Western Michigan University is planning to install lights at its soccer facility for night games, a facility that sits directly adjacent to Parkview Hills and across the street from Asylum Lake Preserve.
The city’s Environmental Concerns Committee raised the issue at their May 20, 2026 meeting, noting WMU has conducted an internal lighting study concluding impact will be minimal, but has not done any noise study.
The more fundamental problem: the city has no jurisdiction over WMU property. Committee members raised questions about whether the city has any mechanism to request noise or light limits when a university’s actions affect adjacent city neighborhoods and natural areas and staff indicated that question is above their pay grade, suggesting it may need to go to the city commission.
A committee member also called for consulting WMU’s own birding specialists on the impact of game lighting on bird migration near the preserve. The city planner is expected to attend next month’s meeting to address the jurisdictional questions more fully.
