Zoning board backs Dive Right In Scuba plan to repurpose YMCA as multi-use recreation hub

The Joliet Zoning Board of Appeals voted to recommend that the City Council approve Dive Right In Scuba’s proposal to repurpose the Greater Joliet Area YMCA building at 749 Hobolt Road as a multi-use indoor/outdoor recreation facility known as the Flex.

Staff presented the application and said the petitioner seeks a variation of use to allow commercial recreation uses in the site’s RB restricted business district and a spacing variation to keep existing unlit outdoor athletic fields that lie within 200 feet of an R1 residential zoning district. Staff concluded the site’s existing layout and specialized improvements make strict enforcement impractical and recommended the board forward the request to council with conditions including continued prohibition on outdoor lighting for the fields and standard permit reviews.

Attorney Kathleen West and Dive Right In representatives described programming that would use the existing indoor pool and courts for aquatics and basketball, partner with local youth organizations such as No Mercy Basketball, and operate retail and training services related to diving. Mike Peterson said the operation expects to staff the facility with roughly 30–35 employees at full operation and to run scheduled, supervised programming; he emphasized there are no plans to add outdoor lighting to the fields. Representatives said existing parking (about 104 stalls) meets the proposal’s requirements and that the facility will require city building-permit review and any permits associated with the change in use.

Board members asked about historical dedications on the property and whether the applicant would preserve memorial naming; the petitioner said they would be open to preserving dedications if required. The board’s discussion focused on land-use compatibility, parking, and whether the reuse would preserve the site’s character. The board voted to recommend approval and forward the petitions to the City Council for final action.

If council approves, the applicant must secure the required permits and satisfy any conditions in the zoning recommendation before modifying the site or commencing commercial operations. The zoning board noted that a rehearing and revocation process could be triggered should the property later be declared a public nuisance.