All-weather Turf in San Carlos

Many of us believe San Carlos is a great place to live because of its schools, parks, and people. City- and Club-sponsored youth sports and recreation programs provide our kids with healthy activities for physical and mental development. These programs also contribute significantly to our sense of community, bringing both parents and kids together with families from all over our town.

The success and popularity of both youth and adult organized sports programs in San Carlos has resulted in an increased usage of our fields. Our community's organized sports programs serve 7500 youth and adult players. Organized activities seeking field time include AYSO soccer, CYSA soccer, Kidz Love Soccer, Little League baseball, Pony/Colt baseball, PAL baseball, SAY Baseball, Girls Softball, Adult Softball, Pop Warner Football, Tierra Linda and Central Middle School sports programs, Adventure Camp and other Park & Rec activities. Our City Parks and Recreation department works hard to balance the use of our City Parks as multiple-purpose facilities supporting these organized sports programs as well as casual recreational use.

The increasing level of usage has prompted several years of discussion and study of the various options to both accommodate the usage and improve the facilities. Representatives from San Carlos United CYSA soccer and San Carlos AYSO soccer, together with multiple other youth and adult sports organizations, have participated in this multi-year effort. The primary options include:

• acquiring additional land for fields,
• reducing program participation and time on fields,
• increasing the usable time of our existing fields.

After the user groups recommendation to install all-weather turf at the lower field at Highlands Park and at Heather School, the Park & Rec Department did their own analysis of these options and their trade-offs leading to a recommendation do the same. The report from Barry Weiss, Parks and Recreation Director, is available at turf report. After a contentious meeting at the Parks and Rec Commission meeting in 2005, the San Carlos City Council decided to form a Citizens Advisory Committee, with representation from groups and neighborhoods all over the city, to further review and make recommendations.  In November of 2005, that group also issued virtually the same recommendations. See minutes of the final meetng and recommendations.

In February 2006, the Citizens Advisory Committee report was presented to the Parks and Rec Commission.  With the commission now being led by someone against installing all-weather turf at any park in San Carlos, the committee report and the Parks and Rec department were completely ignored and they decided to make their own recommendations that will do virtually nothing to fix the field problems in this city. 

The leadership of San Carlos United CYSA, San Carlos AYSO, San Carlos Little League, San Carlos Youth Softball and San Carlos Pony Colt Baseball support the Advisory Committee and Parks and Recreation recommendations. A letter from the presidents of these leagues addressed to the city council can be reviewed at League Presidents Letter. We urge San Carlos families to read the Park & Rec report and the Related Information items listed below. Consider the community-wide benefits that organized youth and adult sports bring to San Carlos. Weigh the alternatives and the "greater good" for our community. The Parks & Rec turf proposal requires compromise and cooperation from all affected constituencies.

Here is what we are asking from you:

Please "vote" !!
To sign a petition in support of the Parks & Rec turf proposal, please visit http://www.gopetition.com/region/238/7953.html. All the players, coaches, and spectators in your family can and should sign this petition individually. 

Please E-mail your City Council Members !!
We urge everyone in your household to write to the San Carlos City Council members and Barry Weiss. Email addresses and phone numbers are listed below.

Please attend the Turforama Rally and San Carlos City Council Meeting!!!
March 27th 
7pm (the rally starts at 6pm…bring your kids in uniform)
Youth Center

We also urge you to write to the San Carlos City Council members and Barry Weiss.
Email addresses and phone numbers are listed below.

Related Information

• Turf is good for Business, March 2006, from San Carlos United CYSA, San Carlos AYSO, San Carlos Little League, San Carlos Youth Softball and San Carlos Pony Colt Baseball (Acrobat PDF, 21KB)
• League Presidents Letter, March 2006, from San Carlos United CYSA, San Carlos AYSO, San Carlos Little League, San Carlos Youth Softball and San Carlos Pony Colt Baseball (Acrobat PDF, 25KB)
• San Carlos Parks for Everyone, March 2006, from San Carlos Parks for Everyone Committee (Acrobat PDF, 25KB)
• Synthetic Turf Report, April 2004, from San Carlos Parks & Rec (Acrobat PDF, 44KB)
• Measure G project list (Acrobat PDF, 23KB)
• Analysis of Central Middle School site, March 2004 (Acrobat PDF, 56KB)
• Letter from the San Carlos CYSA and AYSO leadership to the players and parents of San Carlos soccer community (Acrobat PDF, 22KB)
• San Carlos Parks and Recreation website, especially
  Synthetic Turf Proposal page and the
  Synthetic Turf FAQ (frequently asked questions)

San Carlos City Council

You may also fax correspondence to 650-595-6719
or send US mail to

650 Elm Street
San Carlos, CA  94070

San Carlos Parks and Recreation