Castroville is staring at the possibility that one of its most visible community hubs, the town’s youth baseball and softball complex, could be wiped off the map under a proposed airport master plan. League leaders say the fields are on the chopping block in favor of new aviation infrastructure, and parents and coaches have not taken the news quietly. City Council is slated to tackle the issue Tuesday evening.
According to MySA, the Medina Valley Youth Baseball Association warned in a Facebook post that a "proposed master plan" could scrap its existing baseball and softball complex and swap it out for "six hangars and apron space," with "no current plan to relocate the fields elsewhere." The post stirred up dozens of local comments from residents reminiscing about childhood games and volunteer coaches. One person summed up the mood bluntly: "This would make me very sad," after recalling years spent at the complex.
MVYBA runs youth divisions for players ages four through 16 and organizes regular-season games and practices, according to the league’s website. The complex doubles as a broader community space, hosting programs such as adaptive-sports sessions run by Kinetic Kids and occasionally accommodating Medina Valley ISD events. Those overlapping uses are a big part of why many families insist the fields are far more than just a weekend diversion.
What the council will consider
The council agenda shows members will review an appraisal of airport property that includes the parcel the league currently leases and may take related actions, according to MySA. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Council Chambers at 1209 Fiorella Street. Residents who want to speak are expected to get their say during the public-comment portion of the session.
FAA rules could be driving the move
City meeting minutes and staff documents show the council requested an FAA-compliant appraisal after a compliance inspection flagged questions about non-aeronautical uses on airport land. Those city materials instruct staff to secure an appraisal "in accordance with FAA guidelines" for the tract that includes the ballfields, and to bring the results back for council review. The FAA requires sponsors of federally assisted airports to obtain fair-market-value treatment for non-aeronautical leases and to go through a formal land-release or approval process when converting aeronautical property, according to FAA guidance, which can limit how obligated airport property is repurposed or how any proceeds are used.
The Medina Valley Youth Baseball Association has urged residents to show up for the council meeting and to keep their comments professional, asking speakers to zero in on how the fields serve local families. In a Facebook post the league wrote, "Your presence matters, this directly impacts youth sports in our community," and encouraged supporters to pack the chambers. City officials and league representatives did not immediately respond to requests for additional public comment.
