Pottsville appears to be giving up its fight against a proposed indoor batting building to be built on the site of a former swimming pool by Pottsville Area Little League.
On Wednesday, the Pottsville Zoning Hearing Board voted to advise its Solicitor, Gretchen Sterns, to not submit a brief defending the board’s 2024 denial of the proposed building.
After two months of testimony last year, the Zoning Hearing Board voted 2-2, which denied Pottsville Area Little League’s plans to build an indoor batting building on the site of the former Ivy Side pool off Mahantongo St.
That decision was appealed to Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas.
On Wednesday, Zoning Hearing Board Chairman Charlie Taronis said that no objectors, including those who objected to the proposal at the municipal level, expressed their concerns to the County Court. Those objectors were notified of the Little League’s appeal.
That combined with the board’s split decision plus the cost of defending that vote at the County level led Taronis to say, “The board has concerns with spending any additional funds to have our Solicitor defend the denial of this permit.”
Pottsville’s decision to back off the appeal essentially leaves the future of the proposed building in the hands of Schuylkill County Court.
A Status Conference on this case is scheduled for May 6 before Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas Judge William Burke.
For the entirety of two exhaustive hearings, neighbors expressed their concerns over the proposed building, citing potential traffic and parking issues as well as noise coming from the building.
Pottsville Area Little League wants the building to serve as a year-round facility for players and teams to practice hitting, pitching, and other light drills. If it’s approved, the building would sit atop the former pool, which would be filled. The former Ivy Side property already has an on-site parking lot.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Pottsville Little League Denied Variance for Indoor Batting Cages
- No Decision Yet on Pottsville Little League’s Proposal for Former Swimming Pool
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