A Chattanooga planning panel on Monday backed a proposal for a lease agreement between the city and the Chattanooga FC Foundation for use of a 13-acre tract at Montague Park.
Over the objections of about a dozen supporters of the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park, the panel agreed to send the measure on to City Council members. Their OK will permit the foundation to build soccer fields, a pavilion and other facilities at the East 23rd and Polk streets site.
Krue Brock, who directs the nonprofit foundation that's an after-school and summer soccer program set up in 2015 by the Chattanooga FC soccer team, said he's "a big fan" of the Sculpture Fields, which occupy 33 acres at the park and has a competing bid to use the rest of land.
"We think we'll be a supplement and complement to what's there," he told the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission. "We're excited about the potential."
But Bill Robinson, who is the Sculpture Fields board secretary, said the group plans to take its case to the City Council, which is expected to consider the matter in a few weeks.
He said the Sculpture Fields "has nowhere else to go" to expand but on the 13 acres, while soccer fields can be built in many different places.
Robinson complained that Monday was the first time the group had an opportunity to talk to people and ask questions about the city's request for proposals process used to pick the CFC Foundation.
"The process was a written submission to an anonymous committee," he said.
Robinson asked the Planning Commission to defer the matter or reduce the time period on a proposed lease from 40 years to five.
However, Brock said he doesn't support the reduction in the lease period as the foundation plans to undertake a multimillion-dollar makeover of the site.
He said that soccer is "a world game" and he doesn't see it becoming less popular in the future.
Councilman Darrin Ledford, who also serves on the planning panel, urged the two sides to talk, noting concerns by Sculpture Fields supporters about vandalism if the soccer use is approved by the City Council.
Board member Warren Barnett had said the CFC Foundation's use may violate terms of the deed created over a century ago when Mary Thayer Montague, widow of Chattanooga banker T.G. Montague, donated the 49 acres for a park. Barnett said there has been talk about the professional Chattanooga FC team using it as a practice field.
He said the deed states that the land not be used for for-profit purposes.
But Gail Hart of the city said the Montague family attorney didn't have an issue with the CFC Foundation use.
Brock said the club probably wouldn't play at the Montague Park site and doesn't believe it will practice there.
He said the city would not be expected to commit any funds and the work would be financed through donations to the foundation.
New Mayor Tim Kelly is a co-founder of Chattanooga FC and was its chairman until he stepped down after winning a runoff election for the office last month.
Brock has said there's "a complete firewall" between Chattanooga FC and the foundation.
He said the programming of the three planned soccer fields at Montague would be similar to what the foundation manages at Highland Park Commons in the Highland Park neighborhood. Brock said around 1,000 people a week play there.
The Sculpture Fields plan calls for new art pieces, a 2,000- to 3,000-seat amphitheater and a welcome center in an $8 million to $10 million project.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.