Belmont council denies Davis Park lease for collegiate baseball after strong neighborhood opposition

Belmont City Council on July 1 rejected two lease agreements that would have allowed Belmont Baseball LLC (the Old North State League team proposed in the packet) to use Davis Park and to sell alcoholic beverages at games, following an extended public hearing where residents raised safety, parking and notice concerns.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Hren opened the public hearing and offered residents three minutes each to speak. Neighbors living around Davis Park said they were surprised by the proposal and deeply worried about the possible impacts. “We don't want the lights, we don't want the noise, we don't want the safety concerns, the traffic,” said a neighborhood resident, echoing frequent comments about late-night hours, on-street parking and blocked driveways.

Residents described repeated instances of cars parked on both sides of narrow streets, patrons sitting in vehicles with loud music, and difficulty for emergency vehicles to access homes. Multiple speakers questioned whether the city had adequately notified adjacent homeowners about the proposal; several said they first learned of the lease from social media and a late flyer.

City staff acknowledged the public concerns during council deliberations. Miles Brazwell, city manager, said state-advertising and meeting-notice steps required for leases had occurred, but councilmembers said outreach to directly affected neighbors could have been better. Assistant City Manager Kevin (surname in transcript) and staff confirmed no league representative was present at the hearing to respond to resident concerns.

Councilmembers debated options: deny the Davis Park proposal outright, postpone for additional neighborhood engagement and site searches, or direct staff to work with the Parks and Recreation advisory board to identify alternate fields. Council voted to deny both the facility-use lease and the alcohol-permission lease 3–1. The council’s direction to staff was to inform the applicant that Davis Park is not acceptable in its current form and to work with the applicant to explore other city-owned venues.

Why it matters: Davis Park is a neighborhood park used frequently by families and children. Residents warned that a long-term lease and extended hours for a collegiate team could reduce everyday access for local youth leagues and change the character and safety of the surrounding streets. Council’s action preserves the park’s current status while keeping open the possibility of hosting the team at a different location.

What happens next: Staff will notify Belmont Baseball LLC that Davis Park is off the table in the present lease form and will pursue alternative locations within the city for the league to consider. The council encouraged staff and the applicant to involve the Parks and Recreation advisory board and to improve direct outreach to neighbors before any future proposal returns to council.