Plan For Extra Night Events At FHS Field Pulled By Farmington

FARMINGTON, CT — Plans to increase the amount of night uses at the Farmington High School turf field have been withdrawn amid neighborhood opposition.

The Farmington Planning and Zoning Commission was set to reopen a public hearing on the matter and, possibly, vote on a town application to do so at its last meeting.

But when the item came up on the July 31 PZC agenda, the commission's chairman said it was no longer being sought.

"There was a request to extend the lights on the turf field. That application has been withdrawn," Farmington PZC chairperson Inez St. James said.

Currently, FHS has approval to conduct 14 night games at different times this fall for multiple sports like football, soccer, etc., at the 10 Monteith Road school, which is in a residential zone.

But the Town of Farmington, listed as the official applicant for a special permit, had hoped to add to that list of night events.

It envisioned using FHS' field for local sports organizations like youth football, girls and boys lacrosse and some track programs, among others.

But area residents speaking July 17 appeared reticent at the prospect of more night events.

They had claimed the proposal submitted by the town was "vague" in terms of how many more events would be held at night.

Farmington Assistant Town Manager Kat Krajewski, speaking before the PZC July 17, said there was not a specific number of games/events sought.

Further discussions narrowed down that amount to about six additional night events, something Krajewski agreed to.

Two residents speaking at the hearing and multiple residents submitting written correspondance expressed reservations about the application.

They re-iterated concerns it was vague and it was unknown, exactly, how many more times the field would be used at night.

The general concern was the neighborhood was already being impacted by construction of the new FHS and they had quality-of-life worries linked to expanded field usage at night.

For the minutes of the July 31 Farmington PZC meeting, click on this link.

From July 27: 'Expanded Night Use Of Farmington High Athletic Fields Irks Residents'