Council approves Boardwalk SUP for pickleball courts and coffee shop with screening conditions

The Rockwall City Council on July 21 approved a specific use permit to allow commercial outdoor recreation (two pickleball courts) in conjunction with a future coffee shop in the Boardwalk development along John King Boulevard.

Staff characterized the application as an accessory use to a proposed boutique coffee shop; the pickleball courts would sit behind the retail building and are roughly 144 feet from the nearest single‑family lot and about 51 feet from an HOA‑owned open lot that lies in a heavily treed floodplain. Planning & Zoning recommended approval 7‑0. The applicant provided a landscape plan that proposes evergreen screening and explained that site topography and tree cover in the floodplain would provide additional visual and sound separation between courts and adjacent homes.

Tyler Adams of Greenlight Studio described the project as an amenity to a local owner‑operated coffee shop and highlighted the site’s elevation changes and proposed trees, saying the firm “brought that easement around and into the lawn area” to increase separation. Property owner Bill Bricker said the development is intended as a neighborhood destination and will be located near hundreds of rooftops. Residents raised questions about potential noise from pickleball play; council and staff discussed use limits and placement as mitigation.

Councilmember Henson moved approval and Councilmember Thomas seconded; the motion passed unanimously. Council required the applicant to install evergreen screening and noted the courts are not proposed as a public or tournament facility but as an amenity for customers of the coffee shop; staff said the landscape plan will be enforced as part of permitting.