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Council reviews donation-funded netting to keep soccer balls out of McDonald Commons parking lot
Summary
Madeira staff proposed a 65–80 foot wide by 14 foot tall semi‑permanent netting at McDonald Commons to prevent balls from reaching the parking lot; youth soccer organizations would fund the installation and staff will finalize design and a donation agreement.
City Manager Michael Norton‑Smith told the Madeira City Council on March 23 that repeated cycles of sports at McDonald Commons have caused soccer balls to roll from the field into the parking lot because the park was built without grading; staff tested temporary solutions and now propose a semi‑permanent netting system.
Norton‑Smith described a 65–80 foot wide by 14 foot tall swath of semi‑permanent netting supported by turf‑mounted supports that can be removed for large events. He said the “cost portion has been eliminated by youth soccer associations” and that staff would work to finalize design and a donation agreement that clarifies replacement, maintenance and who installs the supports.
Councilmembers generally supported the safety priority. Dr. Jodi Whitted said safety takes precedence and noted similar netting in Blue Ash that did not inhibit viewing. Vice Mayor Ramzi Takieddine recommended staff define installation and removal timeframes. Councilmember Chad Shaffer asked staff to check for unintended consequences to other sports and to confirm how turf warranty and hole remediation would be handled; Norton‑Smith said those questions would be addressed before any contract is signed.
Council directed staff to proceed with finalizing design details and the donation contract; no formal vote was recorded on installation authority at the meeting.
