Commission lukewarm on location for complex

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STERLING -- The site proposed for an $8 million, 45-acre sports complex -- north of Newman Central Catholic High School between Lynn Boulevard and St. Mary's Road -- isn't the best location, but it's not awful, the Plan Commission told developer Larry Ybarra Thursday night.

Ybarra outlined his plans at a concept review meeting with city staff and a collection of other agencies, including school officials and members of the Whiteside County Health Department, three weeks ago. This was the first time he presented his proposal to the commission; he was there to test the water, answer questions and hear concerns. No action was taken.

In general, commissioners favor the concept. "There are some teams in the area that struggle to find places to practice," commissioner Mike Mellott said. "From a softball/baseball perspective, those facilities would be used a lot. I'm sure other teams outside this area would come."

What they're concerned about, though, would be its proximity to homes, that it's in an area the city's comprehensive plan has designated for residential growth, that Oak Grove Avenue runs down the middle, which means kids using the facility would have to cross a street to do so, and that there's no room to expand.

Being next to a major thoroughfare such as Lynn Boulevard would help with high traffic volume and make it easier to get people to the complex, though, they acknowledged.

"I wish there was a better site," Mellott said. "Am I absolutely opposed to this site? No, I'm not, but on the other hand, I'm not totally enamored by it. I have concerns with it. It's not the ideal location, ... but I'm not sitting here saying I'm not totally opposed to the current site."

Ybarra is in negotiations for another site, but he won't yet say where. "I wish I could say tonight, we do have an alternative place, but we really do not yet. We may have, but it depends if they want to sell, and what they want to sell it for."

The Sterling Sports Complex would have a 70-foot-high soccer-field-sized airdome, a multipurpose building for batting cages, a 2,500-seat football stadium, a 800-seat softball stadium and a 3,000-seat baseball stadium. It would be built in three phases over a period of three to five years. The airdome and multi-purpose building could be ready by this fall, said Ybarra, who has investors lined up and ready to go.

The baseball stadium, which also could be used by area high schools, would be big enough to attract regional and sectional tournaments and possibly a minor league team, and although this will be a for-profit complex, Ybarra sees himself partnering with the Sterling Park District and the YMCA, rather than competing with their facilities.

He isn't concerned about expansion. "I foresee if there is some type of expansion, it will be in areas taken care of by the Y and park district," he said. "I don't see us expanding into different types of facilities when they could be accommodated elsewhere."

Charles and Barbara Ehman, who live across the street from Newman at the corner of St. Mary's and Oak Grove, do not want the traffic such a facility would bring. He suggested it be built on the north side of Lynn. "There's plenty of property over there that you can have for this facility," Ehman said.

Without strong support from the plan commission, Ybarra isn't sure if he will proceed at that location. He plans to file a petition to rezone the land at that location or another within the next two weeks, though.

"Right now, we'll take some time, and see what our next plan is, what our alternatives are, and come back to the council with a petition of some kind," Ybarra said. "If the properties are not adequate or can't be obtained, I'm afraid this idea will probably go by the wayside, and I don't want that to happen."

Reach Joseph Bustos at (815) 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 529.

Reach Joseph Bustos at (815) 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 529.