Council approves Eastn Road ballfield use agreement after hours-and-safety amendments

Lower Saucon Township Council on March 5 approved a revised use-and-maintenance agreement that lets local youth leagues operate the Eastn Road ballfield while several safety and operational points are finalized. The vote followed nearly three hours of public comment and a heated council debate about lighting, parking, access and who controls scheduling.

S. Valley Diamond Sports president Leah Cassella said the organization does not seek exclusive use of the field and offered to maintain the infield and certain on-site tasks. “We would only be using the authorized ways to go in and out of the field,” Cassella told the council during public comment, describing plans for lights to be turned off at fixed hours and for priority scheduling to favor local youth athletics.

Council members amended the draft agreement to: (1) clarify access to the second-floor press box and a garage bay for equipment storage; (2) change the termination notice period to 180 days’ written notice; (3) align ballfield lights with the township nuisance standard (lights out by 10 p.m. daily); and (4) add a restriction that no machinery or utility vehicles shall operate off the paved walkway adjacent to the third-base line. The amended package was approved on a roll call vote and the council voted to let the leagues begin using the field immediately while staff and the youth organizations finalize language in writing.

Director of Public Works Roger (last name in transcript) told council that the field lights were measured by a lighting consultant and found to be within allowable standards but that planting a vegetative “green shield” on township property could reduce perceived light intrusion over time. Engineer Brian Cocker and other staff described tradeoffs between fencing, railing and access: a railing on the paved access would hinder utility vehicles needed for maintenance unless the railing were removable.

Several nearby residents had warned of trespassing, noise and drainage concerns; one letter read into the record asked for “proper shielding and adjustments” to lighting and “clear guidelines” to prevent unauthorized use of a private lane. Council members who voted in favor said the agreement balances youth access with safeguards and gives the township a path to revisit remaining safety items at the next meeting.

The agreement gives S. Valley Diamond Sports access to storage/press-box space and obliges the organization to perform specified maintenance inside the playing field, while the township retains scheduling authority for other uses. Council directed staff to return with written clarifications of the walkway/machinery restriction, maintenance responsibilities adjacent to paved access, and lighting adjustments.