HATFIELD — A large indoor tennis and pickleball building, proposed to take up a portion of a nearly nine-acre business-zoned site just north of 253 West St., is raising concerns for neighbors about the potential neighborhood impacts.

But the Planning Board on Thursday didn’t take any action on the 61,750-square-foot building proposal because it hasn’t yet notified abutters within 65 days of the proposal’s filing, a requirement of town zoning due to the property’s location in a historic district.

The building, which will include locker rooms, a pro shop and a snack bar, is being proposed by Ashley Schaffer and Patrick Roche of Northampton, who first floated the idea to the Select Board in early 2023. Their submission, from Jeff Squire, a principal at Berkshire Design Group in Northampton, asks for site plan approval from the Planning Board under the town’s recreation and amusement service. The proposal includes a parking lot for 65 vehicles, and a second phase might include outdoor courts.

The site on Routes 5 and 10 is between Interstate 91 to the west and the state highway to the east and is just north of the Prospect Meadow Farm store and a closed service station at 253 West St., on land that has mostly been used for agricultural purposes.

“Overall, the project will develop an underutilized commercial parcel along West Street and provide a valuable asset to the Hatfield community,” Squire wrote in the application on behalf of AD Carroll LLC. “It would provide a place for people to come together to play sports, socialize, and get exercise. The complex would also be a destination for visitors from outside of Hatfield as currently facilities of this kind are lacking locally.”

Some people at the meeting questioned whether such a project is appropriate for the area.

“This is an unbelievable project to learn about second-hand, without any notification,” said Ed Malinowski of West Street, observing that his driveway is immediately across the street from the proposed facility.

“As an abutter, I’m against this project, because I know it will increase traffic,” said Halina Wilkes, also of West Street.

The proposal has supporters as well.

Julie Pokela, an organizer of local pickleball leagues, said the facility won’t have a negative impact, with people playing for 90 minutes to two hours, then benefiting the town economically when they head out for a pizza and cold drinks after their matches.

“It will draw people and be good for the town,” Pokela said.

Town resident Jon Kostek, a representative of the U.S. Tennis Association, also applauded the idea. “This is amazing to have an indoor tennis pickleball facility in the town of Hatfield,” Kostek said.

Schaffer and Roche originally had eyed a different parcel south of the location on Routes 5 and 10 but found it wasn’t suitable due to wetlands.

Planners will continue the discussion on the site plans in June.

In other business, the Planning Board approved plans for Western Earthworks LLC, a Florence-based landscaping company run by Jack Henderson-Adams, to build its headquarters at 186 North Hatfield Road,

The proposed 7,500-square-foot building will replace an existing barn. The site will also be used for temporary storage of materials, such as stone or aggregate, but not for the processing of gravel or storage of mulches, said Jeff Squire, a landscape architect with Berkshire Design Group.

Seven of the Western Earthworks’ 30 employees will be based on site, generally office, garage and maintenance staff, with the remainder working on job sites.

The board stipulated as conditions that exterior lighting should be shielded and a screening plan to promote a visual buffer should be submitted before any work starts.

Henderson-Adams said he would like to have the business relocated from Florence by winter.

Virginia Martell, whose property is immediately north of the project site, told the board neighbors have concerns about drainage impacts, and also want to ensure there is noise protection and traffic protection, with large trucks periodically turning around nearby, including those heading to C&S Wholesalers.

“I just can’t see taking this area that has residences in it, a neighborhood in it and kids in it, and putting this big fabricated building there,” Martell said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.