Introduction: Why the Conversation About Athletic Lighting Matters

Across the Palos Verdes Peninsula, school athletics have long been a source of pride, tradition, and community connection. Friday afternoon football games, early-evening soccer matches, and packed bleachers filled with families are woven into the fabric of Peninsula life. Yet behind these traditions lies a growing challenge: the practical reality of running modern high school athletic programs without permanent field lighting in an era of later school start times, heightened academic expectations, and increasing competition from neighboring districts.

A recent public presentation by Superintendent Dr. Devin Serrano and Assistant Superintendent Brenna Terrones provided a comprehensive overview of this issue, focusing on athletic lighting at Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) high schools. The presentation addressed why the topic has resurfaced, the educational and community impacts of daytime-only athletics, the legal and financial barriers to permanent lighting, and why district staff are currently recommending temporary, movable lighting as a more realistic near-term solution.

A Unique Situation on the Peninsula

PVPUSD occupies a truly unique position in the South Bay. For decades, the district has upheld a practice of hosting athletic games and practices almost exclusively during the daytime. Since 2021, the district’s high schools have averaged only one night football game per season, typically tied to CIF playoff requirements. Those games rely on rented, temporary lighting at a cost of approximately $14,000 per game.

This approach sets PVPUSD apart. According to the presentation, it is the only unified school district in the South Bay that does not regularly host night games. Neighboring districts have largely transitioned to permanent or semi-permanent lighting solutions, enabling evening games, later practices, and expanded athletic programming.

While the Peninsula’s long-standing daytime model reflects historical community preferences and local conditions, it increasingly conflicts with modern educational, athletic, and logistical realities.

The Academic Cost of Daytime Games

One of the most compelling arguments presented by district leadership relates to academics. Without lights, games must begin earlier in the day. That reality often forces student-athletes to leave campus early, miss classes, and lose valuable instructional time. Over the course of a season, this lost time adds up.

This challenge has intensified following California’s implementation of SB 328, which requires most high schools to begin the instructional day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Later start times are widely recognized as beneficial for adolescent health, sleep, and learning. However, they compress the afternoon schedule, making it more difficult to accommodate practices and games before sunset without lighting.

Night games, by contrast, allow students to attend a full day of classes and still participate in athletics. The district emphasized that this balance is essential to preserving the integrity of both academic and athletic programs.

Student Benefits Beyond the Classroom

Athletic lighting is not solely about scheduling convenience. The presentation outlined several broader student benefits associated with evening games:

• A healthier balance between academics and athletics

• Reduced pressure to choose between class time and sports

• Greater parity with competing districts that already host night games

• Increased exposure for student-athletes, particularly in sports where evening games are the norm

In highly competitive athletic environments, visibility matters. College recruiters, regional scouts, and CIF playoff schedules often favor evening events. Students in districts without lights may find themselves at a disadvantage through no fault of their own.

Community Benefits and Local Impact

The conversation around athletic lighting extends beyond school campuses. Evening games tend to draw larger crowds, including working parents and community members who cannot attend daytime events. This increased attendance strengthens school spirit and deepens the connection between schools and the broader community.

Local businesses also benefit. Restaurants, cafes, and small retailers near school campuses often see increased activity during evening events. Over time, these indirect economic benefits can be meaningful, particularly in centrally located areas such as Rolling Hills Estates.

The presentation also emphasized that modern athletic lighting technology has evolved significantly. Today’s systems are designed to minimize light spill, reduce glare, and include automatic shutoff controls once events conclude. These advances address many of the concerns historically associated with field lighting, though they do not eliminate all challenges.

Design and Environmental Considerations

Installing permanent athletic field lighting is far more complex than erecting a few poles and fixtures. The district must evaluate and mitigate environmental impacts, particularly in residential hillside communities where sightlines, viewsheds, and nighttime darkness are deeply valued.

Key design considerations include:

• Minimizing off-site light spill into surrounding neighborhoods

• Limiting glare and preserving view corridors

• Carefully locating lighting controls and pole heights

• Integrating lighting infrastructure into existing campuses

Any permanent lighting project would trigger review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Depending on the complexity of the project, this process can take anywhere from three to six months for straightforward cases, and significantly longer if environmental impact reports or litigation are involved. Costs associated with CEQA review and engineering can range widely and add substantially to overall project budgets.

Cost Realities of Permanent Lighting

The presentation provided high-level cost estimates for permanent lighting installations at both Peninsula High School and Palos Verdes High School. For each campus, base construction costs were estimated between $950,000 and $1.1 million. These figures include materials, basic installation, electrical work, lighting fixtures, conduit, and controls, but exclude additional costs such as architectural services, DSA approval, CEQA review, and soil reports.

When all associated soft costs are included, total project expenses could climb significantly higher. In addition, Measure SOS bond funds cannot be used for athletic lighting, meaning that no identified funding source currently exists for permanent installations. Any such project would require fundraising or alternative financing.

Peninsula High School: Opportunities and Constraints

Peninsula High School presents a somewhat more favorable technical scenario. Its athletic turf field was designed with electrical conduit already installed, reducing the amount of disruptive work required. The campus is centrally located, and staff noted that local businesses in Rolling Hills Estates could benefit from increased evening activity.

However, the campus also borders multiple jurisdictions, including Rancho Palos Verdes, adding layers of coordination and approval complexity.

Palos Verdes High School: Legal History Matters

Palos Verdes High School faces even more significant constraints. Its athletic turf field does not currently have electrical conduit installed, meaning that any permanent lighting project would require additional excavation, turf and track repairs, and associated costs.

More importantly, the school is subject to a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) involving the district, the City of Palos Verdes Estates, the Palos Verdes Homes Association, and certain property owners. This MOU arose from earlier litigation related to land use and zoning restrictions and explicitly prohibits the installation of athletic field lights at PVHS except under narrowly defined circumstances.

The MOU includes provisions requiring substantial payments to the City if lighting is mandated by state or athletic authorities, with estimated values of approximately $500,000 per parcel involved. It also allows for enforcement actions by the Homes Association, including recovery of fees associated with district improvements. These legal realities create significant financial and procedural barriers.

Funding and Legal Barriers

The presentation was clear and candid about barriers to permanent athletic lighting:

• No current funding source has been identified

• Measure SOS bond funds cannot be used for athletic lighting

• Fundraising would be required

• Legal planning, review, and potential litigation would add cost and risk

• Some community members have expressed concerns about lighting impacts

These barriers do not make permanent lighting impossible, but they do make it impractical in the near term without a clear, sustainable funding and legal path.

A Pragmatic Alternative: Temporary Movable Lighting

In light of these constraints, district staff recommended exploring the purchase of district-owned, temporary movable lighting systems. This approach would allow each high school to host at least one night game per year, with additional events subject to city approval.

The estimated cost for two sets of movable lights, one for each high school, is approximately $216,972, not including generators or power sources. While this option introduces logistical considerations such as storage, transportation, and setup, it represents a fraction of the cost of permanent installations and avoids many legal and environmental hurdles.

Temporary lighting also reduces reliance on costly rentals, potentially saving money over time while preserving flexibility.

Collaboration With Cities and the Path Forward

Throughout the summer and fall of 2025, a working group that included district leadership and board members met with mayors and city managers from all four Peninsula cities. These discussions focused on feasibility, community concerns, and potential paths forward.

The district’s recommendation reflects those conversations: pursue temporary lighting solutions, continue collaboration with city partners, and pause consideration of permanent installations until funding and legal pathways become clearer.

Why a Cautious Approach Builds Trust

Public infrastructure decisions, especially those involving schools, must balance competing priorities. Athletic lighting sits at the intersection of education, neighborhood character, environmental stewardship, fiscal responsibility, and legal obligation.

By openly acknowledging constraints and recommending a measured, flexible solution, the district demonstrates respect for community concerns while still addressing student needs. This approach may feel incremental, but it reduces risk and preserves options for the future.

Looking Ahead

District staff will continue to analyze costs, logistics, and funding options for temporary lighting and bring more detailed proposals back to the board. At the same time, broader conversations about permanent solutions will likely continue as community priorities, funding mechanisms, and regulatory environments evolve.

Conclusion: A Thoughtful Step Forward

The discussion around lights for athletics is ultimately about fairness, balance, and opportunity. Students deserve the chance to fully participate in both academics and athletics without unnecessary tradeoffs. Communities deserve transparency, respect for local character, and responsible use of public resources.

The current recommendation does not close the door on permanent athletic lighting. Instead, it acknowledges reality and proposes a solution that meets immediate needs while maintaining flexibility. In doing so, it reflects the careful, pragmatic approach that has long defined decision-making on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Progress, in this case, is not about rushing toward a permanent solution, but about taking the next right step.

Suzanne Dyer
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