By LEAH WEATHERSBY

These days, few phrases can spark as much controversy in a neighborhood as "sports field lighting." Like other North Seattle communities, View Ridge, which overlooks Sand Point Magnuson Park, is currently in line for its share of nighttime illumination - if the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department gets its way.

Over the next few years, a wide range of improvements are planned for Sand Point Magnuson Park including the construction of 15 athletic fields. Of the fields planned, 11 will be covered in artificial turf and will be lit for nighttime games.

In January, the Parks Department released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) listing impacts that could be expected from use of the field at night.

The View Ridge Community Council didn't need to wait for the DEIS to decide what its position regarding the field lighting plans would be.

In a Dec. 24 letter to Eric Friedli, director of operations and planning for Sand Point Magnuson Park, Bob Lucas, president of the View Ridge Community Council, wrote "the VRCC requests that there be no sport lighting at (Sand Point Magnuson Park)." The letter added, "the recent lighting demonstrations illustrated how even a small number of lights adversely impacts the neighbors to the park." The Council also listed concerns about impacts on natural areas and wildlife as reasons why it opposes the lighting plan.

"You've got people who have lived here a long time who never had any lights," Lucas said. "People at (NE) 58th (Street) and below are going to have direct glare."

With the exception of two baseball diamonds, the other nine fields would be lit with full cut-off luminaries mounted on 65-foot to 85-foot poles. "Full cut-off" means that light does not emanate from the top of the fixture.

The DEIS itself does list some potential impacts from the field lighting, saying "direct glare would be evident at scattered locations (in View Ridge)," although it adds that "the primary exposure of non-park users to direct glare from the sports field lights would occur within the residential area of the Sand Point campus."

There are indications that the Parks Department is willing to make a deal. Among possible mitigation measures, the DEIS lists restricted hours of operation for sports field lights. Currently, the standard turn-off time for lights on Seattle Parks Department fields is 11 p.m. However, many sports field neighbors throughout North Seattle have suggested that turning off the lights earlier would make field lighting more palatable. According to Friedli, that measure might be possible, at least at Sand Point, because of the high number of lights and fields planned. He also said that the park's topography might be a factor. Sand Point's location at the bottom of a hill could make the lights visible to more people.

"I'm not sure we'll make everybody happy," said Friedli, "but our intent is to come up with a neighborhood-friendly proposal." He added that if the fields are not lighted they probably will be little-used during the week due to their limited hours of operation.

A final Environmental Impact Statement for the Sand Point Magnuson Park Renovations will likely be out by June. Friedli said his department is hoping for a final decision on the specifics of the project from the Mayor and City Council late this year and that construction is expected to take place during 2003 and 2004.

A public hearing on the DEIS will be held on Monday, Feb. 4 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Sand Point Magnuson Park Community Activity Center. All comments are due by Feb. 28. For more information, contact Eric Friedli at 684-8369.