HATFIELD — A proposal to privately develop a pickleball facility on a 30-acre site on West Street will likely require a change in town zoning before proceeding.

The Select Board agreed Tuesday to forward a rezoning request to the Planning Board to accommodate the recreational building and associated aspects of the facility for 121 West St., a property south of Rocks Road in the Route 5 corridor.

Ashley Schaffer of Northampton, who is proposing the project with Patrick Roche, told the Select Board that town zoning currently prohibits for-profit recreational uses in the light industrial zone, meaning that a pickleball project couldn’t happen without either a change in zoning to that parcel, or an adjustment to the rules that guides what is and isn’t allowed.

Schaffer said about 2 acres of the site would be for the four-season pickleball facility, with both indoor and outdoor components, and possible exterior lighting for a court, as well as parking. She describes the project as “not tiny, but not gargantuan either.”

“We obviously would not use the entire parcel for pickleball,” Schaffer said, adding that the rear of the parcel, zoned rural residential, could be used for trails.

In addition to the pickleball courts, the inside might have a place people could order refreshments before and after playing matches.

The Select Board appeared receptive to the concept, with members noting it could be a great resource for both residents and the public.

“It’s really an interesting use of the property,” Select Board Chairwoman Diana Szynal said. “I can think of a number of things that would be less attractive in that area.”

“I think it sounds fabulous,” Szynal said.

Select Board member Brian Moriarty, too, called the proposal a good idea, asking Schaffer if it would be open to the public, and noting that the town’s Recreation Committee is looking into using public land for outdoor pickleball courts that people might use during the warm-weather months.

Schaffer said there would likely be admission charged, but anyone could join.

Planning Board Chairwoman Stephanie Slysz said an informal conversation with the proponent is expected at a board meeting Feb. 1, with a public hearing on the proposal likely on March 1.

Slysz said the board likely wouldn’t be inclined to support changing the zoning on the site, which might be seen as spot zoning. Rather, the change of the use table as it applies to all light industrial zoned land in town would be more appropriate.

That appeared sensible to Amy McMahan, who serves on the Greenfield Planning Board and is assisting Schaffer and Roche with the project. McMahan said the simplest process would be to allow for-profit recreation enterprises in light industrial zones.

Then, if approved by voters at annual Town Meeting in May, the specific project would have to come back for review and approvals.

Szynal noted that while she isn’t yet playing pickleball, many people are, and that the sport has been part of board agendas several times over the past year.

“There’s a lot of pickleball fans in town,” Szynal said. “We could be the pickleball capital of western Mass.”

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