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I don’t know if you had a chance to watch the October 2nd working session of the board but it was disappointing. While there were presenters on both sides of the issue the overall tone of meeting was the board had already made its decision to move forward with the permanent conversion of tennis courts into pickleball courts at the Preserve. At that meeting I was given the opportunity to speak and I informed the board that they would be receiving a letter from our attorney discussing the issues and what we would like to see happen next. As of now we have not had any response from the board.
We started this site in an effort to keep you informed of what is happening and also to ensure that the information you are provided is accurate.
History
Let me start with a little recent history. In May the Ranch prohibited HOA1 and 2 residents from using their pickleball courts due to Covid-19. At the same time, according to the HOA2 board and SPA, the development of the new 8 Ridgeview courts was talking longer than anticipated. The result of those 2 issues was for the board to have 2 tennis courts temporarily made into 4 pickleball courts.
In mid-September, SPA made a request of the board to make the existing 4 temporary pickleball courts permanent and add an additional 4 permanent courts to the Preserve.
Somehow, we went from 4 temporary courts to 8 permanent courts.
This presented an unacceptable change to some HOA2 homeowners and the Saddlebrooke Tennis community. Just as a reminder, several years ago, even fewer courts were removed from the Preserve due to noise complaints. The area has even more homes now.
A group of us spent time during the past 2 weeks trying to find solutions for the issues raised by SPA for making the proposal in the first place.
One of the first things we did was contact the Robson group by phone and email. To our surprise and despite what was said by the board at the board work session on Friday, Robson had never been contacted by the HOA2 board to see what could be done to resolve the issues. Not only that, but at the work session the board indicated that Robson was in favor of pickleball at the Preserve.
Here is a direct copy of an email from Jack Sarsam, Senior Vice President – Operations, Robson Communities, Inc. Mr. Sarsam did emphasize these are his opinions only.
First it is clear from the email that Mr. Robson does not want Pickleball courts in the Preserve.
Also, based on this email it would appear that the issue regarding the loss of use of the Ranch pickleball courts should be resolved very soon and HOA1 and 2 will be able to use the courts beginning by October 19th.
EMAIL FROM JACK SARSAM SENIOR VP OPERATIONS ROBSON
Robson has been working with SPA, the HOA2 Board, and the county for more than 18 months to transfer the property necessary to construct additional pickleball courts by the RV Storage facility and next to the existing pickleball courts. The Planning and zoning department has insisted on a number of requirements in order to accomplish this. The COVID pandemic has slowed this process down significantly.
The special warranty deed is now complete. RCI has committed an additional $30,000 to satisfy the county requirements. SPA will still have to get permits after the MLD is complete.
We continue to look for additional land with in HOA2 for additional pickleball courts, however, the options are limited.
Robson is working on renewing the SBR reciprocal agreement for 6 courts and should have that completed in a week. It is estimated that play could begin there by October 19th.
Mr. Robson has made it clear to me that tennis is the preferred use at the Preserve.
Thank you,
Jack Sarsam
When you read the email, you get the impression that the issues facing SPA relate to things they need to accomplish. They still need to get permits and then commence construction at Ridgeview. The ball is in their court and they are asking Preserve homeowners to live with the consequences of their inability to get the courts built as quickly as they would like. And they want those 8 Preserve courts to be PERMANENT. Where’s the logic in that? If they are allowed to take over these tennis courts, what will the future look like?
LET’S LOOK AT THE FACTS ABOUT PARITY
Tennis had some very compelling facts and numbers for tennis use. And the increase in new tennis members this year was impressive. It demonstrated that Tennis and the new variations for tennis are also growing sports. Not declining as they would like to have you believe. In fact in Joan Martin’s presentation, she was able to show that based on the number of HOA2 SPA member and HOA2 Tennis Club members the number of players per court in HOA2 is the same – 27 for each club (this includes the 8 courts to be built at Ridgeview). That assumes that the current Preserve pickleball courts are converted back to Tennis. Otherwise tennis has 33 players per court. Now where is the fairness in that? Read her entire presentation. It is a post on this site.
IS THE BOARD MEETING ITS FIDUCIARY responsibilities?
The HOA board will have a lot to consider for their decision. It will have to consider the impact to the Preserve clubhouse area, homeowners’ rights for property use, Tennis use, and the timing for reciprocal agreement negotiations.
The board is indirectly negotiating for HOA1 at the expense of HOA2 when it treats the SPA as though they were all HOA2 homeowners. There are not. SPA has offered to pay for the retrofitting of the tennis courts at the Preserve, a cost of $63,000. But if the courts have to be converted back to tennis, then SPA get’s reimbursed for ½ the amount they paid out. Now is that fair to the HOA2 homeowners. Why did SPA want that provision? Is it because they know the location is problematic?
Everyone wants to remain one community, and a reciprocal analysis is underway. But the board is not going to even begin to consider what a new reciprocal agreement might mean to HOA2 amenities unit January 2021. But the responsible step would be to complete the Pickleball analysis as it relates to what the board anticipate the reciprocal agreement will look like.
For Pickleball to be treated in an equitable fashion, we need a fair assessment of what changes may be needed in the management and operations of pickleball. The board has a duty to HOA2 residents.
Who knows what will happen? And that’s the point. Get the Ridgeview courts built and renegotiate the reciprocal use agreement to our benefit where possible. Isn’t that common sense. Why should we incur all of the costs but have to share the benefits? Isn’t the fiduciary duty of the board to represent and protect the best interests of the HOA2 residents?
BOTTOM LINE
The revived reciprocal with the Ranch gives them 6 courts. Now let them complete what they started at Ridgeview. And stop this relentless pursuit to take over the courts in the Preserve. The existing amenities belong to all of us, let’s keep it that way.
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