Huntersville approves joint-use amendment with Lake Norman Charter Elementary to add six lit tennis courts

The Huntersville Board of Commissioners on June 17 approved an amendment to the joint-use agreement with Lake Norman Charter School that adds six lighted tennis courts to the town's shared facilities and extends joint-use terms for indoor gymnasiums.

Parks and recreation staff said Huntersville relies on joint-use agreements to provide much of its indoor and outdoor recreational capacity, noting 12 joint-use agreements currently cover gymnasiums, athletic fields and parking for town programs. The new amendment adds six lighted tennis courts; town staff said the 2030 Parks and Recreation Master Plan calls for additional courts and that the six-court addition will help meet that need.

The town's capital commitment for the amendment is $150,000 for the courts; the overall school/park project already had budgeted funds in the CIP for gym construction. The amendment includes a capital reserve fund for court fees so resurfacing can be funded from collected user fees rather than recurring town capital appropriations.

The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the amendment unanimously. Board members said the joint-use approach reduces town capital and operating costs while expanding public access to courts and gyms. The board voted unanimously to approve the amendment and the associated funding mechanism.

Parks staff said earlier joint-use arrangements (including a prior agreement with Community School of Davidson) have produced sustainable capital-reserve balances to pay resurfacing costs on a multiyear cycle.