POULSBO — The recently unveiled plans for a multi-million dollar recreational sports complex along the Poulsbo stretch of Highway 3 will have to wait a little longer than its organizers expected.

Permit issuances have delayed the tentatively-titled All-Kitsap Sports Complex’s schedule and the two-building center is now set to open in August 2005. It had planned to be ready for business in February.

“The permitting took longer than we expected,” said manager and Poulsbo resident Ted Thetford, whose Zone Sportsplex, will make up about half of the All-Kitsap center.

Thetford said no one is to blame for the delay but that planning had to be thorough and also meet county regulations.

“Maybe it was my aggressive dot-com style,” joked Thetford, a veteran of the high-tech industry. “But we’re trying to maximize the property and make sure we’re doing the right thing with the surrounding environment.”

A forestry practices permit to log the site also took 30 additional days to approve. The additional time was not accounted for in the original schedule.

Landmark Properties, LLC owner and Bainbridge Island resident Doug Nelson had purchased the 5.4 acres of land, located off Highway 3 across from the North Kitsap Babe Ruth and Little League complex, to build the new center. Thetford’s Zone Sportsplex will be a 36,000-square-foot facility complete with two indoor turf fields, up to nine batting cages and a cafe with viewing areas. The other 40,000-square-foot facility will house four Kitsap sports businesses, two of which were previously announced by Nelson to be Studio Kicks Martial Arts Academy and Zero Gravity Dance Studio.

Nelson’s Landmark company will be the main contractor on the project.

Thetford admitted he is disappointed the center didn’t get off the ground for early 2005 but added there was no way around the delay.

“I wanted to have it up and running because the community needs it,” he said. “But you have to be understanding because some things are out of your control.”

Thetford said the new opening time frame won’t hinder local athletes as much because better weather will make existing outdoor fields more accessible. But come winter season, the Zone will be in full swing, he said.

And for the facility’s first full month of operation, Thetford added that admission and use will be free to the community.

As far as the current permitting process is concerned, the All-Kitsap Sports Complex is working to obtain the site development activity permit from the county, needed to perform construction on the site, reported Kitsap Department of Community Development planner Jeff Smith.

A ground-breaking could be held in late January, Thetford commented. For more information about the Zone, log onto www.zonesportsplex.com.