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Val Verde County OKs winter lease and weighs county fields as leagues cite safety concerns
Summary
County commissioners approved a winter 2027 lease for a youth soccer organization and discussed requests from multiple leagues to use Val Verde County fields, citing traffic dangers at a current site; officials collected field specifications and contact information for follow-up.
Val Verde County Commissioners on Jan. 14 approved a lease covering a winter season that runs into 2027 for a local youth soccer organization and discussed requests from other leagues for access to county fields to address safety concerns at their current location.
The court set the winter-season lease dates to run Jan. 1, 2027, through May 31, 2027, and approved the motion after commissioners debated and clarified the seasonal language. "The item is specific to the winter season," the County Judge said while confirming the dates. A motion to approve the winter-season lease was moved and put to a voice vote; the court approved the motion unanimously.
A representative of WFUDA Soccer League asked the court to allow the league to use Val Verde County property, referred to in discussion as Alcoa Fields, for spring 2027. The league representative said the road adjacent to their current fields on Farley Lane "has become presently busy, with high vehicle traffic and poor visibility," creating a safety hazard for children and spectators. The representative proposed alternating use of the county fields in the spring while keeping their current site for fall play.
An attendee offered an alternate private site on Johnson Boulevard, saying, "I've got 23 acres of Johnson Boulevard. It's flat land. ... I could have them ready by 2027." Commissioners asked leagues to provide the number of fields and size requirements so staff could draft layouts and evaluate feasibility.
Because of unresolved date conflicts for one of the agenda items (Item 18), the court took no action on that lease and asked the league representatives to leave contact information and provide detailed field counts and dimensions before the court revisits the requests.
The county Judge and commissioners also committed to coordinating with county staff (including the emergency management coordinator) to confirm field dimensions and site availability, and to report back once staff has prepared maps and cost details. The court did not adopt any permanent relocation; it approved the winter-season lease and asked staff to return with logistical specifics for additional requests.
