Sunnyvale Joins Synthetic Turf Debate at Nearby College
- De Anza College in Cupertino is weighing whether to replace its worn athletic fields with new synthetic turf or return them to natural grass. - The Foothill-De Anza board could receive staff recommendations as early as May 11, after residents raised concerns about heat, injuries and plastic waste. - The fight tracks wider Bay Area splits, with Sunnyvale still studying turf while Palo Alto chose synthetic replacement in January. (sunnyvale.ca.gov)
De Anza College in Cupertino has to replace aging athletic fields, and the live question is whether the next surface will be plastic turf or grass. (sanjosespotlight.com) San José Spotlight reported April 28 that the Foothill-De Anza Community College District could receive recommendations on the choice as early as May 11. The current synthetic fields are near the end of their typical eight- to 12-year lifespan. (sanjosespotlight.com) Coaches and residents are arguing over different risks. Skyline College soccer coach Mike Shirabi told the outlet turf is convenient and heavily used, but said he has also seen ankle and knee injuries when cleats catch. (sanjosespotlight.com) Opponents are also focused on heat, chemical exposure and disposal. Sierra Club volunteer Sue Hinton told San José Spotlight that replacing a field means hauling away roughly two acres of plastic about every decade. (sanjosespotlight.com) The health debate shifted in California on March 5, when the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment released its final crumb-rubber study. The agency said it found no significant health risks to players, coaches, referees or spectators from chemicals tied to those fields. (oehha.ca.gov) That did not end local opposition. The Santa Clara County Medical Association still lists a June 2024 policy recommendation on artificial turf and separate letters to Sunnyvale and county officials under its environmental health program. (sccma.org) Sunnyvale has not settled the issue either. The city says it is studying artificial turf versus natural grass across public and private sites, after the council approved the work in February 2024 and budgeted $100,000 for research and consulting. (sunnyvale.ca.gov) Sunnyvale’s schedule now points to commission study sessions in June 2026 and a City Council study session on July 28, 2026. The city’s project page says the review covers benefits, problems and costs, including sports fields. (sunnyvale.ca.gov) Palo Alto moved faster. Its City Council directed staff on January 12, 2026 to replace the existing synthetic field at El Camino Park with improved synthetic turf using organic infill, plus stormwater filtration and other mitigation steps. (paloalto.gov) Palo Alto also ordered a natural-grass pilot for other fields, a sign that cities are not treating the choice as settled even when they keep turf in place. De Anza’s decision now lands in the middle of that same regional split. (paloalto.gov)
