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Home My WebLink About2023-02-01-REC-min-attProposed Lighting at Fields 1 and 3 FebIt F F 1, 2023 s teneq��2 s i � y Who are we? moVi�• Recreation Committee — Town Manager -appointed committee of 7 Lexington residents that is generally responsible for making recreation -specific policy decisions and for providing guidance to the Recreation Dept and to other Town boards and committees. — Recreation Committee members: Rick DeAngelis (Chair), Christian Boutwell (Vice Chair), Lisa O'Brien, Carl Fantasia, Claire Sheth, Weiwei Li, Renen Bassik. Recreation and Community Programs Department — Town of Lexington department responsible for day-to-day operations and oversight of Town recreation programs, athletic and recreation facilities, and the Community Center. — Rec Dept executive staff: Melissa Battite (Director), Christine Dean (Community Center Director), Peter Coleman (Assistant Director of Recreation) The Committee and Department work together to provide quality recreational opportunities for all residents of Lexington. 2 o� V �r How Recreation APRIL19h Recreation Operations — Recreation operations are funded by user fees, which are collected and managed independently of other Town funds in the Recreation Enterprise Fund. — The enterprise fund is a municipal financial structure intended to isolate the funding of fee- for-service type programs from the general operating fund. — The Recration Enterprise fund is managed to carry a small emergency balance but otherwise be net neutral. Recreation Capital Projects — Capital projects to develop and support recreation infrastructure have been predominantly funded by Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and to a lesser extent tax levy funds. — CPA funds may only be used for projects that contribute to the Town in one of four domains: open space, housing, recreation, and historical resources. — The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) independently reviews proposals for CPA funding and submits recommended proposals to Town Meeting for final funding decision. �s MOR o� V vi = 71 �r Recreation I Capital PlaQ i APRIL19h �ExiIIGIl p",. Every fall as part of the annual Town budget setting process the Recreation Committee and Recreation and Community Programs Dept. submit both a departmental budget and a 5 -Year Capital Plan for review by the: Town Manager's Office, Select Board, Capital Expenditures Committee, Appropriation Committee, and the Community Preservation Committee (CPA proposals). As the name indicates, the 5 -Year Capital Plan not only includes funding requests and supporting documentation for the upcoming fiscal year but also a projection of future capital projects extending out 4 additional years. Most recreation capital projects are well forecasted and appear on the 5 -Year Capital Plan for multiple years providing ample opportunity for review, discussion, and consideration by Town staff, boards, committees, Town Meeting members, and the community. LI s MO s4 Recreation . Projects Evaluation �ExINGTd�. The Recreation Committee seeks to balance multiple goals when considering capital projects including: • fulfilling the official Recreation Committee charge; • maintaining the current level of facilities and services; • sustaining the fiscal health of the Recreation Enterprise Fund; • responding to community needs including as identified by the 2020 Community Needs Assessment, the Recreation Facilities and ADA Compliance Study (2017), and direct resident communication; • aligning with the goals and priorities of other Town boards and committees including the Select Board, the Conservation Commission, and the Lincoln Park Sub -Committee; • enhancing the facilities and services provided to residents and; • honoring Town bylaws and Town Meeting resolutions. 5 s MO �4 a Typical • Capital Project• •Timeline �'x7Nc'�a`'• Submit 5 -year Capital Plan Present CPA funding proposal(s) to Community Preservation Commitee Present 5 -year Capital Plan to Town Manager, Select Board, Appropriation Comm, Capital Expenditures Comm Town Meeting CPC -approved New fiscal year: proposals placed funds available on Town Meeting Warrant If approved Community & Town Meeting outreach and information Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug s MO 2023 Annual ' �n- Article 10i at the upcoming 2023 Annual Town Meeting requests funding for the end -of -life renovation of Lincoln Field #1 and the installation of athletic lighting at Lincoln Fields #1 & #3. s teneq��2 ids! Why is this Lincoln Fields project important?�E.C7NGT4�. 1. Lexington operates at a deficiency in available "rectangle" athletic fields. 2. Lexington High School building project will cause significant field closures*. 3. Lincoln Field #1 is at end -of -life and ready for scheduled renovation. 4. The addition of lighting will optimize the use of the Lincoln fields and help reduce the rectangle field availability deficit. *Per discussion at a 01/18/23 Joint Meeting of Select Board, School Committee, Appropriation Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, Recreation Committee, and Cary Library Trustees 8 s teneq��2 s i1 Rectangle Field Hours Deficit R ,v w WN OF LEXINGTON Corn rehensive Study of Athletic &:outdoor Recreation Facilities 2021-2062 Complete report is available via the Capital Projects tab at: www.lexingtonma.gov/511/Recreation-Community-Programs • In 2019, Recreation was asked to formally quantify athletic field needs in Lexington and funding was approved at 2020 Annual Town Meeting for an external consultant to conduct a comprehensive analysis of field supply and demand. • In 2022 Weston and Sampson, LLC provided the results of their analysis of field supply and demand including options to address identified supply deficiencies. R s teneq��2 : a1 Rectangle Field Hours Deficit • Study evaluated 20 athletic sites comprising an effective field inventory of 15.5 diamond fields, 15 natural grass rectangle fields, and 4 synthetic turf rectangle fields. • This field inventory can sustainably support 21,600 hours/yr of use but is currently used 27,700 hours/yr. Currently, Lexington operates at a field deficit equivalent to 8 large rectangle fields. KIII �,O,s M6Rri�MC Significant ILHS-associated Field Closures x � y APIdL19h LHS building project lay down area is currently anticipated to impact most fields at the Center Recreation Complex — 2026- 2030. Anticipated Center Rec Field Closures: • varsity softball field • varsity baseball field • Harold Crumb football field • JV baseball field • Worthen practice field 0 Fitzgerald little league field s tenegr�2 �d NA4n Significant LHS -associated Field Clos t �• Center Rec Complex field closures will make the existing rectangle field deficit worse by closing a large number of rectangle field hours in Lexington and will profoundly impact the operations of athletics programs in Lexington. How can we optimize use of the fields at Lincoln Park to make sure they are available during these significant anticipated closures? L :. 12 s teneq��2 Renovation � � a Gt �• • The synthetic turf fields at Lincoln Park have an anticipated lifespan of 8-10 years. • The current Lincoln Field #1 turf was installed in 2015 and at that time renovation was anticipated to be needed between 2023 and 2025. • Annual testing indicates end -of -life will be reached in 2024 and renovation will be required. On March 1, we will be holding another special meeting to provide further information and discussion of the renovation of Field #1. 13 s teneq��2 4. Athletic Lighting at Lincoln Fields #1 & #3 • The installation of athletic lighting at Lincoln Fields is one of the recommendations in the Comprehensive study for reducing the field hours deficit. • Synthetic turf fields are the best choice for lighting as the surface can handle the additional usage. • Temporary athletic lighting at Lincoln Field #2 since 2014 and permanent athletic lighting since 2017 has provided useful proof -of -concept and management experience. • The installation of lighting at Fields #1 and #3 is the most efficient option for increasing available field hours and offsetting field closures at Center Rec Complex. • The installation of lighting at Field #1 and #3 concurrent with the FY2024 Field #1 renovation will provide operations efficiencies. 14 4. Athletic Lighting at Lincoln Fields #1 & #3 Comparable hiph efficiencv LED system in use at Center Rec Complex K s teneq��2 I Athletic ' s i at ' #3 Minimize light spill away from the athletic surface: — 0.7 footcandles @ 20 feet from pole [standard streetlights -2 footcandles @ pole] — 0 footcandles @ 100 feet from pole no light spill at 100 ft from tower 0.7 candles of light at 20 ft (streetlight) `'s r•' ,.,fwd! Y i� •';y a �• Y .. �� far. for r=ntati� P .J 17 5� f.x Summary • The existing deficit in available field hours and the anticipated exacerbation of that deficit during a LHS building project highlight the need to optimize management of the synthetic fields at Lincoln Park. • The timely renovation of the synthetic turf at the fields (Field #1 in FY2024) is critical to avoid compounding the effect of the LHS building - associated closures. • The addition of lights to Fields 1 & 3 will provide much needed additional field availabilityand will mitigate some of the deficit. g % I s MO aNext Steps � y l� IIYGT � • We will continue informing, communicating, and listening. • We will continue to provide additional information about this project, including answers to frequency asked questions. Information will be posted on the Capital Projects tab of the Recreation and Community Programs site and on the 2023 Annual Town Meeting site under Article 10i. • We will provide information on Article 10i at the TMMA Information Session. • The funding request for this project will be voted on by 2023 Annual Town Meeting. • If funding is approved at 2023 ATM, project currently anticipated for Summer 2024. Thank you for joining us. We invite you to join us at our 2nd special meeting on 3/1 that will focus on the field renovation component of this project and at our regular monthly Recreation Committee meetings. We look forward to your questions and feedback both now and by sending email to recur,-pt(aD-lexir luLUl ima.qu or reci VaLIoncmte(a-lexmULUI i na.guv 20