Sands Point Pickleball Court Debate: The Sands Point Board of Trustees decided not to approve a temporary ban on new pickleball courts during its public meeting on Tuesday night, July 22. Instead, the board will continue to review each court proposal individually through the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Board Chooses Case-by-Case Review
Mayor Peter Forman said the board had looked at regulations from other towns in the New York area and created a list of good practices. He explained that the Board of Zoning Appeals would keep its authority to review and decide on each pickleball court request.
“We are not approving a moratorium tonight,” said Peter Forman. “The BZA remains a legally independent body, and they will consider a range of factors for each application individually.”
Resident Voices Concern Over Process
During the meeting, Maryann Ressa, a resident of Harbor Acres, spoke about her frustration. She said she was surprised by the hearing notice and believed her own application for a pickleball court caused the sudden public reaction.
“I kind of feel like I’m being discriminated against,” said Maryann Ressa. “We submitted everything and paid the fees, and then suddenly there’s a parade of people showing up, but nothing was said.”
Mayor Peter Forman responded by saying her application would be reviewed like all others. He also said that public opinions would be considered, but the trustees and mayor do not control the zoning board’s decisions.
Future Rule Changes Possible
The public hearing on pickleball courts was officially closed. While no new restrictions were made, the board said that new zoning rules for all sports courts may be added later.
News in Brief: Sands Point Pickleball Court Debate
The Sands Point Board of Trustees has decided not to place a temporary ban on pickleball courts. Each court proposal will be reviewed separately by the Board of Zoning Appeals. While residents raised concerns, the board stressed that current review rules will remain. Future zoning changes may still be considered.
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