Politics & Government

Council Supports Football Field Shed Proposal

On Aug. 20 Hellertown Borough Council voted to apply for a variance on behalf of Saucon Valley Youth Sports, whose directors--citing safety concerns--recently requested permission to install a shed at the Dimmick Park football field.

Hellertown Borough Council recently voted to support a request by Saucon Valley Youth Sports Association's officers for permission to erect a shed at the  field where youth football's home games are played on fall weekends.

On Aug. 20, SVYSA's Erik Schneider and Eric Wolfe appeared before council with their shed request for the second time this summer.

, which led council members to request that the shed be transportable.

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The residents cited noise and privacy concerns in objecting to the shed.

The SVYSA officers, however, told council the shed is needed because volunteer support has dwindled and because of safety concerns, such as the use of extension cords at games--and they reiterated those statements Aug. 20.

Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Council vice president John Bate testified to SVYSA's struggles to find the volunteer help needed to set up for home games.

"It’s becoming harder and harder to get people to bring the stuff up," he said. And for those that do help "it’s getting more dangerous," he added.

Bate said most youth football organizations in the area have built sheds similar to the one proposed for Dimmick Park because of safety and practical concerns.

Borough Manager Cathy Kichline said the shed will be about 17 feet off the park's property line, adjacent to a right of way that surrounds the recreation area.

Council ultimately voted 5-0 to support a motion to apply for a variance for the shed, which will be voted upon by the borough's Zoning Hearing Boad.

Councilman Joseph Pampanin abstained from the vote and councilman Mike McKenna was absent.


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