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Christian Center and City of Dublin Sued Over Proposed Sports Complex

DUBLIN (KPIX) -- A group of homeowners in Dublin has filed a lawsuit against the city and Valley Christian Center in an effort to address noise concerns over a proposed athletics center.

Despite months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and strong, public opposition from neighbors, the city council approved the project in February to build a sports complex that would include a football field, 8-lane track and 600 seats, located on the outer edge of campus along the border with Inspiration Drive.

The West Dublin Alliance is demanding the K-12 private school commission another environmental impact report, claiming the EIR that was used as reference for the approval was written in 2003 and was so outdated that it didn't even contain plans for a football field.

Stuart Flashman, attorney for the neighborhood group, says the city's own 2018 study over noise impacts was "done on the cheap" and that two sound experts hired by the neighbors found that afternoon winds would carry sound from the proposed site down into the neighborhood below, exceeding acceptable limits.

"They should've been studied better and there should have been a better analysis. So that if they say 'We're certain there's going to be no noise,' that they were certain that there would be no noise. Rather than do a half-ass study and saying everything's fine," Flashman said.

Shirley Lewandowski, a member of WDA and direct neighbor of the school for 31 years, says Valley Christian never initiated contact with their HOA about the construction project, despite claims from the school to the contrary.

Lewandowski says the school had been unresponsive throughout the process and was essentially trying to rush the project through.

"We were never getting the fair discussion, the fair participation and it was almost as though we were getting lip service. What they've been doing on this project, has led us to not to really feel that they've been neighborly. It's very hard to think of them in a way that purports Christian values. We don't understand that," Lewandowski said.

Flashman says corresponding with the school's legal counsel has been frustrating with missed deadlines and unfulfilled requests for information.

"I've been doing this for almost 30 years and this is pretty much the worst case of stalling I've ever seen," said Flashman. "Their behavior has really not been very Christian-like."

Valley Christian Center had no comment. In an e-mail, Shari Jackman, Dublin's public information officer, said "the city does not comment on pending litigation."

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