New Dugouts, Backstop Approved At West Hartford Prep School

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A private prep school in town has received the municipal OK to build new dugouts at its baseball field and erect new protective backstop netting there as well.

The West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission unanimously approved Kingswood Oxford School's application seeking a special use permit for new dugouts and a new backstop netting system that would be similar to what is seen at professional baseball stadiums.

It was approved Dec. 5 with the standard conditions, namely that the proposal meets code requirements and it fits in with the area, etc.

The school will have to come back to the PZC in December 2024 for a standard review to ensure the project abides by what was approved.

Located on 170 Kingswood Road, the school is a private, preporatory school for students in grades six through 12.

Currently, the school's baseball facility only has benches and a chain-link backstop.

Kingswood Oxford will install "masonry dugouts" and a "backstop netting system."

According to a narrative of the project, the backstop will feature a four-pole netting system similar to major league parks that will be 40 feet tall.

The school said this will ensure foul balls don't reach the nearby parking area, as well as Trout Brook Drive.

For more information on the specific proposal, click on this link and scroll down to multiple links addressing the application, narrative and project plans.

For the minutes of the Dec. 5 West Hartford Plan and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For more information on Kingswood Oxford School athletics, click on this link.