The Serve: 3D birds-eye view

March 12. By Dave Vieser. The Cornelius Planning Board gave The Serve—a proposed 16-court pickleball facility and restaurant on Chartown Drive—a thumbs up at their March 11 meeting. The positive recommendation comes with a number of conditions, which will be reviewed by the Town Board as soon as April 1.

Details

DB Entertainment is seeking to amend the zoning on 6.39 acres of vacant property located at 20220 Chartown Drive. The plan is to build a 51,086 square foot facility with 10 indoor courts and six outdoor courts as well as a restaurant. There will be more than 150 seats for guests in the restaurant, bar, lounge and cafe areas.

The proposal is situated so that noise from the pickleball courts will be at least 400 feet from any nearby residences. In response to questions about noise generated by musical groups, DB fellow owner Jack Salzman stated that “we do not plan to be a Boatyard. When we do have music or entertainment it will in all probability be indoors. “

The specific.conditions attached to the planning board recommendation require that outdoor pickleball play be limited to 7 am to 10 pm. Any other use beyond those hours will require special permission by the town. The recommendations also include limits on light pole heights and the need to shield rooftop HVAC and cooking equipment.

Bird’s eye view of The Serve Pickleball + Kitchen

Quotable

“If this is the schedule we are hopeful to get a permit from Mecklenburg County 45-60 days after the April 1 approval from the Town of Cornelius,” Salzman, the former co-owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep Dodge said.

Pickleball is a rapidly growing sport, and the town is working to accommodate the demand among residents. A separate proposal which would provide up to 12 new courts at Bailey Road Park is already in the works.