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Resident urges district to fix irrigation, not rush into artificial turf
Summary
Parent and retired architect Jim Fasola told the board that failing drip irrigation in sandy soils has killed grass at multiple sites and urged the district to evaluate irrigation repairs and grass choices before spending on artificial turf, which he warned costs hundreds of thousands and requires replacement about every 10 years.
At the public comment portion of the Hermosa Beach City School District meeting, parent and retired architect Jim Fasola raised concerns about the district’s artificial turf proposal for fields and the role irrigation systems have played in grass failures at some campuses.
Fasola said he had inspected multiple sites where drip irrigation had been installed and told the board that in sandy soils ‘‘you can't tell what's getting water and what's not’’ and that the district’s drip systems have caused plant loss in several planter areas. He urged caution before authorizing turf installations, saying, “Before the board spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on artificial turf, which needs it's costly and needs replacement about every 10 years when it's heavily used, they might look at replacing the irrigation system and planting a more appropriate grass.”
Board members thanked Fasola for the photos and his analysis and invited him to share the images with staff for further study. The comment was taken under advisement as part of ongoing facilities and capital planning discussions; no action was taken at the meeting.
