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Local sports coalition asks Encinitas commission for turf and lighted fields, multi-use permitting changes
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Summary
Express Soccer and allied sports groups told the Parks and Recreation Commission that Encinitas lacks enough turf and lit fields for older youth and proposed reconstructing Encinitas Community Park Field 3 with turf, temporary lighting and revised multi-use permitting; commissioners asked staff for follow-up and requested the group take the idea to City Council for a 2026 action plan.
Representatives from Express Soccer and a coalition of local sports groups presented a multi-part plan to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Nov. 18 to expand usable field time and capacity in Encinitas by adding turf, temporary lighting and by revising multi-use permitting rules.
Brett Mills, director of program development for Express Soccer, said the city has only one turf field and a shortage of lit fields suitable for older youth, particularly as school-day end-times shift earlier in the evening. He proposed reconstructing Encinitas Community Park Field 3 (ECP-3) by removing a rarely used dirt baseball infield, creating multi-use grass or turf space, adding storage for goals and equipment, and testing temporary (non-permanent) lighting solutions to extend usable hours in winter. "If we do it right, I think we could fit 3 to 4 fields in that space," Mills said, outlining how reconfiguration could increase capacity for multiple age groups.
Mills provided operational details and local comparisons: Express reported about 2,300 soccer players in its organization and estimated the broader coalition represents roughly 7,000 athletes across sports. He said Carlsbad and some school districts have adopted turf and alternative turf systems that reduce injury concerns and that solar or renewable-energy lighting towers (10–15 units depending on layout) can provide evening practice hours without permanent fixtures. Mills also asked the commission to reconsider insurance and permitting constraints that can prevent two sports from co-using fields at the same time; the coalition reported polling insurance providers and finding no fundamental objection to multi-use arrangements.
Commissioners pressed for specifics—how many lights would be needed for an 11v11 field, turf options and renovation downtime (Mills cited up to 12 weeks for some renovations), equipment-storage needs, and funding models. Staff explained the current field-allocation cadence (two six-month periods per year) and acknowledged challenges with informal groups (flag football) using parks without permits. Mills said the coalition is prepared to seek donor support to offset city costs and requested the commission refer the proposal to City Council as part of a 2026 action plan for ECP-3 and longer-term facility planning.
Next steps: commissioners asked staff to gather cost and feasibility details and to forward the coalition’s request to City Council; the coalition intends to pursue outside funding to reduce the city’s share of capital costs. No final design approval or funding commitment was made at the meeting.
