The Fayetteville City Council on Nov. 5 continued its look at a proposal by Thomas Stephens to install permanent lighting on the Tiger Trail property being used for league soccer play.

The proposal had been continued from Oct. 19 when Stephens said he was still dealing with design issues relating to the permanent lighting system.

City Engineer Don Easterbrook at the meeting said Stephens is making an attempt to comply with the city’s request to provide a permanent lighting plan for the Tiger Trail site.

Easterbrook said city staff supports allowing Stephens to keep the temporary lights on site until the Jan. 7 council meeting contingent upon the final lighting plans being submitted by mid-December and approved by staff. The final lighting plans and installation schedule will be submitted to the council at the Jan. 7 meeting.

A brief discussion followed, with the council agreeing to go with the Jan. 7 date. Also during the discussion Councilman Paul Oddo asked how often the field is being used. Stephens in response said it is usually used four nights each week and that soccer season had been extended due to the recent rainy weather.

Stephens was allowed in August to continue to use temporary lighting at the site and was to submit a plan for the installation of permanent lighting. City Planner Linwood Robinson in October said Stephens was requesting time to complete the plan. Robinson said city staff recommend that the temporary lighting be removed if Stephens has not received approval for a permanent plan.

Stephens at the July 27 meeting of the city Planning & Zoning Commission was denied a site plan application for the operation of a soccer field located at the corner of Tiger Trail and Hood Avenue. The field is the location league play with a non-profit youth soccer association.

Planning staff in July said, “The applicant’s submittal addresses the amenities that have been added to this site and not the applicant’s current use as a soccer field. The city has established standards for amenities that are sometimes associated with the type of use (a recreation field/park) that is proposed on the applicant’s revised site plan submittal. But the applicant’s plan does not adequately meet those standards.”

But action by the city council also in July paved the way for soccer play. The council voted July 16 to amend the zoning ordinance to allow active/passive parks operated by non-profits and for community purposes in all residential zoning categories. Issues such as lighting are to be approved by the Planing & Zoning Commission.

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