More change possible for Farm complex

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- They don’t know it, but the cleat-wearing children seen

huffing and puffing their way across the soccer fields at the Farm Sports

Complex could be in for some changes as a result of tonight’s Planning

Commission meeting.

While youth soccer revolves around the kids who play their little

hearts out on any given weekend, the future of their playing time is in

the hands of adults, as coaches, parents and city officials will decide

once and for all what times weekend tournaments can be played and how

often.

In response to various complaints and concerns raised predominantly by

representatives of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), the

Costa Mesa Department of Recreation staff has gone back to the city’s

legislative bodies to ask for clarification on how field time should be

granted.

Jon Zich, a former commissioner of Costa Mesa’s AYSO Region 120, has

claimed the city has been inconsistent in approving or denying permits

for certain fields. His biggest concern is that out-of-area teams get

priority over the Costa Mesa-based AYSO program, Zich has said.

The dedicated soccer dad has always maintained his region should have

priority for the use of the Farm Sports Complex because it offers

service to a higher number of Costa Mesa residents.

Zich claims that discrepancies in field allocation arise from

differences in city policies.

Steve Hayman, the city’s director of use services, has admitted the

conditions of use, implemented by the City Council when the $7.5-million

Farm site was first approved in January 1998, differ from the most recent

guidelines regarding field use that a committee of recreation staff and

sports representatives agreed on.

Hayman and his staff have asked the Planning Commission to make the

final determination of what playing times should be allowed at the Farm

facility.

The result of Zich’s request for clarification could make matters

worse for AYSO and other sports organizations. If the officials decide

the original conditions of approval outweigh the current policy, field

time will be even harder to come by.

After review of the original terms of use, planning staff has

interpretedthat the field was meant to be used seven days a week -- from

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday

-- with a one-hour warmup session prior to start time, according to a

staff report.

If the Planning Commission agrees, no change is needed.

The original condition of approval -- which is considered a legal

land-use restriction -- said the Farm site could only be scheduled for

four tournaments, or special events, per year for consecutive Saturday

and Sunday play. The number of tournaments being played at the soccer

complex have doubled since the original permit was enacted, the report

states. To keep that same level of play, planning commissioners would

have to approve a modification to the original permit.

FYI

WHAT: Planning Commission meeting

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. today

WHERE: Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive

INFORMATION: (714) 754-5245

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .