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Diamond Bar parents ask council to revise baseball field allocation policy
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Summary
Parents representing Diamond Bar Pony Baseball told the City Council the current field allocation formula disadvantages baseball and compromises safety and practice time; they urged a policy review to protect participation and prevent families from leaving the city.
Several Diamond Bar parents urged the City Council to revise the city’s athletic facility allocation policy, saying the current formula treats baseball like rectangular, multipurpose sports and fails to reflect the unique needs of baseball diamonds.
Andrew Huang, speaking as a Diamond Bar resident and on behalf of Diamond Bar Pony Baseball, told the council the city now has 12 baseball diamonds but the allocation process “unintentionally disadvantages baseball,” because diamonds cannot be safely subdivided for multiple teams. He said game length, field preparation and safety zones require more time than other sports, and that current scheduling leaves teams with inconsistent practice time.
Courtney Alvarado, a volunteer and parent, said her organization grew from about 88 to roughly 190 players across 18 teams but had been allocated fewer than 45 hours of field time per week—about two hours per team. “In a sport where a single game can last nearly two hours,” Alvarado said, “our players are left with zero time to actually practice.” She urged the council to adopt a sport‑specific allocation formula that accounts for safety zones, prep time, and age‑appropriate practice lengths to keep families and maintain program quality.
City staff did not offer a policy change at the meeting; speakers asked the council to direct staff to review the Diamond Bar Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy and report back. The speakers framed the request as a community retention concern, saying families already are looking to other cities for more stable schedules.
The council did not take formal action on the request at this meeting and directed staff to follow up on scheduling and allocation questions as part of future Parks and Recreation work.
