After working to mitigate neighborhood fears about noise and light pollution, owners of a planned outdoor amusement park in northwest Peoria can move forward with the project as long as they take steps to address crime and safety concerns.
Before unanimously approving four steps to green-light the Big Dawg Speedway development on North Orange Prairie Road, members of the Peoria City Council on Tuesday insisted Mark and Diane Larson develop a security plan to add to their special-use permit.
“You will not be on your own to create that. We'll work with the police chief; we'll work with Peoria resource officers,” said 4th District council member Andre Allen, who represents the district where the complex will be located. “We're not going to put you on an island and have you do this on your own. We're here for you, but I do want to make that a condition.”
The Larsons modified their initial proposal after meetings with Allen and area residents. The plan now features one go-kart track instead of two, with 12 electric go-karts to reduce noise. The location will also have one miniature golf course and an ice cream parlor, but no batting cages.
“We are looking to give Peoria just another needed place for community to come together and to spend that quality time together,” Diane Larson said during the hour-long discussion that also included residents from the vicinity speaking both opposed and in favor of the project.
“We have outlined what we feel are potential issues with traffic, safety, security, land values, lighting and future development in that area – both commercial and residential development in that area – next to a go-kart track and a miniature golf course,” said Nathan Miller, who noted he was at first strongly opposed to the project, but appreciated the Larsons' efforts to reach a compromise.
Kevin Hearn of Hearn’s Landscaping voiced his support for the Larsons’ plan.
“I'm the closest homeowner to this facility that we're talking about tonight, and I certainly don't see the why there’s resistance for this type of facility,” said Hearn. “Of course, it's another venture, another place for children to have fun and get together. I'm confident that there'll be security and everything there.”
The first concept of project was originally approved in 2017, when the city initially annexed nine acres for the venue. Those plans failed to materialize, but the Larsons revived the idea earlier this year. The new project required Peoria to annex another 4.5 acres.
“The blueprint that we got approved years ago is identical to what our plans are and our blueprint now,” said Mark Larson. “The only change was we had to have access off of Orange Prairie that had an opening in the boulevard. So we had to buy land to the north that had an opening in the boulevard, and at that time, when we asked to get that part of it annexed into the city, the city recommended us to annex more land.”
Several council members expressed concerns about potential criminal activity and safety issues, citing past incidents at other youth-oriented entertainment businesses.
“You never want those situations to happen at your establishment, and the only way to keep them from happening is to have a strong security plan, a strong security presence,” said Mayor Rita Ali.
“I think this is an amazing idea, and to have something like that coming into Peoria is something I'm personally enthusiastic about. But I also am very cognizant of the concerns raised from the folks,” said council member Tim Riggenbach.
“When you're talking about this type of operation, it would seem to me that you would want to have security in place anyway,” said council member Bernice Gordon-Young.
Other changes to the plan include having lighting posts capped at 30 feet and requiring the lights to be turned off no more than one hour after the 10 p.m. closing time. The Larsons said they plan to operate the seasonal amusement park between early April and mid-November each year.
