Joliet Catholic Academy on Thursday will take its plan for an on-campus football stadium to the Joliet Plan Commission for a vote.

The commission meets at 4 p.m. Thursday in the City Council chambers at City Hall.

The JCA plan would expand its sports facilities onto the grounds of the former Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home.

Plans include new tennis and pickleball courts, renovated baseball and softball fields, and other additions to the campus in a Planned Unit Development (PUD) subject to approval from the city.

“The most significant component of the PUD is the proposed multi-purpose athletic field, which would serve as the home facility for the school’s football games,” a staff memo to the Plan Commission states.

“The field would have 5,500 seats with a potential maximum standing room only capacity close to 7,000 people,” the memo goes on to say. “The site would host between four and eight varsity football games per year.”

Stadium construction is at least a year away even if the JCA plan gets a green light from the City Council

But approvals before the end of this year would lead to the start of the project in the spring, JCA spokesman Ryan Quigley said Tuesday.

The turf field that eventually would be in the stadium is one of the first projects planned. The turf would provide a surface for football practices and soccer games.

Stadium construction, which would provide the seating to accommodate football games, would come 12 to 18 months later depending on the success of fundraising, Quigley said.

Other projects planned next year if the city gives approval are new tennis courts and additional parking.

A Plan Commission vote would serve as a recommendation to the full City Council, whose future approval is needed for the plan to go ahead.

A council vote could come sometime in December, although a date has not been set.

The JCA plan was delayed earlier this year when the plan faced residential opposition and city officials decided to require a Planned Unit Development.

The city had previously required only a special use permit, which could have been given final approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals without going to the City Council for consideration.

JCA since has had a community meeting in September attended by 127 people.

At least some neighborhood opposition persists, although Quigley said he believes the project has general community support.

“We think it’s been positive,” Quigley said. “We’ve talked to our residents. We’ve extended our traffic studies.”

Potentlai traffic into the surrounding neighborhood remained an issue at the September community meeting.

Some residents questioned the effectiveness of the traffic studies and weather they measured the likely outpouring of vehicles into the streets after the games.

City staff is recommending approval of the JCA plan.

JCA “has put together a viable traffic and parking management plan to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic to the surrounding area on football game days,” the staff report states. “It is anticipated that events outside of varsity football games will see far lower attendance.”

The staff report does note the uniqueness of the JCA plan to build a football stadium on the edge of a residential area.

“While it is rare in Will County, examples of high school football stadiums situated within denser urban settings do exist throughout the Chicagoland area,” the report states.

Additional parking will expand the current 481 spaces on campus to 933.

According to the staff report, the expanded parking would accommodate about 4,400 fans. Typical game attendance is expected at below 3,100 fans, while school officials have discussed other arrangements for parking at nearby sites for games that draw more than 4,400, according to the staff report.

JCA now plays football games at Memorial Stadium, which is located on Jefferson Street and is owned by the Joliet Park District.

The school has never had an on-campus football stadium, something that school officials point out has become a rarity in high school sports.

Other outdoor sports facilities already are located in the area bordering the Our Lady of Angels property.

The Our Lady of Angels property comprises 45 acres. Demolition of the retirement home has not yet been completed.

Quigley noted that JCA could not begin construction for its campus expansion until the demolition is done.