Neighbors press Sandpoint commission over JER building noise, batting cages and lighting

Residents who live adjacent to the JER building addressed the Parks and Recreation Commission during the public-comment portion and raised repeated concerns about noise from the building’s exhaust system, the location of a proposed batting cage and whether fields or cages will be lit at night.

Ivan Lamar told commissioners, “My concern is the noise right now being produced by the exhaust system of the building,” and said the sound and bright lights have altered his household’s experience and property outlook. Sharon Stan and other neighbors said they have filed complaints and are worried about long-term impacts from lighting and a larger batting cage footprint.

Staff responded with clarifications and historical context. A Parks Department staff member said the city has received multiple noise complaints and that “the police are investigating that to determine whether there’s actually a noise violation.” The same staff member said there is no current proposal to light the fields and that existing batting cages remain in their established location; staff noted conceptual drawings from an adopted 2020 master plan included many items that were never funded or built.

Several residents urged the commission to confirm whether batting cages would be lit and to consider mitigation steps for the HVAC noise, including a masonry or sound wall and added landscaping. Neighbors described the exhaust noise running at odd hours and said it can be audible in back yards at 5:30 a.m. and late at night; staff said police and city code procedures will determine whether further mitigation is required.

Commissioners and staff reviewed the 2020 master-plan concept on the meeting screen while explaining that the plan was an unfunded conceptual road map rather than a prescriptive list of guaranteed projects. Staff said the city built what funding allowed — the JER building proceeded with available funds — and that many items shown in the 2020 concept (turf fields, numerous pickleball courts) were never fully budgeted.

No formal action was taken; residents asked the city to provide clearer communication about hours of operation, whether batting cages would have lighting or pitching machines and what steps the city would take to reduce noise. Staff agreed to coordinate with the police department on the outstanding noise complaints and to provide more detailed responses at a future meeting.