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Neighbors press district over lights, balls and rubber infill at Rosland Heights sports complex
Summary
Residents told the board that the Rosland Heights Sports Complex has generated noise, light pollution, damaged landscaping and balls entering private yards; district staff said contractors will raise netting to 25 feet, extend it and install bollards and plantings while awaiting final netting pricing.
A neighbor who shares a property line with the Rosland Heights Sports Complex told the Salt Lake City School District board on May 5 that the facility’s design and operation have created ongoing nuisances for adjacent homeowners.
"Approximately one year ago, I was shocked to see multiple acres of plastic grass and multiple semi-truck loads of groundup rubber tires installed a few feet from my garden," said Aaron Torres, who asked the board to open an investigation into accountability for the project. Torres described lighting towers that spill light into bedrooms, hundreds of balls entering private yards and persistent water- and heat-related concerns tied to artificial turf. (Aaron Torres)
District construction staff acknowledged the concerns and described steps to mitigate them. Isaac, who presented the district’s construction update, said temporary netting was installed where the most balls were breaching adjacent properties and that the contractor is designing a permanent solution: 25-foot netting with deeper foundations and posts set back to avoid nearby power lines, extended on an angle to the northwest corner, and additional plantings and irrigation. The district is also awaiting fabricated metal bollards and a chain to restrict vehicle access to the site. (Isaac)
Board members and residents asked for additional measures: clearer signs, on-site security during unsupervised hours, and consideration of goal placement and temporary net moves during practices to reduce impacts on specific homes. Staff said eight cameras are installed at the complex but signage notifying the public has not yet been posted. The district agreed to look into west-side mitigations and to provide more frequent updates when plans change.
What remains unresolved is whether the fixes will fully redress the complaints. Torres asked that the board consider a formal investigation into the project’s design and oversight. The district described engineering constraints — including riparian-zone work at Highland and power-line setbacks at Rosland — as part of why some mitigations required design rework and pricing.
What’s next: staff will provide updates as netting fabrication and bollard installations proceed and said they will increase communication with neighbors about timing and interim measures.
