Edgewood High School files federal lawsuit against City of Madison over stadium lights

MADISON, Wis. — Edgewood High School says it is taking the City of Madison to federal court as part of its ongoing dispute over the installation of lights on its athletic field.

The school presented its final appeal to the city in January, arguing it had the right to install lights over its athletic complex. Neighbors of the school have fought the addition of the lights for years, claiming that the school hosting night games would lead to too much light pollution and noise in the neighborhood just off Monroe Street.

The city ultimately denied Edgewood’s appeal.

In a letter to Edgewood families and supporters, President Mike Elliott says that decision is forcing them to file a suit in federal court against the city, alleging “unfair treatment of Edgewood over the past three years.”

“Full use of our field — day and night — is vital to the Edgewood experience for our current and future students and to further live out our mission to educate the whole student,” Elliott argued in the letter.

The dispute dates back to at least 2018, when tensions began to rise between the school and the neighborhood association. The lights were installed years ago, but the school has yet to be permitted to use them due to the continued arguments over what the school was allowed to do under the city’s Master Plan.

Edgewood has previously filed a lawsuit against the city alleging discrimination, only to later dismiss it, citing a desire to work toward a solution. But this time, the school appears less optimistic about reaching an agreement.

“While Edgewood has always been willing to continue working toward a reasonable compromise, the testimony and statements at the January Common Council meeting demonstrate an objective of no lights at all,” Elliott said in the letter to Edgewood families. “Unfortunately, the odds of getting to a compromise seem to be all talk with no sincere willingness to allow Edgewood to ever install lights.”