Troy residents concerned about possible sports complex development
TROY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – The city of Troy is considering an idea to transform several acres of undeveloped parkland on John R Road north of Big Beaver Road into a sports complex.
But people who live in the area are worried about the number of ways such a development would impact the neighborhood.
"The wildlife has absolutely nowhere to go. It sure would be nice to keep at least a tiny patch in Troy," said Tilla Abel, a concerned neighbor.
Abel fears that the wildlife might be endangered if the city decides to go ahead with a concept from the League Sports Foundation.
The nonprofit is looking to sign a 12-year land lease with the city to build four all-turf baseball fields and six pickleball courts to attract leagues and tournaments to the area.
"It's going to bring in a ton of traffic. We already have an abundance of traffic right here on John R … the park sits between two lights; would they put in another traffic light?" Abel said.
Besides traffic, neighbors are concerned about the light and noise pollution such a sports complex would create.
"Twenty games a day they're proposing on Saturdays and Sundays, ending by 10. The noise isn't going to stop by 10. I don't want to listen to that all day long," said Amy Gartner, another concerned neighbor/
Gartner is joining efforts to collect signatures for a petition against the idea that's been a hot topic on the Nextdoor app.
She also attended the first community engagement session last week that got heated.
"You don't need a baseball field here," one resident said during the session. "You don't appreciate the passion; you're going to go right back over to your little office over there, and I want these people to know that because we've been down this road with you. We've been down this road with you guys."
The city has emphasized to residents that this is simply an idea.
"We still have a process that we need to go through even if this project were to move forward, which means it has to go through, you know, our engineering department, our planning and building," said Torri Mathes, Communications & Engagement Director for the city of Troy.
A slide in the 'League Sports Sports Complex Proposal' presentation reads, 'City council votes to approve agreement' and 'development approval process,' making many people think it's already a done deal.
"Maybe that should have been worded, 'They just vote,' maybe not 'Votes to approve.' I think that was getting ahead of themselves," Abel said.
In a statement to CBS News Detroit, the League Sports Foundation wrote in part: "Our goal is to try to provide youth an opportunity to play sports. We are dedicated to the youth of the area. League sports foundation was created to help provide a safe, enjoyable and competitive environment. We are trying to grow the game of baseball along with other sports."
"I'm not against the complex. I think put it over by the community center, put it on a different park that isn't maybe doing so well, that doesn't get a lot of attention. There's got to be another solution," Abel said.
Neighbors are planning to have their voices heard twice next week.
The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 21, when the city council meets at 7:30 p.m. at city hall. The second meeting is slated for Wednesday, Aug. 23, when the second community conversation is set to happen at the site at 3500 John R Road at 6:30 p.m.
