Agenda Item No. 4
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: February 15, 2022 FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Kathy Petker, Parks & Recreation Director
SUBJECT: Pilot Program to Co-locate Four Pickleball Courts at the Mentone Basin Park Tennis Court
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the recommendation of the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission to start a pilot program to co-locate four pickleball courts at the Mentone Basin Park tennis court.
BACKGROUND:
Pickleball, a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, has seen a significant increase in participation in recent years and was declared the “the fastest growing sport in America” by The Economist. This popularity is due to its ease to play on a smaller court than tennis, ability get a workout for all ages, and fun atmosphere amongst players. The number of places to play pickleball has more than doubled since 2010, and according to USA Pickleball Association there are now nearly 8,000 known public and private locations. The spread of the sport is attributed to its popularity within community centers, PE classes, YMCA facilities, and retirement communities. It should be noted that pickleball, as compared to tennis, is considered a relaxed, fun, boisterous sport where all ages are playing amongst each other.
Within San Luis Obispo County, nearly every jurisdiction has pickleball courts including private gym businesses and public agencies. Due to the smaller dimension requirements of court size (20’ x 44’) for both singles and doubles, installing a co-located or blended tennis/pickleball court includes the ability to offer 1 tennis court along with 1, 2, 3 or 4 pickleball courts. While the maximum number of players playing tennis on one court is four people playing doubles, the maximum number playing pickleball using the same space is 16 playing on four courts which further activates the park space. There are currently no pickleball courts in Grover Beach though the City frequently receives requests from the public to add such courts.
At the January 20, 2022 Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission meeting, the Commission considered a proposal from staff to begin a pilot program to co-locate four pickleball courts at an existing tennis court at either Mentone Basin Park or Hero Park. The Commission ultimately recommended that Council approve such a pilot program at the Mentone Basin Park tennis court as this court is centrally located and would continue to allow full-time tennis play at Grover Heights Park (2 courts) and at Hero Park (1 court). This pilot program would provide staff with an opportunity to gauge the co-located use for consideration of permanent changes. In general, tennis and pickleball hours at the Mentone Basin Park court would be designated for priority hours of each sport respectively on a daily basis.
Staff Report: Pilot Program to Co-Locate Pickleball Courts at Mentone Basin Park Tennis Court Page 2 February 15, 2022
Staff has subsequently consulted a local sports court company (Tennis Warehouse) and invited their staff to inspect the Mentone Basin tennis court. Staff also consulted with the lead volunteer from the City of Arroyo Grande Pickleball Club (John Rogers) who was a former Recreation Director with the City of Arroyo Grande and City of Grover Beach. Staff also met with a sports court surfacing company to review dimensions and temporary paint line estimates. Furthermore, staff consulted with local agencies to assist with establishing guidelines that would include designated tennis and pickleball play times as well as receiving information on how to implement a selfregulating pickleball club. Club members would essentially assist with setting up nets and providing gear along with locking items in a storage area to be determined with assistance of the Public Works Department.
Below are other highlights of this pilot program for the Council’s consideration:
• The existing center net at the Mentone Basin Park tennis court would stay in place for tennis play and would also be used as a divider between pickleball courts to stop astray balls from rolling into other courts
• There would be minimal line striping with the existing tennis court lines • Co-location and timing of use could limit neighborhood parking impacts during high use play times
• Noise impacts on neighbors would be limited to cheering and the sound of paddles hitting a pickleball-similar to a wiffleball
• Allows for “drop-in” play during designated times based on establishing priority times-for example: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays could be drop-in priority time for Pickleball players and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday could be drop-in priority time for tennis players.
If players of the respective sport do not show up for play, then the court would be on a firstcome, first-serve basis which is the generally accepted system used on co-located courts • Allows all players to play due to the rotation of play system for ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ so people are rotating consistently without long wait periods • Volunteer recruitment would be necessary for success in operating this co-located court.
Pending Council approval, staff would work to implement this pilot program to have the co-located courts begin this spring. The pilot program would last through this summer after which point staff would report on the results to the Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Commission and ultimately the Council to consider permanent changes.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost to co-locate the existing tennis court with pickleball courts is $20,000. This would include surface patching and paint color coding of pickleball court overlayed with tennis court lines and respective dimensions; signage, locking storage area, portable rolling nets, leaf blowing equipment, and other needed items such as equipment rental of paddles and pickleballs.
This cost will be absorbed in this year’s operating budget.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council has the following alternative to consider:
1. Approve the recommendation of the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission to start a pilot program to co-locate four pickleball courts at the Mentone Basin Park tennis court;
Staff Report: Pilot Program to Co-Locate Pickleball Courts at Mentone Basin Park Tennis Court Page 3 February 15, 2022
2. Do not approve this recommendation; or
3. Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Mentone Basin Park Tennis Court
2. One Tennis Court with One Pickleball Court
3. One Tennis Court with Two Pickleball Courts
4. One Tennis Court with Four Pickleball Courts
5. Tennis and Pickleball Blended Court Lines
Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Attachment 3
Attachment 4
Attachment 5