Seymour High School is taking a third swing at getting permission from the city to install a new scoreboard at its varsity baseball diamond.
The proposal to move the board to left field and make it bigger struck out earlier this year after residents who
live near the field voiced
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their opposition.
The school plans to petition Seymour Board of Zoning Appeals again during a public meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
In late April, representatives from the school’s athletics department and its baseball team went before the BZA to request a variance permitting the scoreboard to be erected.
That variance sought a change in size from the old 336-square-foot scoreboard in right field to a new 500-square-foot scoreboard in left field.
Several homeowners spoke against the school’s request, saying they didn’t want a “billboard” in their backyards, and that the new scoreboard would cause a decrease in their property values.
They also argued that the issue was settled back in 1997 when the BZA approved the scoreboard then as long as it was kept in right field.
Building commissioner Jeremy Gray said that agreement was binding. The old scoreboard, however, no longer works.
The school’s most recent variance request was denied on a 3-2 vote. BZA members voting against the request were Kenny Pfaffenberger, who also sits on the plan commission, Brian D’Arco, who is on city council, and former school board trustee John Richey.
After being voted down, the school corporation had to wait six months before trying again.
Superintendent Rob Hooker said the changes are needed to complete a recent renovation project upgrading the renamed American Legion Field. The Seymour American Legion donated $25,000 to help make the improvements.
“The number one reason for wanting the baseball scoreboard located in left field is to change its location and angle in relationship to the path of the sun so that players and fans can read the scoreboard during games,” he said.
He also said to mitigate neighbors’ views of the scoreboard, the corporation has planted more trees, between 18 and 20 feet in height, adding to the more than 40 trees that already have been planted to create a landscape buffer.
Originally, the scoreboard was being donated to the school corporation in exchange for allowing local businesses to advertise on it. The size was to be 24 feet wide by 20 feet 2 inches tall and 8 feet deep.
But since the conflict with the city and neighbors, the school has since purchased the scoreboard and removed the advertising display panels, reducing the height to 12 feet 2 inches.
The old scoreboard measured 24 feet wide by 11 feet tall and 6 feet deep.
Hooker said the new scoreboard would not cause a negative impact on the neighbors or city and only would make the baseball field better to players, coaches and fans.
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What: Meeting of the Seymour Board of Zoning Appeals
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: City Hall
Purpose: To discuss requested variances to allow Seymour High School to install a new scoreboard at its varsity baseball field
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