Designers present accessible Cobb Stadium concept; councilors press safety, turf and seating questions

Aceto Kimball Landscape Architecture presented conceptual plans for a redesigned Cobb Stadium at the Sanford City Council meeting on April 7, 2026, emphasizing ADA access, expanded field dimensions and multiuse amenities.

The firm’s lead, Seth Kimball, told the council the design centers on universal circulation: a main terrace entrance, an ADA-compliant routed pathway kept at or below a 5% slope so it would function as a walkway rather than a ramp requiring continuous handrails, and a circulation scheme that brings concessions, bathrooms and seating into a single accessible spine. "The key was to really bring everybody through the same spot," Kimball said during his presentation.

Why it matters: Cobb Stadium serves Sanford High School and community recreation. The proposal includes expanding the playing surface to collegiate soccer dimensions so it can host multiple sports, adding an amphitheater for community events and improving trail and parking connections to the middle school.

Councilors used the Q&A to press on safety and maintenance implications. Councilor Martel asked whether the ramp without handrails would be safe for people with limited mobility; Kimball and other councilors cited building-code thresholds and said the design team is studying regrading and edge treatments that would provide tactile or curb protection while keeping slopes under 5 percent. "By code, three risers trigger handrails and any drop over 30 inches requires guardrails," one councilor noted during the exchange; Kimball said the team would adjust sections and provide options that keep required slopes and landings within code limits.

Members also asked about turf versus natural grass, drainage and seating capacity. Kimball said the turf-versus-grass decision will be a community choice and recommended the council consider several turf technologies and life‑cycle costs; he committed to returning with comparative cost estimates. A parent and longtime coach, Pete Levasseur, urged the council to support the project as a benefit to school athletics and community events: "This project is all about the kids and the community," Levasseur said.

Next steps: The design team will collect building-committee and public feedback, create cost and phasing estimates, and return with revised plans at the May 17 council meeting. No binding approvals were requested tonight; the presentation was conceptual and intended to gather direction.