The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday evening will consider plans and a petitioner’s request for a special use permit that would allow an outdoor cricket stadium that eventually could hold 24,000 fans to be built at the northwest corner of Tuscany Trail and Orchard Road in the village.
The plan also includes a restaurant and hotel at the now-vacant 33-acre site.
The commission will meet at 7 p.m. at Oswego Village Hall, at 100 Parkers Mill in the village. The commission is an advisory body. Any plans would need to be eventually voted on by the Village Board.
Chakra 360, owned by Oswego resident Paresh Patel, is proposing to develop the cricket stadium and amenities in four phases, with future phases including the possible addition of second and third levels to the stadium, according to village officials in a report to commission members.
Oswego officials said the developer has shared some preliminary cost estimates for the project. Village officials have asked the developer to “get professional estimates for more accuracy,” Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said in an email to The Beacon-News. “We expect these professional estimates to be submitted within the next few weeks.”
Some area residents opposed to the proposal have created an online petition detailing how they believe the plan could disrupt the quality of life in Oswego and set a precedent for other projects.
“As members of the Oswego community and surrounding areas, we cherish its peaceful atmosphere and close-knit, small town feel. The proposed cricket stadium threatens to disrupt our quality of life in several ways,” the petition states.
The developer’s site plan proposes to construct a cricket pitch as well as address underground drain tiles as part of the first phase proposed to take place this year or early next year.
In phase two, the petitioner proposes to construct the south, east and west parking lots, a clubhouse for players, a berm for seating and stormwater facilities. Phase two would provide for a seating capacity of 2,000, according to documents. This phase is proposed to take place in 2024.
Phase three of the developer’s plan would include a clubhouse for members, northern stadium seating and a north parking lot. This phase would bring seating at the stadium to 6,000, according to plans. This phase, which is proposed for late 2024 or 2025, would accommodate professional cricket events, plans state.
In the final phase four, the petitioner would replace the berm seating with a single level of stadium seating, which would bring capacity to 14,000 fans and accommodate national cricket events. This phase is planned for late 2025 or 2026, according to plans.
Second and third levels of stadium seating could be constructed in the future, according to village documents, which could provide seating for 24,000 fans.
Residents are concerned a stadium of this magnitude would generate heavy traffic congestion during cricket matches as well as create a need for overflow parking in surrounding neighborhoods.
“The influx of visitors during cricket matches and national and international events would undoubtedly lead to increased traffic on already busy roads, causing delays for residents trying to commute or run errands. It would put a strain on our already taxed first responders and pose a risk of impeding EMS service response times, while posing safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists,” according to the online petition.
Residents are also concerned about noise and lighting issues the stadium could potentially generate.
The developer has submitted two traffic studies, one of which is an analysis of the potential traffic impact of the first two phases of the stadium and the other is a study from an event traffic management company that provides direction on how to accommodate the traffic impact from events at the site.
“Staff concurs with the initial analysis that phases one and two could accommodate the anticipated traffic demand,” village officials said in a report to commission members. “Upon phase three the site will be able to accommodate the parking needs with the installation of nearly 1,200 parking spaces.”
Village officials in the report acknowledge “additional traffic control measures will need to be implemented to assist with the traffic in and around the stadium to direct traffic away from the residential neighborhoods.”
The proposal “appears to be in substantial compliance with the village’s Comprehensive Plan,” according to the report.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
