Today, as I write, the Park City planning director approved a 10-foot fence around a pickle ball court at 1115 Aerie. I know of no other 10-foot fence in a residential neighborhood within the city limits. When I asked the planner assigned to this project, he did not know of another 10-foot fence either. This is a travesty and sets a precedent for others to do the same.
Over two years ago, the owner submitted a modest landscaping plan. With approval for that modest plan he built retaining walls in excess of 9 feet, a putting green, a concrete slab the size of a tennis court, a playground with commercial grade equipment, fencing, and lit the whole thing with up lighting, creating an eyesore in our neighborhood.
The city did file a stop work order after much of the work was completed and we, the neighbors, have been watching the Planning Department, and the Appeals Board dealing with what they call “mitigating the problem” for the last two years.
The sport court is now a pickle ball court and there will be more landscaping to shield the property from the road, but anyone living above this site will look directly down on this Disneyland the owner has created. There will be restricted hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) for pickle ball with some mitigation for horizontal sound, plus requiring special balls and paddles. They will have to change the up lighting to down lighting. The retaining wall will be lowered. But we do not know if the 10-foot glass fence will have reflection or mitigate the noise. I suspect those living above 1115 Aerie will still hear the noise and some will not be happy with their view.
What bothers me most is the attitude of the powers that be. While the city has since changed the ordinance regarding pickleball courts since the owner amended his modest landscaping plan, the owner of 1115 Aerie has received approval for what appears to be a commercial installation after violating many items in the city code.
The owner has millions in his home and exterior and basically got away with altering the enjoyment of the rest of us living in this residential neighborhood.
Ginny Schulman
Park City