Tensions surfaced at a St. Johns County Planning and Zoning meeting over a proposed private membership pickleball facility in the Rolling Hills Industrial Park. While pickleball is the fastest-growing sport nationally, local business owners expressed concerns about safety and parking, fearing increased traffic could disrupt industrial operations. One opponent even referred to a “Pickle Mafia” taking over the area, a characterization strongly rejected by the project’s legal representative, who emphasized plans to control parking and dismissed negative stereotypes about pickleball players.
The proposal includes four courts across two buildings, operating weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with 30 parking spots and a focus on private membership rather than public tournaments. Despite opposition, the Planning and Zoning Agency unanimously approved the plan with conditions to add signage to manage parking. The project now awaits final approval from the county commission.
