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City moves forward on soccer master plan study and weighs options for undeveloped property sale
Summary
The board heard that the city will use REET funding for a soccer master plan study, explore converting an indoor skate center to a multipurpose facility, and consider flexible sale terms for a city-owned parcel to spur development and infrastructure investment.
Sunnyside City staff briefed the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on plans to fund a soccer master plan study with REET-1 funds and on parallel work to market and potentially sell a city-owned parcel for economic development.
The plan matters because staff said a formal master plan could identify ways to develop soccer facilities that generate hotel and visitor revenue, support local teams and spur ancillary development; staff also said a consultant-led, up-to-nine-month study will engage the parks board to develop a vision and funding strategy.
City Manager (name not specified) told the board the city has identified REET-1 funding as the appropriate source to pay for planning work, subject to capital-improvement plan eligibility rules. He said the consultant will be “very hands on” with the parks board and that the study will examine both outdoor fields and the feasibility of converting an existing indoor skate center into a multipurpose indoor soccer and events facility.
Staff also reported recent real-estate activity on the city-owned parcel the board discussed previously: an appraisal returned at $3,000,000, and the city retains a listing agreement with a commercial broker (NAI) to market the property. City Manager (name not specified) said the council may discuss selling the property at a lower price for economic development if a buyer commits to job-creating uses; staff emphasized the need for legal review to avoid impermissible gifting of public funds.
Staff said a prospective seed-grant application for infrastructure would require a private-sector anchor that creates jobs — for example, retail, commercial or light industrial uses — and that residential-only development would not meet seed-grant criteria. Staff told the board they have had preliminary discussions with at least one developer proposing housing, commercial and light-industrial components, but they are awaiting council direction on price flexibility before advancing negotiations.
The board did not authorize sale or funding decisions at the meeting; staff said next steps include council-level direction on pricing flexibility, continuing outreach to potential developers and convening the consultant with the parks board to start the master-plan process.
