CSUN REDUCES PLAN FOR STADIUM.

Byline: Brian Dohn and Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writers

The size of a proposed new football field on the CSUN campus would be cut nearly in half to save millions of dollars and answer the objections of neighbors, officials said Friday.

The proposal to build an 8,500- to 9,000-seat bowl on the North Campus - rather than a 15,000-seat stadium once envisioned - is scheduled to be presented Monday to a committee of university officials and nearby residents.

But the changes don't satisfy neighbors who oppose any new football facility at California State University, Northridge, saying it would bring too much traffic, noise and crime.

``It's still open-ended and they could expand it and add more seats later,'' said Pat LoPresti, president of the Lindley West Coalition, which represents about 275 homeowners.

``I moved to the university area because I thought I liked the intercollegiate atmosphere and I thought there would be cornfields at the end of street forever,'' LoPresti said.

Paula Phillips, another Lindley Coalition member, agreed.

``We really do not trust them,'' Philips said. ``Also, they don't have enough security to take care of crime now. We have helicopters overhead here almost every day.''

Tom Tindall, CSUN's director of facility planning, is expected to present drawings for the proposed North Campus facility at a meeting of the stadium committee Monday.

The panel's first meeting in more than a month is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the satellite student center.

``There may be picketers and protesters there,'' said committee Chairman David Honda. ``It's going to be lively.''

3 locations

Tindall said he is prepared to discuss three possible locations, all on the south end of the North Campus. The most likely site remains approximately 50 yards south of the existing stadium, which seats 7,500.

``We've exhausted all the options,'' Tindall said. ``I think (the site committee) will look at the North Campus as being the best mitigator to the community. What we're trying to do is bring closure to it.

``It's a nice site.''

Honda said he is dismayed by the lack of order during past committee meetings. So this could be the last time the 12-person group gathers before making a recommendation to CSUN President Blenda Wilson.

Wilson said Friday that she was unaware of the expected recommendations.

``I would have to wait until I find out what the details are, but it's interesting,'' Wilson said. ``I hope they're reaching for a win-win situation.

``The original task force charge from me was to consider all alternatives for serving the university's need for a football stadium,'' she said. ``So if this proposal helps to do that, it would mean the committee is trying to fulfill that charge.''

Honda said the committee will identify two locations, one off campus and one on, for a football field. Several site committee members, who requested anonymity, said the vote, if taken, would be 9-2 in favor of North Campus.

A $1 million renovation of Pierce College's stadium in Woodland Hills would be the off-campus recommendation.

Honda said it would take 30 to 45 days from the final meeting to get a report to Wilson, who makes the final decision.

In the past, Wilson favored an on-campus facility, and she directed the committee to examine the North Campus option.

Honda said one way to appease the surrounding residents could be to make the stadium smaller. Such a move also would lower the cost as much as $9 million to $15 million.

Committee member Bob LoPresti, a former CSUN baseball player and husband of Pat LoPresti, said such a move is unsatisfactory.

``Any major event is gong to draw people into the area. We don't want unsavory people in our area. A 9,000-seat stadium can be expanded to 15,000 seats easily.''

Already playing there

But Honda said residents shouldn't object to a stadium on the North Campus since the Matadors play there now.

``We've already been forewarned that they'll probably threaten a lawsuit, but I'm saying, Why?'' Honda said. ``There's already a stadium there.''

Honda added that CSUN doesn't serve only the adjacent community, but the whole San Fernando Valley. Last month, CSUN's alumni association, which has a membership of 130,000, voted ``unanimously and enthusiastically'' to support an on-campus stadium.

CSUN, which plays football at the Division I-AA level, agreed upon entry into the Big Sky Conference three years ago that it would build a stadium to replace the antiquated and outdated North Campus facility it now uses.

And that stadium is scheduled to be demolished to make room for the MiniMed biotech facilities.

The site committee hasn't met since Oct. 15. It was supposed to take a two-week hiatus but other meetings were pushed back after athletic director and committee member Paul Bubb resigned. Wilson said Bubb's resignation wouldn't affect the project.

Men's basketball coach Bobby Braswell, serving as interim administrator of the athletic department, shares what was Bubb's viewpoint on the location of the stadium.

``I think it definitely needs to be an on-campus facility,'' Braswell said. ``It builds up student support and community support. I think it's something that has to be done.''

CAPTION(S):

map

Map: Northridge proposed stadium site.

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