When a field of dreams becomes a nightmare

When David Kelly's two children discovered baseball two years ago, he responded in a way few parents can. He built a regulation Little League field near his Issaquah home, open to blooper singles and shoestring catches from his son and daughter at any time.

For more than a year, he leveled off and seeded an old horse pasture on his mother's 30-acre property. With little experience in baseball, he measured a diamond at a nearby park and laid out his own infield, complete with bases, dugouts and a fenced backstop.

With ballfields in short supply in Issaquah, Kelly's children's and nephew's Little League teams practiced at the field a few times a week over two seasons. They ate grilled hot dogs and hamburgers after taking grounders, and one night, they slept in the outfield under the stars.

But the field has been empty since April after city officials told Kelly he may need a permit and could be fined if the teams use the field in the meantime.

For Kelly, it's the ultimate injustice.

"Here I am trying to do something good for the community and the city of Issaquah is anti-sports, anti-children," Kelly said. "They're just ridiculous."

The city says it's only trying to ensure the diamond is safe and legal. Officials say they've received complaints about the field, and questions have been raised about a gravel parking lot next door and the field's use for official Little League practices, both of which could require a permit.

"It was our understanding that the use was for (Kelly's) friends and family, and from our observances, it appears that some organizations are using it," said David Favour, a city planning manager.

It's unclear what permit, if any, Kelly would need, Favour said. But one possibility is a site-development permit that would cost $500 and address potential impacts on traffic and the environment, he said.

Kelly, 41, said he's fighting the city on principle and planned to speak at last night's City Council meeting, accompanied by some parents and children. "I refuse to play the city's game," he said. "Pretty soon we're going to need a permit to mow our lawns."

Issaquah and Sammamish, where new homes pop up regularly, both have a shortage of ballfields for children. Issaquah Little League officials say 83 teams must rotate among about 10 or 12 fields each week.

Kelly's homegrown field was insured and in good shape, League President Brad Arbaugh said. Now both teams that played there are out of the rotation and must find other practice times.

Kelly's field "took a lot of pressure off us," Arbaugh said. "It's a shame that the city and David can't get together and come to some compromise."

Kelly isn't the first person to build a diamond for kids on his property. Brad and Leslie Wolgamott, a couple from Sammamish, opened a field in North Bend for local use last summer.

Kelly isn't nearly as wealthy, and traded with friends for equipment and materials to finish his field. He runs a sign company on his mother's property and helps maintain a horse farm his parents used to operate.

Parents and coaches say they miss the freedom they had on Kelly's property.

"It's all about having fun for the children, a great experience," said George Thompson, the coach of the A's, Kelly's children's team. "We had people this year say, 'I wish I was on your team.' "

"Here we are going to the playoffs next week," he added, "and we have nowhere to practice."

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com