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Matthews residents urge removal of two new disc‑golf holes after installations behind homes; town manager pledges removal
Summary
Two Matthews residents told commissioners Sept. 8 that two recently installed disc‑golf holes behind their Ashley Creek‑area yards have created safety, privacy and wildlife concerns; interim town manager said the work resulted from poor process and pledged to remove the two new holes and pursue mitigation.
At the start of public comment Sept. 8, two neighbors whose properties back to the town park described a recent expansion of the disc‑golf course that they said placed two new holes directly behind their backyards and swimming pools.
Hello. I’m Jason Lee, a resident of Matthews from 1422 Ashley Creek Drive, said the tree‑lined area behind his home has long been a private yard; in June the town installed two new disc‑golf holes that he said now bring flying discs, foot traffic and people up to his fence line. Lee said spokespeople from parks staff (Daniel Carpenter and Corey King) had been contacted; staff hung a temporary net in the trees but Lee said it did not stop discs from reaching his fence and pool and that homeowners were not notified before work began.
Kim Lee, who identified herself as Jason Lee’s spouse, told the board she appreciated the park and the sport but urged that the new holes be moved because players were now standing “shoulder to shoulder” at her fence and sometimes smoking or using marijuana within feet of her backyard where children swim. She raised concerns about increased vehicle parking, tree clearing and compaction on park trails and wildlife entanglement in the tree netting.
Town response and next steps
Mayor John Higdon said the board had been surprised by the work. Interim Town Manager Kurt Walton apologized to the residents and described the installation as “bad process” that should have included neighbor consultation. Walton told the board staff would look for mitigation measures and said in the meeting’s manager report that the town will remove the two expansion holes placed behind the homes.
Why it matters
The complaint illustrates how informal or temporary recreational facility changes can affect adjoining homeowners and sensitive park ecology. Residents said they were not notified even though the parkland abuts private property; staff described the installation as an expansion of an existing disc‑golf course and said they had consulted the vendor who performed the work. Commissioners also raised enforcement questions after a comment about marijuana use in the park; Interim Manager Walton said he would follow up with the police chief.
Ending
The board did not take a formal vote on the park work Sept. 8 but staff committed to remove the two newly installed holes and to pursue options for mitigation, revised equipment or additional buffers. Residents asked for notification on future park changes that abut private property.
