Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Commission approves indoor baseball/softball training facility at Flutini Circle
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a site-specific land-use determination allowing The Battery LLC to operate an appointment-based indoor baseball/softball training facility (Suite 400) in a light-industrial building; commissioners focused questions on parking, hours and spectator seating. The resolution passed 6–0–1.
The City of Lincoln Planning Commission voted to approve a land-use zoning determination that will allow The Battery LLC to operate an indoor baseball and softball training facility in Suite 400 of an existing light-industrial building on Flutini/Flucchini Circle.
Francis, senior planner with the Community Development Department, told the commission the proposed facility would convert about 3,906 square feet of warehouse space and roughly 480 square feet of office/meeting space to batting cages, training areas and support space. Staff said the larger building is approximately 19,200 square feet and that city code requires one off‑street parking space per 1,000 square feet (19 spaces). The site currently provides 24 spaces and the applicant has six spaces designated for the tenant. Staff recommended the commission find the use compatible with the light‑industrial district and adopt Resolution 2024‑30.
Why it matters: supporters said the facility would serve youth athletes and complement downtown uses, while commissioners sought assurances that the weekday and weekend operating model would limit parking impacts.
Commissioners questioned whether reciprocal or overflow parking would be available and whether parents could remain on site to watch sessions. Erin, the applicant on Zoom, said the business will be appointment based and require waivers prior to a visit: "It's appointment based," she said, adding there would be bench seating along one wall and that weekday activity would be lower because most participants are at school. She also said no food service would be offered.
Several commissioners and staff noted the appointment system and the limited number of participants planned at any one time (staff described 4–12 users in a typical hour) as key mitigations for parking. Francis told the commission that the application meets the parking requirement for this building type and that overflow parking is shown on the site plan.
The commission closed the public hearing, moved to adopt Resolution 2024‑30 and approved the item on a roll‑call vote recorded as six affirmative votes, zero no votes and one absence (Chair Michelle Hutchison was absent). The motion passed 6–0–1.
The commission and staff noted this determination is site‑specific; staff said conversations are underway to modernize downtown light‑industrial zoning to clarify which recreational uses should be permitted by right. The commission moved on to the next agenda item.
