Vote delayed on Carol Stream field upgrade

A plan to add some $3 million worth of improvements to the American Legion Field in Carol Stream is expected to be considered by the village board later this month.

Wheaton College is seeking zoning approvals for a 227-seat stadium, press box, locker rooms, concession stand with bathrooms, storage facility, field lighting and public address system at the baseball field it leases from American Legion Post 76 at 570 S. Gary Ave.

The village board was expected to vote on the special use amendments Monday, but the college requested that the item be deferred until the board's March 19 meeting.

Last week, the village's plan commission voted 3-2 to recommend approval, with one abstention.

Some Winfield residents on nearby Mission Court, which is on the west side of the American Legion property, have raised concerns about the project's potential impacts to property values, as well as concerns over increased crowds, noise and lighting.

A total of eight 80-foot tall light poles would be installed with visors to control spillage. Infield lighting would be at the 100 foot-candle level, outfield lighting would be at 70 foot-candles, and per village code, a 0.1 foot-candle level would be at the property line to the west, college officials said.

The college is seeking lights since that is required for NCAA tournaments, which the school may seek in the future.

Under the plan that received an initial OK from the plan commission, night games could be played as many as 15 nights per month. However, Wheaton College attorney Scott Hargardon said that is only a maximum usage number, and isn't necessarily something the college is planning to do, according to meeting minutes.

The public address system would only be permitted for usage between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., and games could not start before 9 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Eric Carlson, the college's project architect, said at the meeting last week that the concrete bleacher seating, dugout and locker room, as well as landscaping, will help buffer crowd noise.

The village has already issued a stormwater permit for use of a new synthetic turf field, which is under construction and expected to be complete this month.

The baseball team could play on the new field as soon as March 30, according to its schedule, though home games could be moved to Alexian Field in Schaumburg.