University Park City Council still has some kinks to work through regarding the conditions of the proposed lights at HPHS’ softball field and tennis courts.

The debate, which has involved several neighbors’ objections due to the noise and traffic associated with the potential lights, has been before the city in the past but never made it council. But now, they’re in the final stages of drafting an ordinance based on suggestions from the school district and a group of residents on Druid Lane.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have been working on this matter for quite some time,” Mayor Dick Davis said Tuesday in the council chambers. 

In a pre-meeting executive session, council discussed some of the conditions to be included in a draft ordinance, due Oct. 15.

Council agreed that the field’s public address system would have to be capped at 60 decibels at the property line, and it cannot be used before 9 a.m.

Council members discussed whether music should be permitted to play over the PA system.

“I’ve got severe reservations about music at all,” the mayor said, “and I would like the proposed ordinance to be drafted both ways so that when we take a vote on it, it can be included whichever way the council chooses.”

But councilwoman Dawn Moore didn’t seem to be as concerned about the music, since the city would be locking the system to a 60-decibel limit. 

“What I would be concerned about, too, is when the music is blasted louder than your speaker or announcer would be…We’re locking the system, so it can’t get loud,” Moore said. 

“I understand the concern about music, but conversely, if we don’t have music, we could have the speaker talking to us the whole time, telling us the stats of the game, which would be just as loud, possibly,” Moore said to the city’s Chief Planning Official Harry Persaud.

Councilman Bob Begert expressed concern over the whistles used by the Highland Park field hockey team’s coaches. 

“Whistles could go up to 80 or 120 decibels,” Persaud said, potentially causing a disturbance to nearby residents.

HPISD requested that they be allowed to use the PA at tennis matches from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the mayor doesn’t feel it’s essential.

“Why is it necessary to have a public address system at a tennis match?” Davis asked Jerry Sutterfield.

But Sutterfield said the PA system informs players, fans and coaches where to go when rotating courts during tournaments.

In the next couple of weeks, city staff plans to tweak some wording to better define what goes under the non-UIL umbrella, like adult, private and club teams not associated with any HPISD schools. These groups aren’t allowed to use the lights or PA, but Little League groups can use the lights.

Though the draft conditions read that the athletic lighting should be turned off within 10 minutes of the game or practice’s completion, HPISD is requesting more time for players and coaches to clear the field.

“Highland Park is asking for 30 minutes. The neighbors are asking for ten minutes. I do think ten minutes is a little bit unreasonable for the kids to grab all their stuff and get off safely…” Moore said.

The councilwoman suggested that city staff draft an ordinance reflecting the changes discussed at Tuesday’s meeting and then compare the school district’s wants against the neighbors’ requests before hopefully voting on the final ordinance Oct. 15.

You can read more about some of the conditions to be voted on here and a more in-depth background of the lighting issue here.