SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Plans to put in new sports fields on the east side of Field of Dreams North in Sheboygan have been pushed back, except for the projected end date.
The Sheboygan Area School District wanted to start the process to create new soccer fields and ball diamonds east of Taylor Avenue by early fall. However, the district needs permits from the DNR to first fill in wetlands on the land for the project.
District Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operational Services Mark Boehlke says starting the permit process was delayed from their original plans by over a month. This was due to the city's longer than expected time needed to approve rezoning of the west side of the green space.
"There really hasn’t been any snag in the DNR process; it’s just that the timeline got pushed out a little bit with the rezoning process," says Boehlke.
The rezone on the west side of Field of Dreams North was needed so that Aurora Health Care can build a new outpatient surgery and medical office buildings.
Boehlke says the district began applying for permits on April 3. The DNR asked for more information, which the district plans to provide by the end of this week.
Boehlke projects the DNR would issue a public notice of the applications by June 8, request a public hearing by June 29, announce a public hearing by July 13, host the public hearing by August 12, end public comments by August 24, and make their decision on the permits by October 14.
All this means for the district is that the plans to start seeding for the new sports fields may be prohibited this fall. If this happens, Boehlke says the district will work around it by placing sod on the fields next spring. The district still plans to have the new sports fields in use by the fall of 2016.