Advertisement Roseville neighbors sue over soccer field lights Soccer parents say lights add level of safety Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Neighbors who live near a Roseville school are angry about the bright lights on a soccer field at W.T. Eich Middle School that they believe were installed without public input.“When it gets dark, the lights shine directly -- not just one pole, but probably three, maybe four – into my kitchen, my living room, my master bedroom,” said Linda Ennenga, who lives near the field.Since October of 2013, the lights have been on several nights of week, allowing children to practice well into the evening.“There’s the noise. We can’t even sit at our kitchen table with the windows open and enjoy the meal together. The noise is so loud from the yelling coaches,” said neighbor Eric Welty.Roseville City School Board approved the six light poles.Gregg Thompson, a soccer coach and former Olympian who helped facilitate the installation by working with soccer groups and the district, sent KCRA 3 an email in response to an interview request. He is the director of GT Soccer.In it, he said, "I believe all legal requirements were met in entering into the agreement for the joint use of the Sierra Gardens fields and the installation of the practice lights at the field."GT Soccer has worked with neighbors to address concerns and will continue to do so."Some parents of the children who play soccer at the field said they appreciate the lights.“For me, the light safety aspect of it, especially as you’re traveling around here, myself and my daughter, I think it really adds another element of safety to it,” said Jason Storres.But neighbors said neither the school district or GT Soccer informed them about the installation of the lights, much less asked for public input.“The soccer organization told the school they were going to talk to us and they never did,” Welty said. “It’s been very frustrating. It’s been ridiculous what they’ve done and how they’ve gone about doing.”Welty and others are now suing the school district to have the lights removed.Dennis Snelling, assistant superintendent of business services for the Roseville City School District, told KCRA 3 in an email: “We are in the midst of litigation on this issue and have no comment at this time.”Police reports indicate that neighbors had to call 911 three times, after the lights were left on in the field after practice.Neighbors are planning a protest at the Roseville City school board meeting on Thursday.