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Tiburon commissioners weigh changing McKenney Green field policy as soccer seeks larger share of field time
Summary
A Parks, Open Space and Trails subcommittee reported data showing soccer accounts for roughly 80% of participating players and currently receives about two‑thirds of the field time; commissioners are considering policy language changes and meetings with both soccer and lacrosse groups before presenting recommendations in January 2025.
Commissioners said a Parks, Open Space and Trails subcommittee will bring draft changes to the McKenney Green field‑use policy after meeting with local soccer and lacrosse representatives and reviewing participation and field‑use data.
Commissioner Mark Byrd, who presented the update, said the subcommittee has met with Tiburon Soccer and Southern Marin Lacrosse and analyzed field‑use and participation data. He told the commission the data indicate soccer comprises roughly 80% of players among the two sports and that current field‑time allocation across spring and fall falls in the mid‑ to high‑60s percent for soccer.
“We are currently looking into seeing how to potentially get soccer up to closer to 75% of total field time or field use per year,” Byrd said. He and other commissioners noted that getting to about 75% would be equivalent to roughly three full field hours per week in the spring or, alternatively, two days per week using half the field.
The subcommittee asked the town to include in the operations and maintenance report at the commission’s January meeting an update on how staff are addressing a muddy area where goals are stored, and on repair of holes created by gophers — two issues repeatedly raised by local coaches and parents. Byrd said the subcommittee plans another meeting with both soccer and lacrosse before the January POST meeting and will present suggested policy language then.
Commissioners emphasized that proposed language would clarify that McKenney Green is intended to be sharable (the current policy text does not allow explicit sharing), to refine rules for use of wet fields and to provide clearer procedures for scheduling and maintenance priorities. No formal policy change was proposed at the Dec. 16 meeting; the subcommittee will continue deliberations and resume outreach to both user groups before returning with recommended language.
Provenance: first McKenney Green field discussion begins at transcript block starting 2335.085; last related lines end at 2633.165.
