August 21, 2023
For immediate release
Media contact: Barbara MacLeod
Barbara@CrossCurrentCommunications.com
York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club Withdraws Pickleball Court Expansion Plans
The nonprofit outdoor recreation club wants to focus on constructing a sound barrier wall to address noise concerns
York, Maine – The York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club has announced that it is withdrawing plans to add two new pickleball courts in an effort to work with neighbors to address noise complaints. The nonprofit outdoor recreation club will submit a revised plan to the town. The new plan will focus on constructing a sound barrier wall that will significantly reduce the noise that has been a source of contention for some neighbors. The club is also seeking permission from the York Planning Board to improve its parking lot.
Club President Lauren DeLong says, “It’s always been our intention to continue to be good neighbors. We hope that by scaling back our site plan, we can quickly move forward with building an eight-foot, specially designed fence around the court area to mitigate sound coming from the club by 10-15 decibels. We are in a mixed-use business/residential zone and our plan does not require any variances.”
DeLong says that, in addition, club leadership recommends that all players use paddles from a list of approved paddles that are designed to better absorb the sound of the ball hitting the paddle.
The York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club was founded in 2007 by a group of local York families who constructed two paddle courts and a small warming hut in an open field off of Route 91 on Mill Lane. The club is situated on four acres of field and wooded area; two houses are 214+ feet away, and three houses are more than 650 feet away. Paddle tennis is a sport played in the fall and winter, with heated courts and lights. Due to the nature of the equipment, there are no noise objections associated with paddle tennis. In 2020, the club added four new pickleball courts and increased its membership to just under 400 people, with a wide range of ages enjoying the family-oriented sport of pickleball.
Says DeLong, “We are an inclusive, nonprofit organization that’s run by volunteers. It’s first come, first served in terms of membership. Our members always respectfully conduct themselves. Pickleball is a healthy outdoor activity that has captivated the country and is growing because it’s so much fun to play. Despite having a waiting list for new members, the pickleball courts are in full use only about 25% of the time. We have also scaled back early morning play to avoid disturbing the neighbors.”
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The York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club anticipates submitting scaled-back plans as soon as their site engineer completes the changes. DeLong adds, “We have the funds available to construct the noise mitigation barrier as soon as we get the green light.”
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