From: Aaron Hill
To: webCityClerk
Cc: =yCouncil Members; Davis, Terrance; Aleem, E. Harith; Wanden, Aaron Subject: Public Comment for 5:30 Closed City Council Meeting Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2:16:03 PM
Good afternoon, I would like to make a public comment for the Special City Council Meeting that will occur at 5:30pm on Tuesday October 13, 2026.
The agenda for that meeting lists potential litigation against the city as one of the agenda items (Two Possible Cases). I am writing this public comment regarding potential litigation against the City of Brentwood.
Much of this information I have provided in writing and through email to the City Council, the City Attorney, the Acting City Manager, The Director of Parks and Recreation, and the Parks Manager. I believe that it is also important to be part of the public record.
On Monday, September 21, the City Council of Brentwood voted to close the Creekside pickleball courts. There are many Brentwood citizens who play pickleball at the beautiful facilities the city constructed about 2 years ago (for the cost of about $408,000). There were many members of the pickleball community present at the city council meeting on September 21 and several gave a public comment about the value of pickleball in our community. However, we did not know that the City Council was considering an immediate (or near-term) closure of the courts. If we had known that, there would have been more people in attendance in support of pickleball, there would have been more public comments about pickleball, and there would have been different public comments about pickleball. All three of those are important.
Before getting into the details of what was included in the agenda related to pickleball, let me say this clearly: Both a plain reading of the agenda for that September 21 meeting and a technical reading of that same agenda, would lead a reader to believe that the items under consideration were (A) a new pickleball facility with 6 permanent courts and (B) possible changes to the Creekside courts once those 6 new pickleball courts are built.
There is no mention in the agenda of temporary courts at Sunset Park and no mention of the possibility of immediately closing the pickleball courts at Creekside. The many Brentwood citizens who enjoy the pickleball courts at Creekside Park (myself included) would have a lot to say about both of those issues, but we did not know that either of them was under discussion or consideration.
Let’s get into the details of what the agenda for the September 21 meeting says.
Here is the agenda item. (See page 3 (of 400) of the Agenda).
E.1 Annual Update on Pickleball Operations at Creekside Park and Request for Direction on Future Pickleball Court Development Staff recommends that the City Council (1) receive the annual update on pickleball operations at Creekside Park and (2) provide direction to staff regarding whether staff should continue preliminary planning and conceptual design for a six-court pickleball facility at 2251 Elkins Way, including the preferred development option and potential funding approach, and regarding the long-term use of the existing Creekside Park pickleball courts.
Notice that the agenda item refers to the long-term use of the existing pickleball courts. It does not refer to the immediate or near-term use of the existing pickleball courts.
Importantly, there are 9 additional pages in the full agenda related to that specific agenda item, prepared by the Parks and Recreation Department. These 9 pages elaborate and clarify what is going to be discussed. The majority of those 9 pages focus on the possible construction of a new pickleball facility with 6 permanent courts an 2251 Elkins Way. There is a small section at the end of those 9 pages about the future use of the Creekside courts.
Here is how that section begins.
Council Direction on Future Pickleball Operations
As the City evaluates development of a new pickleball facility in a non-residential location, staff requests City Council direction on the long-term role of the Creekside Park pickleball courts if a new facility is ultimately approved and becomes operational.
Notice that staff is requesting direction about the “long-term role of the Creekside Park pickleball courts “if a new facility is ultimately approved and becomes operational.” Let me repeat that:
“if a new facility is ultimately approved and becomes operational.” I want to be very clear about something. The agenda does not mention temporary courts on the parking lot at Sunset Park. It doesn’t mention temporary courts at all. The agenda repeatedly refers to a “new pickleball facility,” always referring to the six-court facility at 2251 Elkins Way.
It is both ethically and legally important for the city to provide adequate notice to the public and to provide adequate opportunity for public comment, before making important decisions. Unfortunately, in this case there was no way for Brentwood citizens to know that the city might immediately close the pickleball courts at Creekside Park, replacing them with painted lines on a parking lot.
I urge the city council to rectify this situation. Avoid any potential litigation and do the right thing by putting the Creekside pickleball courts on the agenda for an open session of the City Council. Be clear in the agenda about the possible actions that are under consideration and allow the public to weigh in.
Best,
Aaron Hill