Cities Plan Upgrade of Athletic Fields

LAGUNA HILLS / LAGUNA NIGUEL —  In both Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel, a parcel of grassy land large enough to accommodate a baseball field will make a city official’s mouth water.

Both cities are small and landlocked--heavy on residential housing but light on available open space. Officials in those cities have said that solving the shortage of quality athletic fields for baseball and soccer is a priority during 1993.

“There is not one municipal field in the entire city. We hope to change that in the near future,” said David Lewis, director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Laguna Hills.

There are five fields in the city, but each is on school property and owned by the Saddleback Unified School District. Lewis said the city needs another five or six fields to accommodate all the sports programs, from adult softball to youth baseball.

This lack of athletic fields in a city with about 600 Little Leaguers and adult softball leagues is embarrassing, Lewis said. “I cannot think of many other municipalities without a field.”

For that matter, Laguna Hills lacks space for many things. There is no municipal swimming pool, no community center, no senior citizens’ center. It is the only city in Orange County without a library.

Laguna Hills’ problem comes down to geography, history and economics.

“I think there was some pretty poor planning 20 or 25 years ago when the county let development run rampant without setting any open space aside,” Lewis said. “So we are stuck with the way things are. It is kind of sad.”

Consequently, Laguna Hills officials must seek to maximize use of existing resources while keeping an eye open to acquiring land for playing fields.

“Probably one of our highest needs is recreation and athletic fields,” said Councilman Joel T. Lautenschleger. “It is going to be one of the top priorities for the coming year.”

The city last year began spending $35,000 for improvement of baseball and soccer fields at Valencia Elementary School. There are also athletic facilities at Lomarena Elementary, two more baseball fields at Laguna Hills High School and several small neighborhood fields in city parks.

To address its need, the city is drafting a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to be completed by April. Lewis anticipates that the document will show that the city needs another five or six fields.

But the city has only one undeveloped parcel on Rapid Falls Road that could fit a field. So the city instead is considering installation of lights at the high school to allow evening games to be scheduled.

Tim Casey, city manager in Laguna Niguel, said that his city’s need is not as critical as Laguna Hills’. Nevertheless, the Laguna Niguel City Council has approved in principle a wish list of improvements to existing fields that could cost $2 million.

The city has nine baseball fields and several more soccer fields which officials plan to upgrade in the coming year, Casey said. The centerpiece is a four-field complex at Chapparosa Park.

The city’s Sports Advisory Committee has drawn up a wish list of improvements that has been approved in principle by the City Council.

More than $1.4 million would be acquired from a Dana Point developer, the Monarch Bay Resort Inc.

And beginning in July, city officials hope to begin spending that money to install night lights and upgrade and expand most of the city’s facilities.