Council upholds planning commission approval for Fit7 indoor/outdoor soccer facility with added limits after neighbors’ appeal

Baldwin Park — The Baldwin Park City Council on May 7 denied an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval and granted land‑use permission for a proposed Fit7 indoor/outdoor soccer training facility at 14412–14424 Joan Bridge Street, but added conditions intended to limit impacts on adjacent homes.

The project proposes to convert an existing industrial building into a specialized training venue with multiple small indoor fields and rooftop fields built over a parking structure; plans submitted to the city show 39 on‑site parking spaces beneath elevated turf areas, fencing with padding around fields, and new landscaping along the property edge. Planning staff reported the proposed use required a conditional use permit and design review and recommended upholding the commission’s approval, concluding the project qualified for the state CEQA infill exemption (CEQA Guidelines §15332) and that submitted studies showed parking, noise and lighting could be conditioned to meet city standards.

Neighbors who live directly behind the property appealed, saying the rooftop fields and associated activity would create excessive noise and light, could send soccer balls into backyards, reduce property values, and did not meet setback and lot‑coverage expectations for a development adjacent to homes. Appellant Susan Cole and others presented scaled diagrams to the council showing how the new rooftop fields would relate to nearby rear yards and said monitoring at a comparable facility showed short‑term maximum noise readings substantially above Baldwin Park standards.

Planning staff and the project applicant argued the facility is a training‑only use (no tournaments or walk‑in events), would primarily serve children and youth, and that detailed conditions — including limits on amplified sound and hours — would prevent disruption. Attorney Travis Van Leighton, representing the applicant Sheema Berenji, said Fit7 is intended to be a community training resource and that the applicant would work with the city on mitigation.

Council action and conditions: After public testimony from neighbors, parents and athletes and questions from councilmembers about parking turnover, ball containment and operations, Mayor Alejandra Avila moved to uphold the Planning Commission approval with additional conditions requested during the hearing. Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Damien seconded. On roll call the measure passed by three votes in favor (Estrada, Damien, Avila) with Councilmembers Ayala and Lozano opposing.

The council’s motion added several specific conditions beyond the commission’s original package; among the conditions recorded on the record were: - Overhead netting above rooftop fields to contain balls and prevent missiles into adjacent yards. - Southern (rear) elevation treatment and landscape buffer: mature trees and shrubs to be installed as part of the landscape plan, sized by city standard as “mature” at installation. - Limitations on outdoor lighting and hours: staff and applicant must submit a photometric plan showing no directed light onto adjacent properties; exterior field and parking lights must be off by 10:30 p.m. and training activities were limited to end at 9:30 p.m. on weekdays (the council also discussed more conservative hours for weekend use as a possible condition). - Pre‑occupancy verification: the applicant must submit a post‑installation noise study showing compliance with Baldwin Park noise standards and an updated photometric survey to confirm no glare or light spillover at the property line before a certificate of occupancy is issued. - Operational limits: no walk‑in tournaments, no amplified outdoor announcements, whistles or horns; training limited to ages 5–17 as described in the business narrative. - A condition encouraging discounted rates for Baldwin Park residents if the applicant offers resident verification and a written program for subsidized slots (council asked staff to work with the applicant on implementation details).

Staff also added an indemnification requirement in the conditions package to protect the city. The council instructed staff to finalize the precise language of the added conditions and to return to planning if technical amendments are needed.

What the council did not change: The council upheld the Planning Commission’s finding that the project qualified for the CEQA Class 32 infill exemption; it did not require a full environmental impact report at this time, but the added pre‑occupancy verification steps were intended to ensure code compliance in practice.

Ending: Neighbors said they remained concerned about nighttime activity and long‑term effects on property values; parents and athletes who spoke urged the council to support youth development and praised the applicant’s community track record. Council members voting in favor emphasized the city’s interest in additional recreational opportunities and asked staff to ensure strict enforcement of the new conditions once finalized.