At a recent ACONA webinar the head of Polytechnic, John Bracker, said their plans would impact only a small portion of the land. It would include a baseball field, seven tennis courts, a multipurpose field with a running track as well as an outdoor education facility and environmental science classrooms. Bracker says Polytechnic is committed to land conservation, fire suppression, public safety and an inclusive and transparent process. He also said Polytechnic is exploring community benefits such as trail improvements, trailhead public restrooms and land conservation.

In response, a group of homeowners led by Michael Bicay expressed strong opposition to Poly’s plans. The group, called Altadena Wild, says the “sports complex” would bring traffic, noise, and hundreds of people and cars to a quiet residential area. They also point out the property is in a high fire risk zone, with sensitive wildlife and ecology. Bicay pointed out that Chaney Trail road is narrow and would be very dangerous in the case of an emergency evacuation. Altadena Wild distributed the yard signs you’ve seen and has created a website with more detailed information.