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Board approves Gulf Beach Highway conditional use for public tennis center
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Summary
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment approved a conditional use on April 15 to allow a tennis center on Gulf Beach Highway. Staff recommended approval contingent on site‑plan review, required buffering and screening, and conditions to limit noise and occupancy in the Airfield Influence District.
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment on April 15 voted unanimously to approve a conditional use allowing a public tennis center on Gulf Beach Highway.
County urban planner Christina Smith presented staff findings that the parcel, which fronts Gulf Beach Highway and lies partly in a medium‑density residential zone, meets the Land Development Code criteria provided the applicant implements required buffering, screening and site‑plan conditions. Smith noted the site is in Airfield Influence District 1 and APZ2; staff said NAS Pensacola raised no objection but recommended occupancy limits consistent with the overlay.
Manfred Krause, the applicant and property owner, declined an extended presentation and said he had reviewed staff’s findings. Supporters told the board the project would increase access to recreation on the West Side and serve youth and military families. Angela Krause of the Gulf Beach Tennis Foundation said, “This will be a public and not a private tennis club. This isn't about exclusivity. It’s about building a place where people can come, be active, connect, and feel like they belong.”
Engineer Jennifer Bell, accepted previously as an expert witness by the board, clarified the court layout: two courts in the HCLI portion of the parcel and four in the MDR portion, for six proposed courts total. Staff reminded the board that per the LDC the proposal must provide a 20‑foot landscape buffer with an opaque fence or wall where the site abuts residential uses and that lighting and signage will be reviewed during development review to avoid off‑site glare.
Board members asked about operations and hours; the applicant said a coordinator will schedule league play and instruction and estimated typical hours beginning about 7 a.m., with occasional lessons extending into the evening. Staff emphasized required landscape buffering and noted noise limits in the county code.
After questions, a board member moved to accept staff findings and approve the conditional use. The motion was seconded and passed with all members voting in favor. The approval advances the project to the county development review stage, where site‑plan details, buffering, tree preservation and specific operational conditions will be finalized.
The board’s approval is a land‑use decision; subsequent development permits and reviews remain required before construction can begin.
