Sports field solution found in Westlake
By Michael Picarella
Acorn Staff Writer

"It’s unanimous," said City Councilman Chris Mann of Westlake Village concerning an agreement and expressing excitement to build sports field facilities for local teams.

City officials in Westlake and others have hoped for a long time to open a sports complex in which organized groups such as American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and WAGS (Westlake- Agoura Girls Softball) could play their respective sports.

Oaks Christian High School on La Tienda Drive is now preparing to accommodate sports fields in cooperation with the Westlake Village City Council. They’re "hacking out the details," Mann said.

The high school will provide a year-round field that will have multiple uses; a baseball diamond that can transform into soccer fields of different sizes, based on league regulations of various age groups.

The original idea was to build a sports complex on Lot 79, a 40-acre site along Lindero Canyon Road, north of Hedgewall Drive. Construction there, however, "is a very complicated issue" said Mann, "that’s been going on since the beginning of the city."

Mann further explained that homeowners who live near Lot 79 were led to believe that they owned a deed to the land.

This wasn’t the case and some residents, according to Mann, believed the city had shady involvement with any potential land-use issues involving the site.

When development of the land came up, residents fought passionately against it–especially a sports complex, with lights and noise.

Traffic won’t bother residents near Lot 79 with the sports field going to Oaks Christian High School (OCHS). And homeowners can now rest at ease, knowing they still have empty land adjacent their houses.

"We really needed these sports fields," said Mann.

OCHS entered the picture last summer when city officials invited administrators to a meeting about the sports complex proposed for Lot 79. Only a couple of months ago had negotiations begun between OCHS officials and the city of Westlake Village.

When OCHS showed interest in a joint-use sports field on its campus, "we jumped at it," said Mann. "It’s a win, win."

Total cost of installing synthetic turf, lighting, restrooms and storage facilities is estimated to cost under $1.5 million.

Under the proposed agreement, the city would contribute $600,000 in capital costs up front, $316,844 a year in operating costs, and $5000 a year in field maintenance costs over a 10-year span.

After collecting use fees from local sports groups, officials anticipate a total cost of $585,000 to the city, according to a staff report.

Let the games begin.