 degrees. He reported the grass surface as 85 degrees and the synthetic turf field 104 degrees. The temperature was taken with a probe type thermometer. Both the City staff person and the citizen placed the thermometer on the surface.
With regard to heat stroke, we have seen no data that synthetic grass fields contribute to an increase in heat stroke among athletes. There will always be a chance of heat-related illnesses anytime a contest is played where temperatures are above 90 degrees. There have been many occasions where athletes have become ill on natural grass. It is the outside temperature in conjunction with a specific individual's own body chemistry that is the primary factor for heat-related illnesses. The Carlmont High School Soccer Coach reports no heat problems in two seasons of play.
We are researching additional data.
18. Will an environmental review be completed?
Yes, an environmental review will be done during the design phase of the project, assuming it moves forward. The reason that the review occurs during the design phase of the project is that we need to have a conceptual plan initially, completed by a designer (drainage, light placement, etc) before any level of environmental review is done. To have a plan done we need authorization from the City Council to select and then hire a designer. Then an environmental review will be done.
19. Will you fence and lock the facilities where synthetic fields have been installed?
No. As they are now, the fields will be open for citizens to use. We will not lock out any of the community. It will be necessary to prevent access by vehicles to prevent damage to the Highlands Park fields with a barrier of some sort. The barrier could be similar to the bollards at Crestview Park. The field at Heather School is currently fenced and will remain available to public use.
2. Where did the proposal come from?
Overuse of San Carlos athletic fields has been a concern for many years. On January 5, 1994 the Parks and Recreation Commission adopted a Field Use Policy to help address this issue.
The City commissioned a study in 2000 by Mark Mahady & Associates to analyze the problem and make recommendations. Mr. Mahady met with representatives from all sports groups as well as individual coaches, Parks and Recreation Commissioners and staff during his review. The results of this study, known as the City of San Carlos Parks and Sports Field Use and Agronomic Specifications report was accepted by the City Council in October 2001.
Since that time, the Athletic Sites Advisory Committee (ASAC) has been studying the problems of overuse of the City’s Athletic Fields and the need to increase playable hours on these fields, if possible. The ASAC is composed of representatives from all youth and adult sports groups in San Carlos. This includes baseball, soccer, Pop Warner Football, adult softball, tennis and others. ASAC studied the problem for two years and recommended installation of synthetic turf as part of the solution to this dilemma.
20. Has public input been sought on these proposals?
Discussions have been on-going since the year 2000 on how to address the problems of insufficient athletic field play hours, the condition of the athletic fields and the alternatives that the City can explore in this area. As part of this process, we have reached out to the neighbors of Highlands Park and Heather School. We conducted a public meeting at Highlands Park in September 2003 and at Heather School in March 2004. We have mailed out over 3,600 letters to notify the neighbors and interested parties of meetings and other proposed actions and posted meeting information on the City website. We have exchanged hundreds of emails and many phone calls.
In response to this input, we have made some adjustments. Stadium Field in Highlands Park was withdrawn from consideration due to anticipated difficulties mitigating traffic and other impacts at the north end of the park. Soccer representatives are working with the Highlands Park neighborhood to mitigate parking and traffic issues during peak times. We are conscious of the concern about increased evening use at Heather, increases in time each field might be used and attendant noise and traffic. We will include this in our planning and distribution of field time. In summary, we continue to seek public input and we will shape our proposals to address the concerns that are brought to our attention.
21. What about converting the asphalt playground at Central Middle School or the Tierra Linda existing natural grass field to synthetic turf instead of the proposed conversions at Highlands Park and Heather School Wouldn’t these sites be a better choice?
The Central Middle School asphalt area is too small to address the problem of not enough athletic field play hours. Converting the asphalt area at Central to synthetic turf would gain more incremental hours of play than converting Highlands or Heather to synthetic turf. Due to the size, however, we would be able to serve 913 additional participants compared to a natural grass field at Central. In comparison, we would be able to serve 1,541 additional participants at the Heather School field with synthetic turf and lights and 1,206 additional participants at the Highlands Park field if synthetic turf was used in place of natural grass. A synthetic field at Central School would not serve older youth and adults who provide the most wear on a field. These users would remain on the lighted fields at Highlands Park, continuing the current overuse. Additionally, current asphalt activities, including neighborhood children on bicycles and a roller hockey camp for 140 youth, would need to be relocated or lost if an appropriate site could not be found. One other factor is the decision to move or not move the existing portables encroaching onto the asphalt playground will not be decided until the school district's "Quality Space" program study is finalized and recommendations made.
The Tierra Linda field is not as level as other fields. Converting it to synthetic turf would require costly grading and retaining walls. Additionally, this field is already used extensively by school and community groups and would not provide sufficient relief for over-used City scheduled fields. The school district's "Quality Space" program has not determined what will happen with the upper McPherson Field at Tierra Linda. At this time it is not available to develop as an athletic field.
Also worth noting, both the Central Middle School and the Tierra Linda School athletic field sites would require an increase in the City’s operating budget. This is the case because neither is used and maintained by the City at this time. At a time when operating and maintenance budgets at the City are being cut (due to revenue reductions caused by the downturn in the economy and revenue raids by the State), we are not in a financial position to add the maintenance and care of entirely new fields at this time.
22. What will it cost?
The proposed synthetic turf field and lights at Heather School’s athletic field is estimated to cost $928,000. This estimate includes the cost of design, lights and an additional backstop to ensure service to San Carlos Youth Softball, the girl’s softball program. The proposed synthetic turf field at Highlands Park, which is a bigger field, is estimated to cost $1,224,000.
23. How would the City pay for the conversion of grass to synthetic turf at these two sites and the lights at Heather School?
Funds are available to convert only one field at this time. If the conversion of both fields to synthetic turf was approved, one would need to wait until funds are raised through donations, grants, fundraising and City funds as they become available.
Financing is available for with no down payment and no pre-payment penalty. Funds are anticipated to be available in the Park in Lieu Fund (Fund 27). In addition, Measure G Funds will become available in FY 2007-08, which could be used to pay off a financed debt. This action would leave a balance in Measure G Funds at the end of its term in FY 2010-2011. There are very few opportunities to build an athletic field. Measure G, designed primarily to fund athletic field improvements, give us this opportunity.
Sports groups have offered to donate $40-50,000 per year for five years to help cover the conversion of the fields to synthetic turf. They see this as a better investment than the $5,423 AYSO Soccer paid to use Carlmont High School field this past winter.
In addition, nine neighboring cities, with a potential for 11 additional fields, are also considering installing synthetic turf. Timing construction with these cities could result in an economy of scale producing a significant discount. Vendors for synthetic turf and athletic field lights have confirmed a discount would be available, although specific figures are not available until the projects are bid.
Grants will be sought from sources such as US Soccer Foundation, Recycling and State Park Bond Act, Proposition 40. An approved project is needed to enable people to pursue grants and donations.
24. To support the cost of the synthetic turf fields, will it be necessary to have heavy and constant use of the fields for hire to out of town teams?
No. Synthetic turf is proposed to in order to meet our existing need in San Carlos.
25. How does the cost of maintaining a synthetic turf athletic field compare to maintaining a natural grass athletic field?
The estimated maintenance cost of a synthetic turf field is $4,000 a year, including staff time and materials. The 10 year cost is $44,675 (with a 2% annual Consumer Price Index factor added in). Maintenance on a synthetic field involves sweeping it about every 6 weeks to redistribute any rubber granules that may have migrated, cleaning of any spills and any vandalism repair.
In comparison, the maintenance cost for the Highlands Park natural grass athletic field is $88,657 a year which includes mowing, edging, weeding, overseeding, watering, etc. The 10 year cost is $990,185 (with a 2% annual CPI factor added).
Current annual maintenance costs at Heather are $58,000 for staff time and supplies. Total cost of installation, maintenance and replacement, over 20 years is estimated at $1,410,000 for synthetic turf compared to $2,030,000 million for natural turf. Synthetic turf will help address current demand for field use. Natural turf will require up to a 50% reduction based on current use.
The City will save $3,420 annually, for a cumulative savings of $38,197 over the 10 year financing period, in non-staff maintenance costs for overseeding, fertilizer, mowing and weeding (costs provided include a 2% CPI factor). This amount is smaller than the projected $30,000 savings for two fields because the School District pays for the water at Heather. Savings are even higher in years when de-thatching or other recurring but non annual work is required. Staff time currently used for field maintenance at Heather School Athletic Field will be used to make improvements to other needs including picnic sites and trail enhancements, and provide flexibility when employees take leave by covering those areas. Current staff levels do not allow for overlapping areas of responsibility or leave relief.
26. Is the money to install synthetic turf fields going to impact normal repairs needed for park amenities now and over the next 10 years?
No, Normal repairs to parks and facilities will continue.
27. If Measure G funds are used for synthetic fields, what happens to the other projects that were identified for funding under Measure G?
Measure G was designed primarily to fund athletic field improvements. Most projects identified in Measure G, Exhibit A, have been or will be completed with the proposed synthetic turf installation at Highlands Park and Heather School athletic fields. For example, the Senior Center roof that is listed as a potential Measure G project was completed this spring. A complete list of the projects specified in Measure G with the current status of each is detailed below.
Measure G - Exhibit A Items
|
Location |
Facility |
Completed |
|
Highlands Park |
Turf (sand) |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
|
Irrigation |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
|
Tennis Courts |
Resurfaced 2003 |
|
|
Turf (dirt) |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
|
Infields |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
|
Infield -Stadium |
|
|
Burton Park |
Tennis Courts |
Resurfaced April 2004 |
|
|
Infields |
2000 |
|
Senior Citizens' Center |
Roof |
Spring 2004 |
|
Laureola Park |
Infield |
2002 |
|
|
Backstop fencing |
2002 |
|
Heather School |
Turf |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
- |
Irrigation |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
|
Infield |
Synthetic Proposal |
|
Crestview Park |
Turf |
|
|
|
Irrigation |
|
|
|
Bleachers |
|
|
Arguello Park |
Turf |
Summer 2004 |
|
|
Irrigation |
Summer 2004 |
|
|
Tennis Courts |
|
|
- |
Infield |
Summer 2004 |
|
|
Backstop fencing |
Summer 2004 | |
28. When dog feces are left on a synthetic field, how will the field be cleaned? (Even when dog owners pick up the feces, there is often a remaining residue)
Water will be available as part of the design. Dog waste can be cleaned with water. This maintenance is factored into the maintenance costs for synthetic turf surface fields.
3. Why is synthetic turf proposed?
The natural grass athletic fields in San Carlos cannot safely sustain the current level of play. Athletic fields in San Carlos are currently used 2.1 times the recommended amount for safe, sustainable fields. If field use capacity is not increased, participation in sports programs will have to be reduced. No additional space, that is big enough, is available to solve the problem.
Synthetic turf allows for increased use on existing fields. The increased play time is due to the ability to play on the fields shortly after rainy weather (vs. longer out of play time with a grass field) and fewer hours and days out of service each year for maintenance and replanting (vs. a traditional grass field). Other advantages of a synthetic field surface are lower maintenance costs and significantly reduced water usage.
4. Where is the demand for more athletic field use coming from?
The need for additional athletic field space has significantly increased over the years. San Carlos currently has approximately 7,500 users in organized sports activities. This does not include special events, drop-in activities or casual use. The biggest impact is in youth participation with approximately 6,000 users. The need has increased from 9,835 to 18,182 Permitted Play Hours of Use during the years 2000 to 2003.
5. If synthetic fields are not constructed will we turn away youth sports participants and/or reduce their hours of play?
If additional hours of play are not added in the future, through methods such as the construction of synthetic fields, we would need to reduce the number of play hours that all youth sports programs are permitted to use City athletic fields.
This winter, for the first time, we had to close down the Highlands athletic field for an additional 13 weeks in addition to the usual six week summer maintenance period. This unanticipated action was needed to make the field safe to play for the upcoming Little League, Pony-Colt and Adult Softball programs. This means the field was open only 64% of the year to permitted as well as casual users.
Implementing the suggested user hours recommended to sustain safe and appropriately maintained fields could result in up to a 50% cut in play hours. This reduction in permitted play hours would have to be made up by the youth sports leagues either by a reduction in practice and game hours, a reduction in participants or a combination of these approaches. Since the youth sports leagues are not operated by the City, it would be up to each youth sports league to decide how best to manage their reduced allocation of athletic field hours.
At this time we are asking the sports programs to reduce their time on Highlands Park for the fall of 2004. This request will result in a redistribution of the teams onto other San Carlos fields (if play time is available) and may impact the availability of practice time, game time and participant levels (or some combination of these three factors) at some level in these programs.
6. Is the synthetic turf being proposed “Astro-Turf”?
The new generation of synthetic turf is not Astroturf which was carpet on a pad over cement. The new generation of synthetic turf has a thickness and density like natural grass. It uses synthetic fibers that look like grass, installed over existing soil and drainage rock, like a natural grass field. The resiliency of the surface is generated from the shock absorbing infill of rubber granules or rubber granules and sand. The turf allows athletes to slide, pivot and twist their cleats in the surface.
7. What are the benefits of synthetic turf?
The biggest benefit of a synthetic field is increased play hours available. These fields can be open for play year round. Children and adults can play on it during and immediately after rainy weather. Many San Carlos users who have played on synthetic fields in neighboring towns speak highly of the experience. Maintenance costs are lower as synthetic turf requires no mowing, watering, fertilizing, or re-seeding. Instead, the maintenance of a synthetic field involves raking or redistributing the rubber granules periodically and hosing off dog debris.
Water usage is minimized, limited to cleanup needs, saving millions of gallons annually. (In neighboring Redwood City, a Citizen’s Committee there has recommended going from one to six synthetic fields in that City as a water saving measure.)
The removal of fertilizer and pesticides means less chance of contaminating groundwater, and safer field conditions for children, pets, and wildlife. In addition, synthetic turf is commonly made of recycled materials.
8. Are synthetic turf athletic fields in use elsewhere in the Bay Area?
Yes. Locally there are synthetic turf athletic fields in use at Carlmont High School in Belmont, Sequoia High School and Hoover School in Redwood City, Woodside High School, Menlo-Atherton High School, Burlingame High School, two in Danville Parks, San Lorenzo Community Park, and many more. According to one vendor of synthetic turf fields, they have over 50 installations in the Bay Area and Northern California to date.
9. What’s wrong with keeping our natural grass fields?”
Due to the age and condition of the field at Heather School and the Highlands Park field , both fields, with current usage, will need to replaced in the next couple of years - regardless of whether a synthetic or grass field is decided upon. As noted earlier, the natural grass fields also cost significantly more each year to maintain and to water.
In terms of play time on the fields, participation in organized sports activities would need to be reduced by up to 50% to maintain safe, playable fields for all of the community. Reductions would impact all sports and ages. Today, 80% of the organized athletic field users are children.
