Ontario council certifies EIR, approves plan and zone changes for regional sports complex

The Ontario City Council voted unanimously to certify the final environmental impact report (EIR) and approve an associated general plan amendment and zone change for the Ontario Regional Sports Complex, a roughly 200-acre development that will include multipurpose fields, an indoor athletic facility, aquatics features and a mixed-use "village" area.

Scott Murphy, the city’s executive director of community development, told the council the project footprint on the North Central portion of Ontario Ranch would accommodate about 13 multipurpose fields, an indoor athletic facility of roughly 150,000 square feet, aquatics and recreation amenities and a village area that could include a minor-league baseball facility, hotels, retail and restaurants. Murphy said the EIR identified five impacts that remain "significant and unavoidable": agricultural resources, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and transportation. He recommended certification of the EIR along with a statement of overriding considerations and the project’s mitigation and monitoring program.

“From a staff standpoint we’ve reviewed possible alternatives and mitigation, and to the extent feasible those have been incorporated,” Murphy said. “We think the community benefit of such a project outweighs those significant unavoidable impacts.”

Public commenters were sharply divided. Residents and local sports advocates emphasized youth recreation, additional practice and game space and economic benefits from sports tourism. Katie Hinks, an Ontario resident of 24 years, said the complex would provide more places for local teams to practice and play. Justin Balancio, representing Greater Ontario Sports and Entertainment Authority, said there is local demand for a facility that would draw tournaments and visitors who would support hotels and restaurants.

Labor and public-safety representatives voiced conditional support. Jeff Trapani, president of Ontario Professional Firefighters Local 1430, expressed "enthusiastic support" citing community benefits and jobs. Several union speakers urged that the project use local and union labor or a community workforce agreement so that construction benefits city residents.

Opponents and environmental advocates urged the council to revise and recirculate the final EIR or require additional mitigation for noise and air-quality impacts. Alden Marshall of Care California said the FEIR understates noise impacts to neighboring residences and urged recirculation under CEQA. Air-quality concerns were also raised by representatives of SAFER and a retained expert cited possible underestimates of equipment and generator emissions.

Council discussion focused on the tradeoffs between unavoidable environmental impacts and the project’s community benefits. The city manager and staff noted the project would relocate an affordable-housing overlay within the study area to maintain required affordable-unit counts. Mayor Pro Tem Parada moved to adopt staff recommendations; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Wapner and the council approved the certification and related approvals in an electronic vote recorded as 5–0.

The council’s approval includes (1) certification of the EIR with a statement of overriding considerations; (2) approval of the general plan amendment; and (3) approval of the zone change. The motion directs staff to implement the mitigation and monitoring reporting plan included in the EIR. No additional direction to recirculate the FEIR was given at the meeting.

Next steps identified by staff include incorporating the adopted mitigation and monitoring measures into project entitlements and processing any subsequent discretionary permits and specific plans for portions of the project footprint.