Lights Approved for Two West Hartford High School Stadiums

The West Hartford community will soon be able to enjoy the "Friday Night Lights" experience at home games following the Town Planning and Zoning Commission's unanimous approval Monday night of the application of West Hartford Public Schools and Conard and Hall Unite for Lights to install permanent lighting at both high schools.

Four 80-foot light poles will be installed at Conard’s McKee Stadium and Hall’s Chalmers Field, perhaps in time for the fall 2013 season.

A standing-room-only crowd of well over 100 people packed the Town Council chambers for Monday night's public hearing which lasted well over four hours. Most were there to express strong support for the lights.

"This has been a long process," said West Hartford Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Tom Moore, who introduced the application.

Moore said that a government class he taught at Conard in back in 1996 first created a petition and walked the neighborhood trying to get lights installed. The difference this time, Moore said, is the groups that have banded together in support of the effort – community groups who use the fields, the school administration, groups that work with teens such as HopeWorks, the legislative delegation that secured support from the state for matching funding.

"It's about a safe evening activity, for kids to cheer on their classmates, show school spirit," Moore said. Allowing for night games would also provide parents who work a greater opportunity to attend. In addition, he said, a recent CIAC ruling will no longer allow football playoff games, which are held in the evenings, to be held on fields without permanent lighting.

Town Planning and Zoning did its due diligence, reviewing details and asking questions of the Unite for Light committee and experts about the brightness and spillover of the lights, addressing overflow parking concerns for games that could attract capacity crowds, and working to understand exactly how many games and practices the lights would be used for.

Bob Macca, co-chair of Unite for Lights, described the 14-month process that led up to the proposal, which included three neighborhood meetings with abutters in both the Conard and Hall neighborhoods.

In the neighborhood surrounding Hall, where support was not as strong, Macca went door-to-door, attempting to reach all 231 households that abut the school. Of those he reached, Macca said 94 percent were in favor.

Attorney Michael McGoldrick, representing Unite for Lights, said he estimated an increase in attendance of about 30 percent for night games. However, the only game that typically results in overflow parking, said Macca, is the annual Conard vs. Hall football game. That game, which attracts as many as 2,000 fans, will continue to be played on Saturday afternoons, he said.

Noise concerns about loud music were addressed at the hearing by Athletic Director Betty Remigino-Knapp. "The music will not be played over the loudspeaker at night," she said emphatically.

Committee members clarified that the lights would be used only for high school and youth sports, not for other community events.

During the public comment session, all but one speaker expressed support for installation of lights.

Donna Dobbins, who lives on Hartwell Rd. which abuts Hall's fields, said, "I am in favor of lights at both Conard and Hall football fields. I honestly can't wait until Friday nights."

Resident Ronit Shoham, who has been involved in many youth and community activities in West Hartford, spoke on behalf of the Community of Concern. She said she oftens hears that there is nothing in town for teenagers to do. "I believe that with night football games, there will be a safe environment, a safe activity for kids to do with their friends."

Eighth-grader Kyle Conlon, who plans to play football at Hall next year, gave the teen perspective. "I believe that all kids in West Hartford should have the thrill of playing under the lights."

Conard's head football coach Rob Cersosimo, who is also a West Hartford resident, said the ability to play night games "will allow our community to come together."

Ron Kadden, who lives on West Ridge Dr. near Hall, was the only one who spoke publicly against the application. He said that although the lights won't always be on, the 80-foot polls will be there all the time. He said they "will dominate the neighborhood and be an eyesore."

Kadden also expressed concerns about parking on his street, and debris such as cigarette butts and candy wrappers left behind by fans. He said the money "would be better spent supporting education."

Those who left before the four-plus-hour hearing ended were provided with the opportunity to sign their names on a sheet for or against the lights, and more than 35 signed in support for each school. Three people indicated opposition to the lights at Hall, while no signatures appeared on the sheet indicating that they opposed lights at Conard.

Town Planning and Zoning Commission members debated limiting the number of games and/or practices, as well as the time practices under the lights could end. 

They ultimately approved the special use permit unanimously, subject to three conditions: there can be no more than 36 high school or youth regular season games in the fall and no more than 16 regular season games played in the spring under the lights, although playoff games can be added as needed; practices under the lights must end by 7 p.m.; and there will be a "look-back" to reevaluate the situation in two years.

The estimated approved by the West Hartford Board of Education last week. However, the state will reimburse the town for half of that cost under legislation approved last May. Unite for Lights already has pledges and plans to raise the remaining $250,000 in the next four to six months.

Macca said the lights will not be installed until "we have the money in the account."