York club seeks approval for revised expansion after dropping new pickleball courts

YORK, Maine — The York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club is returning to the town Planning Board with a proposed expansion to add parking, sound-reducing barriers and paddles.

Forty-two new parking spaces, a third raised paddle tennis court, a 16-foot extension to the existing small clubhouse, and a solid barrier for sound reduction are being proposed to the Planning Board by the club at 28 Mill Road. Not included in the plans are new pickleball courts, which were withdrawn from their expansion proposal after residents expressed frustration over the sound of pinging plastic balls.

Club President Lauren DeLong said the new proposal intends to work with neighbors on improving sound while improving the facilities for existing members. In addition to the sound barriers, she said the club expects to acquire several pickleball paddles certified by USA Pickleball to reduce sound significantly.

The proposal tentatively is scheduled to go before the Planning Board at its Nov. 30 meeting, according to Planning Board Chair Wayne Boardman. The club’s application was on the agenda for Oct. 26, but the board ran out of time and continued the hearing.

The club submitted to the Planning Board its original application two years ago, seeking to add new pickleball courts. After residents said they didn’t want the sound of the plastic balls to increase in their neighborhood, the club withdrew their application this summer.

“We’ve really come forth with a plan that considered the town’s recommendations, the interests of our neighbors, and the priorities of our membership,” DeLong said. “That is to improve the parking and improve the facility for the members and provide an excellent outdoor facility.”

York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club's original plan faced opposition

The club was simply the York Paddle Tennis Club from its inception in 2007 until 2020 when they added their existing four pickleball courts. Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis and badminton, has been called the fastest-growing sport in the country for its accessibility to all ages. The club on Mill Road saw its membership grow from the dozens to hundreds since adding the courts, according to club leaders.

When the club requested more pickleball courts in 2021, residents near the outdoor club spoke out against the project to the Planning Board, saying the sound of pinging plastic balls had become incessant. Bob Ellis, one of the most vocal neighbors, has said the presence of the club has ruined the atmosphere of the neighborhood.

What followed was the hiring of sound consultants by the pickleball club, the town and Ellis. The town’s consultant, Westwood Professional Services, determined the firm hired by the pickleball club failed to support the club’s claim the expansion would not worsen the sound condition.

Westwood said the club’s hired firm, Reuter Associates, did not include “key adjustments” that account for repetitive sound that comes from pickleball courts. Ellis said his consultant, Ken Kaliski, came to a similar conclusion to Westwood.

For several months, the application for expansion by the club was continued as Planning Board members said they awaited the club’s response to questions from Westwood about their sound study. Instead, the club leaders announced in August they were withdrawing their plan to build more courts. They said explicitly the decision was made to work with neighbors who had concerns about sound.

“It’s always been our intention to continue to be good neighbors,” club president Lauren DeLong said at the time.

New proposal, sound-reducing paddles expected to help mitigate noise

The new proposal submitted by the club to the Planning Board includes a solid barrier that runs along the south border of the existing pickleball courts. The club’s submittal states it will “significantly reduce the impacts on the neighbors to the south.” It also states proposed fencing along Mill Lane will reduce sound levels for the residents to the east of the courts.

“The proposed site improvements have been designed to accommodate the club members and to address neighbor concerns,” the proposal states.

The proposed addition of a third paddle tennis court is less controversial than pickleball courts because the noise impact is lower, according to the club. The ball used is felt-covered and the game is played on heated courts in the wintertime when abutters are indoors with windows closed, according to DeLong.

DeLong said by phone Monday that the club is taking several steps to make sure the noise from the pickleball courts is less intrusive for neighbors if the expansion is approved. She said she hopes to work on the sound concerns directly with USA Pickleball, the governing body of pickleball in the country. The organization is expected to provide new guidance on sound barriers, and she hopes the organization will visit the club in York to see how that guidance works in practice.

“We might be a test case,” DeLong said.

USA Pickleball said in a recent press release about its new “quiet category” paddles that it plans to continue to invest in acoustic research and programs. The organization said the “staccato ‘pop’ sound” associated with the game has “recently been the source of noise issues in sound-sensitive locations across the country.”

The paddle being produced by OWL Sport is the first to be certified by USA Pickleball for its quiet category. According to USA Pickleball, the paddle reduces noise by 50%.

The organization said the industry standard pickleball paddles register 1,100 to 1,200 hertz and more than 85 decibels. The OWL racket delivers a hertz level below 600, they said, with a decibel level below 80.

DeLong said the club is expecting an order of the OWL Sport paddles in the coming months, enough to supply all players on the club’s four courts at a given time. The club has not implemented a policy to require players to use the sound-reducing rackets, she said.

However, USA Pickleball indicated the OWL paddles will be appealing to players. They said the paddles meet recreational needs, including superior playability, durability, and balanced “anti-head heavy” construction for effortless maneuverability.

With the sport still growing, DeLong said it is understandable that pickleball is still catching up with the concerns of abutters.

“It takes an industry time to react,” DeLong said. “I think the USA Pickleball is doing that, which is exciting.”

Some residents aware of the application have said they still plan to oppose the expansion. Ellis has said he remains adamant the construction of the original pickleball courts was done illegally, arguing that the permit was granted in error when the code enforcement officer was out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While years have now passed since the York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club first submitted their application for expansion, DeLong said the club remains optimistic that its newest proposal will finally gain approval.

“We are not fatigued,” DeLong said. “We are appreciative that we are fortunate enough to live in a town that cares about its neighbors, about recreation, and looks for solutions that create the best outcome.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York Paddle Tennis and Pickleball Club updates expansion plan