Sacred Heart site plan, special land use set

By Dana Casadei

After a unanimous vote in favor from the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees, Academy of the Sacred Heart can now move forward with plans to add a digital scoreboard and shed on the south portion of their grounds. 

With this approval, Sacred Heart will be able to install a 14 foot high scoreboard and a 60 square foot cedar shed that will be dark green to match and blend in with surroundings.

The scoreboard will be used after school hours, and since there are no lights on the field, games will only occur during the daylight hours, with intended start times being between 4:30-5:30 p.m.

“Our enrollment is growing, our athletic programs are growing; so this will be a nice addition for us,” said Paige Comito, Sacred Heart Athletic Director.  

While the approval from the board of trustees came with little fanfare at their meeting on Monday, November 10 – and there were no comments during the public hearing – prior meetings to discuss the site plan and special land use brought quite a few concerns from residents. 

In August 2025, the site plan and special land use went before the planning commission, which tabled the plans in order to let Sacred Heart address residents’ concerns. Their concerns were centered around sound levels, acoustics and the scoreboard’s potential impact on the neighboring properties. 

This motion from the planning commission also included a request that the township’s planning, building & ordinance department review the maintenance concerns from residents. Those concerns included building and landscaping conditions, and making sure those were in compliance with Bloomfield Township ordinances. 

Within that same motion, the planning commission asked Sacred Heart to meet with, and work toward agreeable resolutions, with the neighboring homeowners’ associations about their concerns.

“This is an example of just great collaboration between the surrounding neighbors and Sacred Heart,” said trustee Neal Barnett. “It certainly came to the planning commission a couple of times and there were a number of concerns… working with the surrounding neighbors they were able to come to an understanding and meet the concerns of the neighbors.”

When the academy went back to the planning commission in September they noted that several steps had been taken since their last meeting, including a site visit with Bloomfield Township staff. During that visit several dead or declining trees were identified, including two dead Norway spruces that will be replaced with trees that are each 18-20 feet in height. They met with residents along Charing Way and Legacy Hills representatives as well. 

Another concern from residents was the potential sound of the scoreboard. While the Electronics Sport sound SSP-100 speaker system can reach 130 dB, it was agreed that their volume would not go over 70db, well within the township’s sound ordinance. 

“I sat through the planning commission and the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) on this issue, and they agreed on keeping it a certain level,” said supervisor Mike McCready. “Most high schools and middle schools have scoreboards like this, and some have lights that go all evening. This one will only be during the day time.”

The sound from the score board will also be aimed at the school, where an embankment will take away some of the sound. Audio usage will include the playing of the National Anthem, announcements five minutes prior to game start times, and pregame music that will occur 40 minutes prior to start times. All of this is similar to the portable speaker system for announcements that Sacred Heart currently uses. 

This site plan and special land use also went before the ZBA. Because it’s considered an accessory structure, it will have to be screened 12 months out of the year, which is in the school’s site plan.

“This is a win-win for everybody,” Barnett said.