Indoor Smyrna soccer complex plan deferred for more parking and operations detail

The Smyrna Municipal Planning Commission voted May 1 to defer action on a proposed indoor soccer complex on Enon Springs Road East after staff raised concerns about whether the site’s parking would meet peak demand.

The developer and project engineer told commissioners the facility would contain two small 4v4 fields (intended for youth or recreational play), a concession/waiting area and storage; the most recent site plan showed 69 parking spaces after the applicant reduced storage and added 10 spaces following staff review. Planning staff said additional information is needed to establish a safe, enforceable on‑site parking standard because usage can vary — practices, leagues, tournaments and accompanying spectators all change demand.

Why it matters: Inadequate on‑site parking can spill into neighboring properties and create safety and access problems for adjacent businesses and residences; staff asked for a clear occupancy/operations plan so the town can verify the proposal will not displace or impede nearby uses.

Details from the meeting

- Parking and peak demand: Staff asked the applicant for evidence of expected peak occupancy and a description of how games would be scheduled to avoid simultaneous peak loads. Staff noted other indoor recreational facilities have varied widely in parking demand; one local comparison showed a larger facility with more than 100 spaces, while another similar‑sized facility had far fewer.

- Building footprint and use: The applicant reduced the indoor building from about 18,500 square feet to 15,704 square feet in response to staff comments and reduced the planned storage area to…