SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
An $8 million proposal to expand the football stadium at Rio Americano High School is drawing mixed reactions from families and nearby residents, as a district environmental review raises concerns about increased noise during nighttime events.
The San Juan Unified School District is considering improvements that would expand seating from 288 to approximately 2,575, add four permanent 80-foot light poles, install an upgraded sound system and build a new press box.
The improvements would allow the school to host larger events at its existing stadium, including nighttime football games. Rio Americano’s varsity football team currently plays its home games at El Camino High School, less than 3 miles away.
For Shauna Cvetovac, a Rio Americano graduate whose son played football at the school, the proposed improvements are about giving students more opportunities to enjoy their home field.
“I saw they had a nice new field, but then I was shocked that we didn’t have any lights. And then, you know, even less seating than what we had before,” Cvetovac told KCRA 3.
Supporters say the improvements could benefit more than just football players. The stadium could also be used for other school activities, including graduation ceremonies, pep rallies and sporting events.
But for residents living near the campus and the American River Parkway, the proposal raises questions about noise, traffic and the potential effects on the surrounding environment.
Joe Selewicz, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, showed KCRA 3 how close the existing football field is to his backyard.
“The goalposts, as you can see, are less than a football field away from our backyard,” Selewicz said.
The homeowner said he is particularly concerned about how frequently the stadium would be used for nighttime events.
“If it was only five or six nights a year, that would be tolerable. But we’ve gotten no commitment,” Selewicz said, questioning how often events would be held after dark.
Other neighbors expressed concerns about the nearby American River Parkway and the wildlife that inhabits the area.
“It’s going to affect all the animals on the parkway. It’s going to affect our neighborhood with extra traffic, extra litter, extra noise,” said longtime resident Dale Vaira.
The district’s draft environmental impact report projects that during large nighttime events, average noise levels at some nearby residences could reach approximately 61 decibels, comparable to the sound of a normal conversation.
The analysis estimates that event noise could be as much as 15 decibels above existing nighttime background levels at the nearest eastern residences.
The draft report acknowledges that the increase could be clearly noticeable and disruptive during sensitive evening hours, particularly during louder portions of football games. It identifies certain event-related noise impacts as significant and unavoidable, even with proposed measures to reduce them.
Those measures include restrictions on amplified sound, limits on certain noise-making devices and proposed nighttime event ending times.
The district has said it recognizes concerns raised by nearby residents and is reviewing community feedback as part of the environmental review process.
The 45-day public comment period for the draft environmental impact report ended Oct. 16. The district is preparing a final report that will include responses to comments received during the review period.
The final environmental impact report is expected to go before the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education on Nov. 17. The district also expects the board to separately consider whether to approve the stadium improvement project that day.
No final project approval has been granted.
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