For the past 23 years, Bill Stubbs has watched his neighbor, Louis Rivera, dole out free or low-cost batting lessons to thousands of area youths at his Norco home.

His grandchildren learned here, and occasionally Stubbs would sit on a bench beside the miniature turf field, listening to Rivera interject instruction between the occasional ping of ball against bat.

“Louie’s put his life into this,” Stubbs said at his Reservoir Drive home, which borders the net-covered ball field. “He’s helped so many youth that couldn’t afford it.”

Last month those lessons stopped when the city sent Rivera a letter stating he’d need to apply for a business license to continue operations. Last week, Rivera said the Norco Planning Commission denied his application.

Three years ago, the city asked Rivera to apply for a business license. Rivera has been operating the facility without a license, a mistake he admits was ill-advised, but one he says he’s been trying to fix since he applied for the license Feb. 12.

“I’m not complaining about the business license,” Rivera said. “I should’ve went ahead and got a permit.”

Rivera plans to appeal the commission’s decision Wednesday, April 15. He said the license issue isn’t nearly as concerning as a new neighbor that “didn’t want to communicate.”

In February, Rivera was charged with disturbing the peace, which could carry up to 90 days in jail and a $400 fine. David Kozich, an attorney for neighbor Matthew Juback, sent Rivera a letter requesting he “immediately shut down” the business because his clients were “suffering psychological damage and are unable to enjoy their property.”

UPDATE: No charges brought against batting coach

Juback could not be reached Monday at his home.

Several other neighbors said they had no problem with the batting cages. Jackie Salais, who has lived there five years and whose children sleep less than 20 yards from the batting cages, said the cages are not an issue.

“The kids leave their windows open,” she said. “It’s no more bothersome than cars.”

About 80 percent of Rivera’s pupils are under 13. He often charges less than $8 a child per lesson, and keeps a shed full of free equipment for kids who can’t afford it. He said his goal is to help children develop confidence, on and off the field.

“I deal with kids who spent most of their time here,” Rivera said, tapping a faded blue bench beside his field. “I was never a star, I want these guys to be the stars.”

Rivera also helps military veterans by offering joint instruction to them and their children.

Lessons never extend past 8:30 p.m., Rivera said, out of courtesy for his neighbors. When Juback told him it was keeping his child awake at night, Rivera said he started stopping at 7:30 p.m.

Rivera will be in Riverside County Superior Court at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 14. There is no city ordinance against having a batting cage on one’s property, but there is one about persistent noise disturbances, especially those occurring after 10 p.m.

Since receiving the attorney’s letter saying he was exceeding 90 decibels, Rivera questions how loud everything is. As he walked from the batting cage toward his home Monday, a peacock sounded noisily from a neighbor’s yard and a passerby honked in support.

“That’s probably more than 90 decibels,” he joked. “I just wish they would’ve asked me why I was doing this. They never asked.”

Contact the writer: 951-368-9644, poneill@pe.com, or @PE_PatrickO