A man who built a baseball diamond in his Poway backyard hopes the city will play ball and let him keep it by approving a permit next month. So far, his neighbors have had his back.
The backyard is a regulation size little league field. Jonathan Weisz built it for his 13-year-old triplet sons in 2007. From real grass, and dirt to a raised pitcher's mound, it has everything -- everything, but a building permit, and without it the city says the field must go.
Council members opposed to the project say it should be classified as a recreation area, and therefore, would need a permit.
Weisz believes the project does not need the permission and said it's only used as a practice field. There are no lights or electricity, and the grass is watered from a well, not city water.
He said he will seek a permit and hopes the council will approve it on August 18. The Poway planning staff is recommending approval, and nobody spoke against it at a neighborhood meeting Tuesday, the North County Times reported. But Martin said he has received some letters from neighbors who are mostly concerned about the traffic it may generate.
The field is in a gated community open only to invited guests, and won't draw huge crowds, Weisz said. As he puts it: "This will not be 'Field of Dreams."'
