By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT – The Planning and Zoning Commission heard from many more residents on Monday about a proposal to add lighting to two town athletic fields. The commission continued the public hearing to June 15 as town officials work to respond to resident concerns.

While the commission has received more than 100 emails in support of the proposal to add permanent lights to PJ Romano field on Riverside Avenue and Wakeman B field on North Avenue, many of the people who spoke out Monday expressed reservations. 

Concerns raised included the impact on neighbors and wildlife and even on families with children’s events scheduled later into the night. The plan was submitted by Erik Barbieri, director of Parks and Recreation for the town.

Proponents say the lights, which would include LED fixtures attached to 70-foot poles, are necessary to increase youth playing time in a town where athletics is important and field access is a big issue. Responding to a question from P&Z Chairman Paul Lebowitz, Barbieri said “hundreds more kids” would be able to play sports if the lights were approved.

But several people who spoke out during the public comment session said that they doubted that number was accurate. Resident Toni Simonetti said she thinks town children have remarkable access to all kinds of leisure activities, especially sports. “It doesn’t seem to me that there are hundreds of kids not able to do anything,” she said.

Two students who spoke out at the meeting said the lighting would allow for more playing time for girls’ sports, which they said is currently not equitable. Loewe Epstein, a Staples boys’ soccer player, added that members of his team currently miss up to three hours of school on a given day because games need to be scheduled before the sun goes down. He said players are missing tests and important information.

While members of the public praised the teens for speaking out, they also questioned whether later playing time is the answer.

“I take umbrage that we need lights to create equal access (to fields),” Simonetti said. “That should be a given. Shame on us.”

She went on to say that she is “outraged” to learn that students are missing tests to play sports. “Academics should come first,” she said. “The adults in the room should make that happen.”

Another resident said parents have voiced concerns to her about the lights who are afraid to come forward because they don’t want to be stigmatized. Some of these parents have said that their children are overscheduled and never have time for a family dinner, said Valerie Seiling Jacobs.

But Heather Talbott, who is involved in coaching in town, said she was “a little put off” by the negative comments. “We are looking for a little more time for kids to play sports,” she said. Others added that many parent coaches cannot get to the fields until later because of work schedules, with the prime time for needing fields occurring between 6 and 9 p.m.

The proposals for lighting these fields came after the P&Z adopted Text Amendment 850 in February 2025, which amended the zoning regulations to permit permanent lighted athletic fields on town-owned, public-school property. Currently, the town has three lit athletic fields – permanent lights at the Greens Farms Elementary School softball field and at Staples Stadium and temporary lighting at PJ Romano Field.

The Planning and Zoning Department has stated that the current proposals appear to comply with town zoning regulations, including setbacks, pole height, and lighting design.

Another resident speaking on Monday questioned why students are not using Loeffler Field, located at Staples High School, a grass field which town officials have said needs work. “Why don’t we refurbish this field instead of adding lights?” questioned Julianne Mulvey. “I have never gotten an answer.” She said the field was once the “crown jewel of the soccer program” and is now “just sitting.”

Others brought up concerns about migratory birds being affected by the lighting, which will primarily be used during migration season. Many wildlife associations are concerned about increased lighting disturbing them, Jacobs said.

Another speaker, who is a coach in town, said she is as concerned about the neighbors living next to the lights as she is about student playing time. “There are limits,” said Janine Scotti. “We are not doing families any favors (by having play time go later into the night).”

Those in favor of the lights point out that design measures are built in to minimize impacts on surrounding properties, including down-directed LED fixtures. According to P&Z department comments, the lighting will improve visibility for athletic activities, thereby enhancing safety.For Emma Cusato, another issue is that she feels the lights currently on town fields are not being properly managed by Parks & Rec. The lights are currently on a timer, and she has noticed that they are sometimes left on even if the field is not in use. “There is no process to adapt lighting to actual field usage,” she said.

Kerri Williams

^{_{Kerri Williams is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter at the Norwalk Hour, as Living editor at the Darien News-Review, and managing editor for the Norwalk Citizen-News. For Westport Journal, she is a reporter as well as a gardening columnist, writing “Cultivating with Kerri.” She recently published her first children’s book – “Mabel’s Big Move,” based on her daughter with special needs.}}