Neighbors Ask Trustees to Move Pickleball Courts Away

Though the Village plans to move ahead with a plan for a temporary conversion of three tennis courts at Crossway to pickleball courts, a few neighbors remain opposed. In order to bolster their case, they retained consultants to analyze the potential impact of pickleball courts on their homes. See a copy of the report here.

Below, in a letter to the Mayor, Board and Village Manager, they urge the Village to change their course.

Dear Mayor Arest, Board of Trustees and Mr. Cole:

Attached please find the revised report prepared by Bob Unetich analyzing the conversion of the three all-weather tennis courts at Crossway Field into six pickleball courts. Mr. Unetich is the leading expert on pickleball, is a sound engineer and is generally recognized as the go-to person concerning the location of pickleball courts. After analyzing the Crossway area, area including relative elevations, Mr. Unetich has concluded that pickleball does not belong in the Crossway residential area. Mr. Unetich’s conclusion that pickleball courts do not belong in our residential area – or any residential area - was confirmed by a recent New York Times article that stated “moving pickleball away from human life may be the only surefire solution.”

The Village has not properly analyzed alternative locations for Scarsdale pickleball and the effect of the loss of three Village tennis courts. The noise generated by pickleball is well documented. Its popping sound pierces the air and carries impacting nearby neighbors quiet and peaceful enjoyment of their homes. The WQRNA pickleball committee is not advocating against pickleball courts in Scarsdale, but believes that finding the proper location for these courts is crucial. Pickleball players have intermittently started to play on the Crossway tennis courts and the noise from their play can be heard in the adjacent homes with the windows closed. It is disruptive when people are working in their homes and if continued would impact daily life. The inability of neighbors to peacefully and quietly enjoy their backyards is unacceptable. Just ask the people living next to the Fox Meadow Tennis Club.

While we appreciate the time devoted by the Village Board on a voluntary basis, the Village has not conducted appropriate due diligence into the Crossway Pickleball Pilot or Proposal and the Village’s actions to date regarding the pickleball courts have not been in the best interests of the Village taxpayers. Putting six or eight pickleball courts at the Crossway Bowling Green would have been shown to have been ill-conceived if any meaningful diligence was performed. Water and sewerage problems abound along Crossway that make drainage of additional runoff unacceptable. Our committee hired the leading expert in locating pickleball courts. He analyzed the location, relative distance to residences and elevations, and concluded that the Crossway tennis courts should not be converted to pickleball courts because of their proximity to neighbors. He also stated that the existing fencing which is approximately 10 feet high is inadequate and needs to be at least 12 feet high to place Acoustifence on it. We strongly recommend that the Village step back and perform all necessary due diligence on this project.

Furthermore, it is disingenuous that while the Village recently passed a revised Noise Code limiting disruptive noise levels in the Village, the Village has exempted itself for ‘Village approved recreational activities’. There is no justification for protecting the quality of life of most Village residents by limiting privately generated noise, but at the same time, allowing the same or more disturbing noise simply because it takes place on Village property. Also, there is a difference between noise generated a few times a year and noise generated on a daily basis.

Additionally, converting three tennis courts at Crossway into pickleball courts will cause the Village to lose needed tennis courts and will simultaneously place pickleball courts and its accompanying popping noise and congestion into a residential area. According to the Rec Department there were over 1,575 tennis permits issued to Scarsdale residents and about 540 pickleball permits issued. The Crossway tennis courts are heavily used at the same time that pickleball players would want to use them. The Rec Department reported in its memo dated June 8, 2023 that the Middle School and High School Courts are not available from 8 am -3 pm for public use and the High School has exclusive use for interscholastic play between 3 pm – 6pm during the school year. Without the tennis courts at the Middle School and the High School, Scarsdale has 10 tennis courts available for reservations. Converting the 3 all-weather Crossway tennis to pickleball courts will leave the Village with 7 Har-Tru tennis courts and NO all-weather tennis courts for 1,575 permit holders. Clearly this is an insufficient number of tennis courts to satisfy demand for use.

The Crossway tennis courts should not be converted. Leaving only 2 tennis courts which are not all-weather courts at Crossway and 7 tennis courts total in all of Scarsdale Village is not an acceptable option even during a “pilot program.” The proposal would leave no all-weather tennis courts available to the public in all of Scarsdale during school hours. Brite and Wynmor are Har-Tru courts. Further, Har-Tru courts do not have as long a season as all-weather courts and some players prefer all-weather courts to Har-Tru courts.

In addition, the Scarsdale women’s tennis team which was disbanded during the pandemic has advised the Rec Department that it wishes to resume play and will need all five Crossway tennis courts. They have reached out to the Rec Department several times to indicate their desire to restart the team. In fact, Brian Gray stated at the June 13, 2023 Board of Trustees Work Session that the loss of these courts would be challenging. He further stated that if the Women’s League got up and running, it would need 6 to 8 courts. This would be clearly impossible if three Crossway tennis courts were converted to pickleball courts. Mr. Gray also stated that he witnessed the Turf War in Yorktown where courts had lines painted for pickleball on the tennis courts and the tennis players went out at night and repainted the courts for tennis. We should not hurt our tennis program for a pilot pickleball program.

Rather than proceed with a pilot project that would at best confirm Mr. Unetich’s conclusions, the Village should:

-Read and consider Mr. Unetich’s report and his recommendations.

-Analyze the needs of the over 1,500 tennis permit holders and the effect of converting three all-weather Crossway tennis courts to pickleball use.

-Conduct a feasibility study that includes looking at other locations away from residential areas and that do not eliminate existing tennis courts.

-Examine the noise, environmental, traffic, safety, parking, landscaping and hours of operation.

-Not rush to spend significant taxpayer money before completing steps 1-4.

Respectfully submitted,

WQRNA Pickleball Committee

Kaare Weber
Alan Garfunkel
Co-Chairpersons