Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County Judge Denies Ellwood City Area School District’s Appeal Regarding Softball Field

The Ellwood City Area School District’s appeal of the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Adjudication of the Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Ellwood City relating to a proposed softball field in Ewing Park was denied in the Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County.

Judge John Hodge decided that the district is precluded from constructing the proposed project at that location “as it failed to comply with the Ellwood City Borough Zoning Ordinance” affirming the January 17, 2025, decision of the Ellwood City governing body. Read the findings here.

The Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Ellwood City held a hearing on December 4, 2024, to take the District’s application into consideration, but it was determined by the board that the proposed use of the property is not a permitted use as a public park/playground in a Low-Density R-1(A) District.

The findings offered by Zoning Hearing Board members Joseph Lamenza, Timothy O’Brien, and David Parker were offered on January 17, 2025, and stated that the proposed softball field, its related structures and facilities:

• are not compatible with the adjacent uses of single-family homes surrounding the Property. The use is incompatible to the Low-Density R-l(A) District it is located within. The incompatibility of the entire proposed use is readily discernible from the plans submitted by the Applicant; and
• would adversely affect the adjacent property owners’ ability to utilize their residences within this Low-Density Residential District. The owners’ of single-family homes adjacent to the property will undoubtedly be hampered with risks of harm to person and property, given their close proximity to the field when in use, in addition to the hazards associated with ingress and egress of increased vehicular traffic which is not supported by this Low-Density Residential District and the roadways located therein; and
• will be detrimental to the public welfare, by being located in an area not suited for a sports complex, together with vehicular traffic associated therewith. As noted previously, the Borough streets surrounding the site are extremely narrow and not suited for higher traffic patterns; and
• clearly does not suit any of the existing characteristics within the Low­ Density Residential area of the Borough.

Further findings and information can be found here.

The proposed softball field

Discussion regarding a softball field began in the summer of 2023. The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a plan to commit to improving district softball and baseball facilities in July of 2023. The plan, provided by HHSDR in an athletic facility study, included a newly constructed softball field on the Ewing Park School property, funded via a local athletic capital campaign, at the cost of $1,880,000.

Residents on the three blocks that surround the proposed complex have stood up with strong opposition and in early 2024, they formulated a group The Citizens for Ewing Park Preservation (CEPP).

Chairperson for the group, Karen Mancini, is a resident of Beatty Street, she said the group is happy with the decision.

“We are pleased with the result of the appeal for a zoning exception. Throughout our fight, we have always said the plot of land in Ewing Park was too small. Additionally, the streets and infrastructure of the area are not made for such a project.”

The ECASD Board of Directors will consider its options moving forward.

Ellwood City Area School District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley said, “We are extremely disappointed by this decision as we feel it is our fiduciary responsibility to provide a softball field to our students that meets our goals to be in close proximity to our other athletic facilities, use school-owned property and is most financially responsible.  After a thorough review of our current land and facilities, this option was clearly the best with regard to cost, location and overall impact for our students. The board will consider its options and move forward with a plan to address this issue.”