Last month, the city council approved the construction of eight new public pickleball courts in the park, but the move has sparked controversy among neighborhood residents, who said the new courts would reduce their quality of life and damage the park. claims to change the character of

A petition submitted to the city council to reconsider the court’s approval has garnered 88 signatures, and some residents say they are prepared to fight the issue in court if the city council does not reverse its decision.

“Bushmaster is our backyard, but don’t you think we have the right to enjoy our property peacefully and protect the integrity of this place we’ve been caring for for decades? I feel invaded and so neglected and so irrelevant,” said Audria Smith, a resident of the house adjacent to the park who created and collected signatures for the petition. “I have invested everything in my home, including moving my massage therapy location here in 1995 and then building an art studio. I am very interested in the livability of

The court has long been sought after by local players in the country’s fastest growing sport.

City Councilman Jim McCarthy, who was the lone voter against building the new courthouse the last time the council debated it, reiterated his position. And several other city council members expressed that the decision may require further consideration.

“There’s a time and a place for everything, including pickleball,” McCarthy said. “Somebody said tonight that Bushmaster Park is the best place for pickleball. I nearly choked when I heard that. It’s ridiculous. Doing pickleball in this place would be a clear invasion of privacy for those living next to the park.”

City councilman Caller House said he also believes the decision needs to be reconsidered since the city council’s last discussion on the subject.

House said the noise generated by the sport, which has become a flashpoint over pickleball in both Flagstaff and communities across the country, may need to be addressed.

“If pickleball courts are adjacent to the neighborhood, I think it’s important to discuss noise abatement and consider how this can be done responsibly and respectfully to the wider community,” House said. said Mr.

Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett was the third lawmaker to agree that the city should reconsider the issue, reaching the required number of lawmakers to bring the issue back to Congress.

Flagstaff Pickleball Association President Lynn Walsh expressed frustration at the return of the topic.

“Funds Approved for 2022” [for courts] We need to get through this year and finish this summer,” Walsh said. “We are already there. There may be something there,’ and we had no complaints until we went.”

The association has been working with the city’s park department for nearly four years to find areas where they can build pickleball courts. City officials say Bushmaster Park is the only place where a courthouse can be built this year without the large engineering costs of relocating other park infrastructure and dealing with stormwater problems.

But neighborhoods opposed to the court were outspoken, urging the city council to expect lawsuits that would delay construction of the court beyond this year anyway if the project was not relocated. .

“If you don’t figure out suitable and suitable location options for these pickleball courts and you build it on our backs, we will get an injunction and we will sue,” Smith said. said.

And the message resonated with others as well.

“If we decide to go forward with the plans to build on Bushmaster, the wait is sure to be even longer…our neighborhood association is ready to file a lawsuit to stop it from building near our homes. There are,” he said. Connie Folsom from Flagstaff. “Finally, consider the overall cost of pursuing such an inadequate plan. Whether you win or we do, attorneys’ fees and the potential settlement of the lawsuit. The cost will increase significantly.”