A very wealthy San Francisco woman is called a hypocrite after she launches a petition to shut down pickleball courts in her neighborhood, only to be revealed to have one in her own backyard.
Holly Peterson – wife of Hotwire.com co-founder Karl Peterson – recently started one Change.org petition to block 12 courts in her upscale Presidio Heights neighborhood.
Peterson claimed the noise pollution from the 24-hour courts affects homeowners and wildlife and urged city leaders to shut it down immediately.
Just days after starting the petition, the woman’s hypocrisy was vented online, when photos of her properties show a pickleball field outside her $36 million mansion.
Reddit users under ‘r/pickle ballalso pointed out that the family has been trying for two months to sell their eight-bedroom, 12,000-square-foot home.
Holly Peterson (left) — wife of Hotwire.com co-founder Karl Peterson (right) — recently started a Change.org petition to block 12 courts in her posh Presidio Heights neighborhood
This is the Peterson’s home in Presidio Hills, seen with a pickleball court in the backyard
The private pickleball court is outside the disco and karaoke room of the $36 million home
Presidio Heights is adjacent to the Presidio of San Francisco and has homes overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Bay.
Peterson’s house, located in the 3600 block of Jackson Street, is just on the other side of the Presidio Wall and adjacent to the new pickleball courts.
In her petition, she argued that the noise “is not only abrasive, but also changes our way of life and the nature of our beloved Presidio.”
She went on to say that housing prices in the area are also “on the decline.”
Despite that claim, Peterson and her husband put their 106-year-old home on Jackson Street up for sale in May for $36 million.
Ownership records show that the couple bought the house in 2007 for $16.65 million and had an estimated $10 million in renovations.
If the house sells at the asking price, the couple will make nearly $10 million.
As her petition continued, Peterson said she and other residents believe the pickleball courts pose a threat to public safety.
“The stream of pickleball fanatics is choking Presidio Trust Slow Street, a space designed for pedestrians and cyclists,” she added.
She is asking that local officials immediately stop using the courts and prepare an environmental impact statement.
By August 30, her petition had received just 90 signatures.
Holly and Karl Petersons with their twins, Kennedy and Karter
Just three days after the petition went online, eagle-eyed Reddit users called her out for trying to rob a community of pickleball.
“The best part is that her house has a pickleball court,” the user posted to the page.
“So I think the noise from her own pickleball court has a different effect on the neighbors than those in the nearby park,” the person wrote.
The post received a positive vote more than 100 times and drew dozens of comments.
“I bought a house next to a huge park and I don’t like people using that park,” one commenter wrote.
“Pickel for me and not for you?” added another one.
“I think there are many more important issues in San Francisco that need to be addressed, which are driving down property values and residents’ quality of life,” one joked, referring to San Francisco’s rising crime and drug rates.
Local pickleball advocate Hans Carter told the San Francisco Chronicle he was shocked to learn of the petition and then the woman’s own court.
“We just rolled on the floor,” he said. “Talk about the hypocrisy of the rich.”
Recreation and Parks Director Phil Ginsburg echoed Carter’s sentiments.
“Not everyone can afford a pickleball court in their backyard,” he said. “That’s why it’s nice to have them in public parks.”
A personal pickleball court in their own backyard isn’t the only great perk that the Peterson’s multimillion-dollar home offers, either.
The nine-bath Tudor-style home features views of the Golden Gate Bridge, massive molded ceilings, and fireplaces throughout.
There is also a karaoke room with disco balls and a bar, and an upper patio overlooking the private pickleball court.
It also appears that the house is currently not visible from the front on Google Maps and that the couple may have had it removed from the streetscape by Google.