The City of Lompoc is exploring plans to renovate and expand the Riverbend Soccer Fields, with options ranging from rehabilitating the existing fields to developing an additional 11 acres currently used for farming.
Lompoc residents David and Susan Rentschler have watched the Riverbend area change over the years. David remembers when much of the area was still used for farming, and said the full vision for Riverbend was never completed.
"It was baseball first, then they built soccer fields, then a local group built a bike park which was great," David said.
However, the existing fields have fallen into disrepair.
"There were holes in the soccer fields which basically led to ankle, you know, twists and stuff," Susan said.
Mayor Jim Mosby said the fields need significant work, but he wants to see the undeveloped acreage addressed first.
"It would be absurd to tear up the fields to rehab them. I've looked at them and thinking about minor ways, but they need a major rehab," Mosby said.
While some concepts presented to the city council carry multi-million dollar price tags, Mosby said he wants to rely heavily on community and private partnerships to keep costs down.
"I've got one gentleman [who] gave a bid for the irrigation system between $100,000 and $150,000, so that would probably be the major expense, and I believe we can develop this with a public-private partnership for under $200,000," Mosby said.
That figure represents Mosby's estimate, not a final city price tag.
Beyond the playing surface, residents say the area also needs basic amenities. Susan pointed to the lack of reliable restroom access as a pressing need for people who walk and spend time at Riverbend.
"It would be great if there were bathrooms there because being, you know, we're a bit older, when we get to that point of our walk, a bathroom is very nice and there are porta potties, but they're locked sometimes," Susan said.
David also raised concerns about whether improvements could attract a homeless population to the area.
"The big question probably for a lot of locals would be, you know, is that going to be a big homeless attraction?" David said.
Before any development begins, the city has preliminary steps to complete. Council's direction includes soil testing, ending the current farming lease and seeking potential partners.
Mosby said he is optimistic about the timeline.
"Maybe in six months we could break ground on this and get started on putting this together," Mosby said.
The city's Community Development department said it is still assessing next steps following the council's direction, and more details will be released once plans are finalized. Any final plan would still need to come back before the city council for approval.
