SKANEATELES - The Skaneateles Central School District's plans to build two new tennis courts to compliment the existing facilities at Austin Park are already undergoing revisions after the village of Skaneateles' planning board voiced its concerns.

Hours after meeting with the district's architects Monday, Jorge Batlle, clerk for the planning board, told the village board of trustees that they will go back to the school to re-evaluate their plans in order to address the village's concerns.

Because the park is located on village property, the plans need to be approved by the village before construction can begin.

“I think the architects, sensing we were not happy with the plans, decided to go back to the school and revise them,” Batlle said. “They will take their drawings back for the school's approval before coming back to us.”

Previous plans had called for the two new courts to be attached to the west side of the two existing courts.

In order to do that, village Mayor Bob Green said contractors would have had to removed several fully grown trees in addition to shifting the nature trail further to the west where several other trees are located.

Instead, Batlle said it appears the architects may plan to build the new courts on the west side of the nature trail, separate from the existing courts.

With the trail running between the new and old courts, Batlle said contractors will have to deal with fewer trees while avoiding possible drainage concerns.

Because the school wants to use the courts for tennis tournaments, Batlle said other concerns dealing with seating arrangements and aesthetics will also have to be addressed.

“With the current tennis court's drainage, there will be ponding; the water won't drain,” Batlle said. “And the trees; are they going to rip them out, remove them or replace them? What will the courts be made out of and will they match the existing courts? It's just common sense questions like that.“

With the school paying for the construction on village property, Trustee Kathryn Carlson asked who will own the courts.

Even though the school is not allowed to give away gifts to other organizations, village attorney Michael Byrne said there may need to be some arrangement where it is understood that the school pays for the construction, but the courts will be owned and maintained by the village.

“If the district builds on an improvement on village land, the improvement becomes ours unless there is a ground lease, which we don't have,” Byrne said.

Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net