County seeks to shed new light on Springfield’s Trailside Park with plan amendment

Fairfax County is seeking public input on plans that could put Trailside Park (6000 Trailside Drive) in Springfield in a new light and add more utility to the location.

A new master plan amendment would add field lighting to the eastern-most baseball diamond. The other two at the site are already lit.

The amendment is part of a broader effort to add lights to all fields around the county to increase utility throughout the year.

“The main objective in amending this master plan is to introduce athletic field lighting to all the fields,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said in a release. “The added lighting will allow extended evening use of the diamond fields during the fall and spring months and improve overall safety of the park.”

Tucked away southeast of the I-95/I-495 interchange, Trailside Park already had the baseball diamonds on the field when it was donated to the park authority in 1972, the release said.

Adding lights to fields has been an occasionally contentious process, particularly in neighboring Alexandria. Last week, Fairfax County announced it would try to reduce light pollution in parts of the county.

The change seems unlikely to be as controversial at Trailside Park. As mentioned, two of the fields are already illuminated, and there’s a substantial swath of trees separating the fields from the residential neighborhood to the south.

“The Park Authority is inviting public comment on this proposed plan amendment for a 30-day period beginning Sept. 28, 2022,” the release said. “If you would like to provide comments or feedback, please send these by email to V2323@PUBLICINPUT.COM.”

The Park Authority Board is docketed to discuss the topic at a meeting on Nov. 9.

Photo via Google Maps