Regarding August 27 Turf Ban Proposals, What Role Did TenCate Global Staff Play in Local Decisions?
On August 27, separately, the Santa Clara County (SCC) Supervisors removed Item #10 Consider recommendations from the Office of the County Executive relating to the prohibition of new installation of artificial turf and synthetic grass on County property, from the agenda, while the Sunnyvale City Council pushed their decision on making a ban or moratorium on artificial turf to a future date. The County moved their decision to January 2025, after the November election, and Sunnyvale moved their decision until after the planned Sunnyvale Study Issue ESD 24-01 - Evaluate the Use of Artificial Turf versus Living Groundcovers.
SCC Supervisors said they needed time "to allow county staff time to obtain more community input and review additional information."
Sunnyvale City Staff assured the Council that no artificial turf projects were in the City pipeline for the period leading up to the Study, which might be a year and a half away. Four of six Councilmembers present, Vice Mayor Srinivasan, Councilmember Melton, Councilmember Din, and Councilmember Sell thought that therefore it was not necessary to approve the proposed moratorium, which was described as a ban on the agenda, while Mayor Klein and Councilmember Mehlinger disagreed, voting for the moratorium. Councilmember Mehlinger pointed out that installing artificial turf harms the environment and sterilizes the ground with Mayor Klein adding that artificial turf creates heat islands and kills beneficial insects. Councilmember Cisneros was absent.
On August 26, the day before the SCC Board meeting, TenCate Global Staff, including Global Research Director Dr. Colin Young, having flown halfway around the world from the Netherlands HQ, visited with SCC Board Supervisors. TenCate describes itself as “Leading in Synthetic Turf” and is the parent company for multiple plastic turf producers, distributors, installers, etc. Similarly the Global Research Director appeared at the hours-long Sunnyvale Council meeting in concert with soccer league families who were awarded activity points for appearing at the meeting. Though several sports parents questioned public comments made by people living in SCC but not necessarily Sunnyvale, including one or two Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter members, one has to wonder how the ultimate corporate self-interested outsiders, the TenCate Company, influenced local decisions by both the SCC Board of Supervisors and the Sunnyvale City Council.
The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter (SCLP) values exercise outdoors in nature including team sports, and would like for a local County or City to install or trial sustainable grass fields. There are several programs, including a non-profit option involving Beyond Pesticides, available to help. The SCLP will continue to advocate for natural ground covers in landscapes and sustainably managed drought-tolerant grass on athletic fields.