We are asking for support to oppose the Bainbridge Island Football Club’s (BIFC’s) proposal to install stadium lighting to illuminate the artificial turf fields at Battle Point Park. Interested residents and organizations raise serious objections to the BIFC proposal including, but not limited to, the following significant adverse impacts:

Automobile access to and departure from Battle Point Park is only available from Miller Road NE by the following three public roads: Battle Point Drive NE (1.6 miles), NE Tolo Road (1.3 miles) and Arrow Point Drive NE (1.9 miles).

Nighttime lighting of the turf fields will significantly increase traffic above the normal level of commuter traffic and extend the duration of increased traffic on Miller Road and on the 4.8 miles of roadway serving the park until well past 9:00 p.m. on weeknights October through March. All of the combined streets (4.8 miles) to the park entrance proximate to the turf fields are unlit and without sidewalks, paths, shoulders or even fog lines, thus posing a real safety hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

Both the proposed stadium lighting and vehicle headlights will interfere with the mission and good works of the Battle Point Astronomical Association and the Edwin E. Ritchie Observatory. In the same respect, both stadium lighting and headlights will irreparably disturb the normal peace and tranquility otherwise available to all residents and visitors to this rural area. 

Battle Point Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife and is a key foraging and nesting habitat on Bainbridge Island. Ebird, (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) lists the park as a “birding hotspot,” with documentation of 124 species observed. It is a well known fact that protecting the nightsky, darksky.org/light-pollution/wildlife, is a valuable step to conserving bio-diversity and our treasured island wildlife.

The customary noise associated with athletic practice and competition, from both participants and spectators will compound the adverse impacts of the stadium lighting and vehicular traffic at night.

We petition BIMPRDB to reject any proposal to install stadium lighting for nighttime activities at Battle Point Park.