Residents urge San Dimas to enforce field rules after recurring loud tournaments at Lone Hill Park

Residents who live near Lone Hill Park told the San Dimas City Council on July 22 that repeated weekend tournaments, amplified music starting early in the morning, heavy traffic and trash are eroding their quality of life and that previously agreed field-use rules have been withdrawn or rewritten without public input.

"We are not against softball. We love it," said Perla Dianda, describing how families cannot sleep through weekend tournaments and how trash and aggressive behavior have accompanied some events. Dianda said residents had negotiated limits with Parks & Recreation and the local youth-sports organization but later found those agreements reversed on the city’s website.

Aaron Steinkraus, speaking for dozens of Lone Hill Park residents, said the community’s petition asks the city to enforce the existing field allocation policy — including dormancy periods, limits on tournaments and strict rules on amplified sound and parking enforcement — rather than change the rules to match ongoing violations. "These policies are not being followed or enforced, and the enforcement is either inconsistent or non-existent at all," he said.

Nick Cunningham urged the city to hold SDYSA (the local youth organization) to its responsibilities under the field allocation policy: cleaning up trash, preventing alcohol or marijuana use and managing parking during tournaments. He said repeated violations should lead to permit revocation and that residents will request written field-usage records required by policy section 6.2.

Israel Hernandez cited the municipal code’s prohibition on excessive amplified noise and asked who authorized a policy change that now appears to allow amplified music beginning at 8 a.m. Residents said they sought a consistent dormancy period in July, August and December–January and that games have continued during periods the policy indicated should be rest periods.

Council members acknowledged strong views on both sides and asked staff to follow up. No formal council action was taken at the meeting; staff was directed to continue outreach with the HOA, Parks & Recreation and SDYSA and to report back as needed. Residents said they will submit formal records requests and asked the council to enforce existing rules rather than revise them to match current practice.

The issue remains open: residents seek written field-usage records and consistent enforcement; staff will investigate whether the field allocation policy was changed and who authorized any revisions.