Darien Board Of Ed. Looks To Expand Hours, Usage Of DHS Field Lights

DARIEN, CT — In 2017, the Darien Planning & Zoning Commission granted a special permit allowing the Board of Education to install permanent lights at the Darien High School Stadium field.

Since the lights were new and there were concerns about how they would be used and what the impact on neighbors would be, an agreement was reached with residents to place restrictions on nighttime usage.

Now in 2022, the BOE is looking to loosen some of the restrictions and allow greater community access to the lights and stadium.

School district officials went before the planning & zoning commission last week to ask for zoning amendments and an amendment to the special permit for the lights "to expand the hours and number of days that the lighting and public address facilities may be utilized, and to expand the permissible uses of the facilities from limited athletic use to include community wide events and activities, including those of groups and organizations unaffiliated with the Town or the School District," according to the application.

Joe Williams, a land use attorney from Shipman & Goodwin who represents the BOE, said the school district has established a good track record over the last five years with regard to the lights, and the time is now to expand access.

"We know the facts and we're not predicting them like we were five years ago. The facts are that the use of the lights have gone very well, that there have been very few problems or complaints with nighttime usage of the stadium field, and there have been many benefits to the community associated with that nighttime usage, and the board has honored the terms of the agreement," Williams said, calling the BOE "a good neighbor."

Under the current agreement, lights are turned off by 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 p.m. on Friday during the regular sports season.

Varsity teams are allowed two night (defined as after 5:30 p.m. weekday; 7 p.m. Friday) home games per season. The lights are used by the Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference or CIAC playoffs at home when required.

Youth sports fall practices only run until 7:30 p.m., and DHS is not used as a championship site currently.

"The use of the facilities brings a lot to the school system, brings a lot of camaraderie and school spirit to the district in general and the town," Superintendent of Darien Public Schools Dr. Allan Addley told the commission last week. "The opportunity to expand allows an opportunity to build upon the community spirit that's already there, and the school spirit that's alive and well."

Under the new proposal, teams would be permitted to hold games/practices under the lights until 9 p.m. during the week, and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Teams can start weekday games after 6 p.m.

Additionally, this would allow DHS to host FCIAC or CIAC playoff games that do not involve DHS.

The sound system will be used at night for high school games only.

Several residents spoke for and against the new proposal.

Jake Wilson, a rising senior at DHS who is a co-captain of the varsity football and lacrosse team, said he was excited to learn as a seventh grader that the district would install lights. He said they're something every athlete in town dreams of playing under.

"However, I was quickly disappointed, much like many of my teammates, when we learned just how few opportunities we would have to play under those lights. For football, any night games allow for a unique and traditional football environment," Wilson said. "It also allows for athletes to have a chance to use their Saturdays and Sundays to catch up on school work and spend time with family and friends, something that's rare during the week with all our practices."

Expanded hours would allow more parents who would otherwise be working in the late afternoon to attend more weekday games, Wilson said.

"On another note, what our community needs right now is opportunities to come together and enjoy what our amazing town has to offer. Our storied and dominant sports program provides that chance," he said.

James Thom, another rising senior and co-captain of the football team, told the commission the lights "will help to strengthen our Blue Wave pride."

Some residents who live near the stadium said that noise is more of a concern.

Harrison Hunter, a resident of Linda Lane, said he works from home and his afternoon calls are often interrupted by loud pregame music around 3-4 p.m.

Hunter said there are 11 children under the age of 10 on his street. In his own home, he said his two young children are impacted by the sounds coming from the stadium.

"I hope they play on the field in the future. They also have to do homework. They've got to sleep. They shouldn't have to wear ear plugs to do that at night, which they've had to do lately, because the music is so loud," Hunter said.

The commission did not take any action on the item. They'll have 65 days to deliberate.

P&Z Commissioner Stephen Olvany said the commission could discuss the item again later this month.

View last week's P&Z meeting here.