La Mesa adopts field‑allocation policy, pledges to revisit it and protect Navajo girls softball

La Mesa’s City Council on Dec. 9 approved a new field‑allocation policy intended to make access to city fields more equitable, but it added language directing staff to return to council for reconsideration by April 30, 2026 and to preserve Navajo Girls Fast Pitch’s city‑sponsored status.

The vote followed more than an hour of public comment from coaches, parents and players who said the draft policy’s 51% La Mesa residency sponsorship requirement could unintentionally push local girls off the lighted junior sale fields they now use. Dennis Frey, vice president of Navajo Girls Fast Pitch, told council the league has grown from about 37 teams to a projected 47 teams and that access to the fields — including lights and nearby restrooms — is a core reason families can keep youth sports local.

"We absolutely want the Mesa fields prioritized for local kids," Frey said, "but the 51% residency rule as written would make it impossible for our league to stay sponsored without reshaping it in ways that don't serve families." Lisa Flanigan, a La Mesa teacher and parent, said keeping safe, high‑quality fields in the heart of La Mesa is essential for retention and development: "Girls who play sports become women who lead."

City staff and the Parks & Recreation director told council the scoring rubric is applied only when there is a conflict for a time slot or location. In conflict situations the rubric awards points for factors including residency, gender equity and past performance; staff said the director may grant exemptions when justified. The director also said the residency sponsorship phase‑in reaches full effect by 2030 and that allocations for the coming season would not be affected because the rubric only resolves conflicts that may arise in future seasons. The city emphasized that fall scheduling submissions are finalized in mid‑June.

Councilmember Lotheian moved to adopt the policy with an explicit instruction that it return to the council for review by April 30, 2026 and with language intended to ensure Navajo Girls Fast Pitch remains a city‑sponsored league; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. All five councilmembers voted yes.

The adoption does not immediately change allocations for the upcoming season, staff said, but could affect outcomes in the event of scheduling conflicts in later seasons. Councilmembers and staff noted the policy can be amended quickly if it produces unintended outcomes and that exemptions can be granted on a case‑by‑case basis. The council also encouraged staff to continue stakeholder outreach and to produce a memorandum identifying any leagues that would be affected before the next policy review.