By Justin HAGER

 Sixty years after first hearing the promise of permanent bleachers and lighting for Crescenta Valley High School, and another four years after real planning began, the board of education of the Glendale Unified School District unanimously voted on Tuesday to accept the environmental impact report (EIR) and approve funding for improvements to the Crescenta Valley High School athletic field complex.

The vote authorized $8.56 million in funding for a 1,714-person capacity bleacher stand and upgrades to the field lighting and public address system. Approval had been previously delayed as the board awaited the final EIR, which began back in February 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping across the United States.

In addition to COVID-related delays, the EIR process also revealed some environmental impacts that needed to be addressed prior to the adoption of the report and approval of the project funding. Of particular concern was the surrounding residential community and the potential impact of increased traffic, parking, stadium lighting and stadium sound. However, after identifying these challenges, GUSD and project planners worked tirelessly to develop mitigation strategies that will help minimize the impact on surrounding neighborhoods. The district is required by law to continue monitoring mitigation efforts and create a reporting program for gathering information and data about the impacts of the project.

However, if history is any indicator, the project should have few reported problems. Back in 2017, when the project was first proposed, neighbors and community members rallied together to support the project with everyone from a coalition of former principals to the captain of the cheer squad to the chamber of commerce uniting in support.

Alex Stupakis, a long-time neighborhood resident even organized writing a letter from local residents in support of the project.

“Some might think this would be of concern to the immediate neighbors – [more] traffic, more lights, all that. But as someone who lives less than half a block from the school, I’m here to say that the positives outweigh the negatives,” he wrote. “The field will be magically transformed for our young people into a field of dreams, a field of community unity, for everyone to enjoy together, a stronger more unified school district.”

The original project proposal and EIR called for a 3,400-person bleacher capacity, as well as new, larger concessions facilities. However, the approximately $9.3 million in remaining Measure S funding was insufficient for such an ambitious project and the larger capacity posed even greater EIR mitigation challenges.

The current timeline for completion of the project is 2023.