Episcopal High School’s plan to install 47 light poles between 40 and 100 feet in height got unanimous backing by the City Council on Saturday (May 17).
The private high school at 1200 N. Quaker Lane will serve as a training site for a team participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the school is planning on adding 10 lights to three northern fields for that purpose on the property — the track field, the practice field, and the Hummel Bowl. Neighbors with the Seminary Hill Association, however, told City Council they were under the misapprehension that the scope of the project was limited to just those 10 lights, instead of what was presented to Council — a largely undefined plan allowing the school to erect dozens of light poles of varying heights on its other outdoor athletic fields and courts over the next decade.
Frank Putzu, vice president of the Seminary Hill Association, told Council that the association signed off on Episcopal’s plan without knowing its full scope. He said that several neighborhood officials met seven senior Episcopal officials on April 21 to talk about the proposal, including the school headmaster and attorney, as well as several association board members. Putzu said neighbors and the Board were surprised to later discover the entire scope of the lighting plan for the school, and revisit Episcopal’s request that the special use permit (SUP) plans be in effect for 10 years.
“Almost half of our board members and several of our members who live across West Braddock Road from the School left clearly under the impression that the three fields along West Braddock (Road) were the principal focus of the field lighting SUP application,” Putzu said. “Makes sense, including the placement of the 10 light poles. The answers were generally satisfactory, and the board members who attended left inclined to support the project.”
FIFA announced Episcopal as a potential training site last fall, and the selected team will stay at Hotel AKA Alexandria (625 First Street).
Stefanie Sparks Smith, Episcopal’s attorney, told Council that it hasn’t budgeted for lighting beyond the three fields, but that the school wants to be thoughtful in its planning.
“We’re not trying to have this crazy long leash,” Smith said. “We don’t want to be redoing site plans.”
Smith continued, “We have over 700 people that live on our campus, over 460 students, including minors. We have 234 residents of Alexandria that are families. There are newborn babies and plenty of little kids in the dorms and residences directly across from those fields. If anyone has been to any of our faculty meetings, you can be rest assured that we will get a lot of complaints from our own internal community if we are loud, if our lights are on affecting bedtime.”
The council ended up conditionally approving the SUP request, but only for five years. Also, the lights have to be out by 10 p.m., and Episcopal must meet annually with Seminary Hill Association on project updates.
“I’m not necessarily comfortable with the 10-year SUP,” City Council Member John Taylor Chapman said. “I appreciate that you do have the option to ask for it, but what I’m hearing as well is that there is a lack of concreteness when you get into the out-years.”
Council Member Abdel Elnoubi thanked Episcopal for bringing FIFA to Alexandria.
“The World Cup is one of the biggest events in the world, Elnoubi said, “and to have a team come with some of these top players, and fans and everything come to Alexandria, that is a good thing for our city.”
Episcopal junior Burnam DuBose and a number of his fellow students also testified.
“As a soccer and tennis player, being able to play on the lights would be a dream come true,” DuBose said. It’s every kid’s dream to play at night with big crowd cheering you on. I know one of the gentlemen here was concerned about his kid’s bedtime, and, you know, we have bedtime too, so rest assured we aren’t going to be out there late into the night.”
The council approved the plan 6-0. Mayor Alyia Gaskins recused herself from the vote because her husband is a school coach.
