Severance council OKs temporary approval for batting cages inside storage unit, requires 30-day safety fixes

Severance, Colorado — The Severance Town Council on Sept. 23 approved an amendment to an existing use-by-special-review allowing an indoor batting facility inside a storage building at 10845 County Road 74, contingent on the operator bringing the unit into compliance with building and accessibility codes within 30 days.

The council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2025-40R authorizing the amendment, with conditions recommended by staff and the Planning Commission. The resolution requires the owner to address five specific code issues — change of occupancy classification, makeup/outdoor air, an accessible restroom, insulation/thermal envelope and related electrical/work — within 30 days of council approval. Town management was given limited discretion to grant brief extensions if progress is shown.

The action follows more than a year of staff review after town inspectors discovered the batting operation was operating in a storage-rated unit. Planning staff told council the unit was built and issued a certificate of occupancy for storage use and was not rated for ‘‘B’’ business occupancy. Planning staff member Shaney Porter said, "The actual batting cages are existing there today. They're operating in a building that was specifically built for…