The Huntington Beach City School District recently held the final community outreach meeting for the proposed Peterson Field Lighting Project. This meeting concluded a series of three community meetings intended to provide project background, share environmental findings, explain the CEQA process, and outline next steps.

As background, the project originated in 2022 following the sale of the Gisler property and the establishment of a trust with the City of Huntington Beach to fund field improvements, with a focus on athletic field lighting. In 2023, field lighting at Dwyer was re-established and utilized by AYSO. PlaceWorks, the District's CEQA consultant, conducted a districtwide site study to evaluate the most appropriate location for potential future field lighting, identifying Peterson as the preferred site.

The recent meeting focused on summarizing the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), explaining the environmental review process under CEQA, and clarifying the remaining steps in the process. The meeting was informational in nature and provided an opportunity for public input; it was not a public hearing and did not involve a decision on the proposed project.

The IS/MND is currently in its 30-day public review period, which remains open through March 19, 2026. Written public comments may be submitted during this period and will be formally addressed as part of the Final IS/MND. 

Copies of the IS/MND are available for review at the following location:

Huntington Beach City School District

8750 Dorsett Drive

Huntington Beach, California 92646

The document can also be accessed online at the Proposed Peterson Lighting Project website. 

You may send comments by email or mail to the addresses below:

Huntington Beach City School District

Mark Manstof, Executive Director, Operations

8750 Dorsett Drive

Huntington Beach, California 92646

mmanstof@hbcsd.us

It is important to note that Board approval of the CEQA document does not constitute final approval of the Peterson Field Lighting Project itself. CEQA approval represents a required phase in the overall project approval process, focused solely on environmental disclosure and mitigation. Should the Board consider action on the Final IS/MND, that action would enable the District to move forward procedurally.

Following the close of the public comment period, responses to comments will be prepared, and the Final IS/MND is anticipated to be presented to the Board in May 2026, along with consideration of filing a Notice of Determination. Additional project approvals, if any, would occur in subsequent phases.