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Fairport board weighs stadium lighting for multipurpose field amid neighbor concerns
Summary
Trustees discussed a plan to add LED stadium lights around the multipurpose field, heard community concerns about light and sound pollution and reviewed an SED-aid timeline that would require submission after Feb. 12; board members said they will impose operational regulations and continue stakeholder meetings.
The Fairport Central School District Board discussed a proposal to install LED stadium lighting at the district's multipurpose field and acknowledged split community sentiment over potential light and sound impacts.
District staff said the technology has advanced: a lighting company presentation showed an option with 10 perimeter poles and zoned controls that allow lights to operate independently and be managed via an app. Staff emphasized that the current proposal includes wiring for a sound hookup but that any public-address or amplified systems could be limited through regulations the district would develop with neighbors.
Several neighbors raised concerns at a prior community presentation about increased light spill, sound for games and parking effects for nearby homes. Board members and administrators said those concerns informed a decision to host additional stakeholder meetings and to consider operational rules'for example, restricting walk-up music after a set hour or limiting start times for new competitions.
Timeline and aid considerations were central to the discussion. District staff explained the project cannot be submitted to the State Education Department (SED) until after Feb. 12; the earliest practical submission would be Feb. 13 with an anticipated SED review of four to six weeks. If review times remain at that level, approvals could come between May and September 2026, with bidding and contract award adding another month or two and construction more likely in 2027.
Board members framed the opportunity as time-sensitive: under the current capital-improvement packaging and bidding conditions the lights could be added at no additional local cost, but those circumstances may not recur. Trustees emphasized safety and neighbor sensitivity as priorities, and staff said safety planning would guide construction phasing so use of the field would not be fully lost during work.
What happens next: District staff will hold additional stakeholder meetings, draft operational regulations to mitigate impacts (curfew and sound limits were discussed as examples), and prepare SED submission material after the Feb. 12 window opens. The projected path could put construction in 2027 depending on SED review and bidding.
