Planning commission approves three residential sports courts, reiterates no-lighting rule

The Town Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 13 voted to approve conditional use permits for three private sports courts on residential parcels at 715 Country Club, 411 Broadway and 913 Tranquility Drive.

Sharon, planning staff, told the commission the three applications are “almost identical” and meet the town’s sport-court design standards adopted in late 2022. The standards require setbacks (including a 25-foot setback from property lines for lots in the RE-1 district), placement behind the primary residence, screening, limits on lot coverage and an outright ban on court lighting, Sharon said.

The commission heard little public comment. Azirah, an applicant for the 715 Country Club court, told the commission, “I mean, I don't really have much to say. Just hoping we can get the approval.” A commissioner noted the town has not received noise complaints tied to existing private courts and that the town is reviewing its noise ordinance. “We haven't received any noise complaints that I know of from pickleball courts that we have in there,” the commissioner said.

Staff recorded one letter of opposition to the 715 Country Club proposal raising lighting concerns; Sharon noted the town’s sport-court standards prohibit lighting, which the staff said addresses that concern. The 913 Tranquility Drive item had three letters of support on file, staff said.

Commissioners discussed compliance with the adopted standards — setbacks, screening and lot-coverage limits — and confirmed the lighting prohibition applies to all types of court illumination, including portable or temporary lights. After brief discussion on each item the commission moved and seconded motions to approve the conditional use permits; each motion passed with the commission’s voice vote.

Votes at a glance - 715 Country Club (3.9-acre lot, RE-1 Ranch Estate 1-acre district): Conditional use permit for a private sport court approved; staff said one letter of opposition cited lighting concerns (lighting prohibited by town standard). - 411 Broadway (1.3-acre lot, RE-1): Conditional use permit for a combined pickleball and basketball court approved; staff and commissioners reiterated that lighting is not allowed. Transcript also includes a variant spelling “411 Bridal”; the transcript record uses both forms. - 913 Tranquility Drive (1.04-acre lot, RE-1): Conditional use permit for a private sport court approved; staff reported three letters of support.

Each approval was recorded as a motion and voice vote; the meeting record does not list individual vote tallies or the names of movers and seconders for those motions.

The commission closed the hearings after the three approvals and moved to adjourn the meeting.