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HomeMy WebLinkAbout14 SR LITTLE LEAGUE 10-17-94AGENDA NO. 14 10-17-94 .)ATE: OCTOBER 10, 1994 Inter-Com TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY SERVICES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE AT THE TUSTIN SPORTS PARK RECOMMEND~ION~ It is recommended that the City Council provide staff with direction concerning modifying the Tustin Sports Park to accommodate Senior Little League baseball. FISC&L IMPACT~ Modification of one softball field to accommodate Senior Little League play could have some or all of the fiscal impacts depending on the level of field upgrade chosen: 1. Enlarge one infield and modify sprinklers; $10-20,000 2. Add a protective screen at the outfield; $50-60,000 3. Upgrade the lights at one field; optional $30-50,000 DISCUSSIOn: The City Council requested information about the impacts and feasibility of modifying the Sports Park project so that Senior Little League could be accommodated at one of the existing softball diamonds. The park construction is approximately 70% complete at this date. The field lights are completed. Irrigation laterals are installed at the softball fields. Brick dust installation is scheduled to start next month. It appears that the park, including the multi- use trail, will be substantially complete by mid-January 1995. The construction team, consisting of the Contractor, Architect, Project Manager and City staff, have reviewed the potential of each field for a modification for Senior Little League and report the following: It is anticipated that the participants of Senior Little League would be 13-17 years old, and playing hardball similar to high school baseball. PAGE 2 SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE AT THE TUSTIN SPORTS PARK The fields are designed for softball, which has a smaller infield design and lower lighting levels than Senior Little League baseball. The fields as currently designed will also accommodate Little League baseball under 12 years of age. A Senior Little League infield would require 90 foot long base paths. The current infield as designed and currently constructed will have 60 feet long base paths for softball. A Senior Little League infield generally has grass at the infield, with brick dust at the base paths. The current softball fields are designed to be constructed with brick dust only at the infield and base paths. A batted ball probably will travel faster on a brick dust infield than a grass infield. Therefore the city could be exposed to additional liabilities with baseball played on brick dust infields without proper indemnifications from the organizations using the field. The depth of the existing softball fields are 300 feet from home plate to the perimeter of the outfield (Attachment 2). Senior Little League fields should be 320 feet deep. This can be accomplished, but some cushioned protection would be needed at the posts for the field lights which are also 320 feet deep from home plate. However, the city should review the liability of a fly ball landing on a pedestrian on the streetside sidewalk, the multipurpose trail or another park activity area. Such facilities are located less that 320 feet from home plate on all three fields. A hardball will travel considerably farther than a softball and has greater potential to fly past the field boundary. Of the three fields, home plate on Field No. 2 is the farthest from the street. The closest point from home plate to the street (Jamboree Road) is 340 feet. The distance from home plate to the street (Robinson Drive) at Field No. 1 is 320 feet and is 330 feet on Field No. 3. Moreover, the Basketball Courts are located only 320 feet from Field No. 3. Based on the above information it has been determined that enlargement of one of the fields would require the following: Field No. 2 is best suited if the City Council chooses to accommodate Senior Little League. At 340 feet, this field is the furthest from home plate to the closest property line and other activity areas. In the outfield of this field, the nearest activity area is a picnic area about 375 feet from home plate. PAGE 3 SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE AT THE.TUSTIN SPORTS PARK Modifioation~ to Field No. 2 would require reaes~gn for relocation of about 120 feet of the 10 foot wide multipurpose trail and some landscaping adjacent to the trail and sidewalk along Jamboree Road. Since these improvements have not been installed, no additional construction expense for this change is foreseen. The modifications will be required to redesign and regrade the brick dust area for proper drainage away from the pitchers mound. Some additional grading of the outfield will also be necessary. As was stated earlier, batted balls can be expected to travel faster on brick dust infields than on standard grass infields. Therefore the City may be exposed to greater liability on the the brick dust infield. Should the City Council approve the proposed modifications, organizations using such a facility should indemnify the City against any increased risk. Modifications will be required to redesign and modify the existing irrigation system (already installed) at Field No. 2. The system is designed to evenly distribute water at the outfield. Enlargement of the infield would necessitate modification of the sprinkler patterns and associated piping. The Project Manager estimates the cost of this work to be in the range of $10,000-$20,000 and would delay final completion of the project about four weeks. The existing lighting levels at the softball fields are 20 fc/30 fc (foot candles) at the outfield/infield respectively. These levels would be adequate for standard play, but would not be bright enough for National Little League sanctioned tournament regulations, which require 30 fc/50 fc at the outfield/infield respectively. To increase the lighting levels at one field would require re-design of lighting by the electrical engineer, replacement of existing wiring and possible replacement of existing light fixtures. The Project Manager estimates that the cost for this work would be in the range of $30,00-$50,000 for Field #2. Should the City Council approve the proposed modifications, organizations using such a facility should PAGE 4 SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE AT THE TUSTIN SPORTS PARK indemnify the City against any increased risk caused by field lighting. Specifically, they should certify that the field is to be used only for local league play and not for National Little League sanctioned tournaments. Se As discussed earlier, there is a concern that the possibility of a ball traveling beyond the field boundaries is greater with a hardball than with a softball. One way to mitigate this fairly high potential for liability is to erect a 20 feet high screened barrier along the 320 feet perimeter of the outfield. If this is done, the city may have to modify the Conditional Use Permit because of the change in the appearance of the park from either Jamboree or Robinson. It appears that the process to modify ~he Conditional Use Permit for a screened barrier would create the largest delay, and potentially presents concerns to residential property owners across Robinson Drive to the north and northwest of the park. The actual work to modify one field only takes about 2-3 weeks. The Project Manager estimates the cost of a screened barrier all along the outfield at approximately $50- 60,000. A second option might be to build a 20 feet tall barrier net to protect only the Multipurpose Trail and the Jamboree Road sidewalk. These facilities are the only ones within 340 feet of home plate. This option would require construction of a 20 feet tall barrier net extending about 150 feet into right field along the 320 foot outfield line. The Project Manager estimates the cost for this screen at $30,000. CONCLUSION: The proposed modifications to the Tustin Sports Park will provide for a wider use of age groups and activities. However, there will be impacts on the project budget and timeline. Depending upon the extent of the modifications, the proposed modifications might add as much as $130,000 to the project. They could also delay project completion by as much as four weeks. If all modifications identified in this report are desired, there will be an impact on the Park Development Fund, recognizing the PAGE 5 SENIOR LITTLE T.RAGUE AT THE TUSTIN SPORTS PARK city Council's recent direction to proceed with design and phased development of the Pioneer Way "tree" park. Modifications which would allow for Senior Little League use of the Tustin Sports Park would also expose the City to more liability. Hardballs travel at higher speeds and can cause greater damage than softballs. This should be taken into consideration given Jamboree Road's status as a major arterial. The City has previously experienced liability claims from softball resulting from balls entering major arterials (i.e. Irvine Blvd. at Columbus Tustin Park). In the event the City Council wishes to direct staff to make the proposed modifications, staff strongly recommends that Little League and other users of the baseball field be required to provide the City with special indemnification for the risks of using the fields for Senior Little League Baseball. Such indemnifications would be in addition to that all other groups currently provide the City. So there are no construction delay costs as a result of any modifications, the City Council will need to provide staff with direction at the October 17, 1994 meeting. Christine Shingl~n Assistant city ~whager Recreation Superintendent Elowe oject Manager Attachments R%;2: SRLTLEA. TSP ©. Attachment I ~0~ 86~ F ~JO~NU] ON~ XNOHINU Z