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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2025-09-09_11a Supplemental 2MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Jessica Matson, Director of Legislative & Information Services/ City Clerk SUBJECT: Supplemental Information No. 2 Agenda Item 11.a. - September 9, 2025 City Council Meeting Soto Sports Complex Master Plan and Pickleball Multi-Use Court Request Discussion DATE: September 9, 2026 Attached is correspondence received for the above referenced item. cc: City Manager Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Director of Recreation Services City Attorney City Clerk City Website and Public Review Binder Enc From: Home Computer Glick < Sent: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 12:05 PM To: Caren Ray Russom <crayrussom@arroyogrande.org>; Kate Secrest <ksecrest@arroyogrande.org> Cc: Sheridan Bohlken <sbohlken@arroyogrande.org> Subject: Shortage of Pickleball Courts Within City Caren and Kate, I am reaching out to you to ask for your help in addressing a shortage of pickleball courts within the city. For the last three years I have been a member of the pickleball club that plays at the Soto sports complex. Our club has grown along with the overall popularity of the sport in our region. It is not unusual for more than 30 players to be playing or waiting for a court to open during the club hours. Simply put, the four courts at this site are inadequate to handle the number of players. At this same time, our club has been taking detailed data on the amount of use that the other four tennis courts at Soto. These tennis courts are sitting completely empty during many of the periods when there are twice as many pickleball players than our courts can accommodate. I have been talking with Sheridan Bohlken about the issues and she shared with me that the City is embarking on a strategic plan for this complex to address new and emerging needs within our community. This is an exciting development and I am sure that your community outreach will demonstrate the need for additional pickleball courts. Unfortunately, this process with take many years and even the most optimistic projections would be 3-5 years before any new courts are built and available to the public. Given the long timeframe of this strategic planning process, I have another solution that I brought to Sheridan that could address the shortage within a few months. I would like to get support from the city to paint lines for pickleball courts on two tennis courts and to purchase temporary nets that can be easily deployed during peak pickleball club times. After club times, the temporary nets can be removed and the areas can be available for tennis use. This temporary solution can serve both the tennis and pickleball communities. I ran into Sheridan this morning and she shared that she does not feel like she has the authority to implement this short-term temporary solution based on direction (or lack of direction) form City Council. I do not know much about the long-term history that lead to the conversion of the four courts at Soto. I am told there were some verbal commitments from the recreation department that other tennis courts would not be converted. However, I can share that the tennis courts are rarely used at this site. There may have been a robust tennis group years ago, but these courts are sitting empty most days. Furthermore, you have an active pickleball group that generates income to the city to help with maintenance, utilities, and upkeep of the courts. The demographics have changed and pickleball is taking over for tennis. I hope you will help our pickleball community by directing your recreation department to implement a temporary solution at Soto sports complex to set up multi-use courts at the two tennis courts immediately adjacent to the pickleball courts. Your recreation department has the data to support this change to multi-use courts. They just need the direction to implement a temporary solution. I offered to work with Sheridan to reach out to the tennis community to help make this transition to multi-use courts work. That offer still stands. I also hope you will support the installation of additional pickleball courts at Soto and other city parks to meet the growing demand for this sport. Finally, I want to invite you to join us for some games during our club hours. We have members ranging in age from 18-90 years old and we have skill levels from beginner to advanced. The thing we share is a desire to have some fun; get some fresh air; and exercise. But I will warn you that the sport can be habit forming. Thanks for your time and for your support for increasing access to the sport within our community. Ronnie Glick Arroyo Grande Resident From:Katie McNeill To:Sheridan Bohlken; public comment Subject:Comment on Item #11 - Soto Sports Master Plan and Pickleball! Date:Saturday, September 6, 2025 9:27:46 PM Attachments:emaillogo_190eb98f-3dbf-4ac8-a0d6-5f778ed0ba4d11111111111111111111111111111111111111111.png Dear AG City Council Members, Thank you for your continued support of our growing pickleball community by installing a new water fountain and AED machine at the Soto pickleball courts. I have played club pickleball at Soto multiple times a week for three years and taken multiple clinics. More often than not, the tennis courts are completely empty while dozens of people are playing and waiting to play pickleball on the four courts. Often there are twice as many people waiting to play. Others go to nearby cities with newer and more facilities. I understand that multi-use courts may seem like a one size fits all, but I find that temporary nets overlaying tennis court lines are confusing and difficult to manage. The SLO French Park courts have these movable nets and they are awkward and heavy to maneuver for most anyone. I am writing to express my support for at least one tennis court closest to the pickleball courts be converted into permanent / dedicated pickle ball courts. Four new pickleball courts would be well used by this amazing “all walks of life” active community! For the City of Arroyo Grande to reflect the interests of this positive growing community, I strongly encourage the Council Members to support more dedicated pickleball courts at Soto. And then please come out to play with this great group! Thank you for your consideration. Katie McNeill From: Trish Wilson < Sent: Saturday, September 6, 2025 9:15:03 PM To: Aileen Loe <aloe@arroyogrande.org> Subject: Soto sports complex Dear Councilmember Loe, Item 11a on your agenda September 9 will be to discuss the possibility of converting two tennis courts into Pickleball courts. There is talk among both pickleball players and tennis players that the empty lot up top near the old administration building will be used to build new courts, whether they be tennis or pickleball. Pickleball is a very social sport and quite loud. Tennis is not. I play both sports and have no problem with anyone on any of the courts. We are all out there enjoying ourselves while getting some good exercise. However, as a player on the Arroyo Grande women’s tennis team (which has existed for over 35 years), when we have a home match, we often have to give a heads up to our opponents regarding the noise coming from the Pickleball courts. To have four more courts right next to the last two tennis courts would be very disruptive and upset the flow of our matches and practices. I would like to suggest that the Pickleball courts are moved up top, so that they are more side-by-side and away from the tennis courts. Why remove two tennis courts that are already existing - can’t new Pickleball courts can be built up top? Our area has already lost a few tennis courts to Pickleball: Mentone Park and Shell Beach are just two examples. It is a weak argument to say that Pickleball courts are full while tennis courts remain empty, so more courts should be built. I know for a fact the courts are used at least 4 times a week by regular groups, and lately with one of the courts being used for lessons, people are having to wait. Please don’t vote to fix something that is not broken. This is not an argument between Pickleball and tennis players, but about what makes sense for everyone. Thank you for your consideration on this matter, Trish Wilson Sent from my iPhone From: Connie Rutledge < Sent: Monday, September 8, 2025 5:24:12 PM To: City Council <citycouncil@arroyogrande.org>; Matt Downing <mdowning@arroyogrande.org>; Jessica Matson <jmatson@arroyogrande.org>; Bill Robeson <brobeson@arroyogrande.org> Subject: Protesting the vote to convert tennis courts IRONSCALES couldn't recognize this email as this is the first time you received an email from this sender Dear Members of the City Council, I am writing to respectfully urge you to preserve our community’s tennis courts and not move forward with the proposed conversion to pickleball courts. While I recognize the growing popularity of pickleball, it is important to consider the long- term value of tennis facilities for the health, recreation, and inclusivity of our community. This is not about choosing one group of players over another—it is about maintaining balance and fairness in how limited recreation resources are allocated. Pickleball is a wonderful sport, and the city should continue to explore options for adding spaces dedicated to it. However, converting existing tennis courts is not the solution, as it would displace an established community of players, leagues, and programs who already operate at capacity with the few facilities available. Please consider the broader impact of this decision. Tennis and pickleball can coexist within our city, but eliminating tennis courts is not a sustainable or equitable approach. I respectfully urge the council to keep our tennis courts intact and look to alternative ways to expand recreational opportunities without sacrificing a sport that serves so many people in our community. Be well, Connie Rutledge Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist Schedule with me Follow me on YouTube Follow me on Instagram Learn to connect with your authentic Self, both physically and spiritually. You deserve to feel good in your body. Come for the Fat Loss, stay for the Longevity! From:Melanie Cleveland To:City Council; Matt Downing; Jessica Matson; Bill Robeson Subject:Please no Tennis court makeover Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 2:48:42 PM IRONSCALES couldn't recognize this email as this is the first time you received an email from this sender mtoppcleveland @ gmail.com Hello. I’m writing to protest losing tennis courts to pickleball at de Soto. We use all four courts frequently to practice and play league together. We also need to support tennis because it is a healthy sport with a mission to inspire love for the game in our children. It will give them a sport they can play their entire lives. I understand there’s a growing demand for pickleball but surely there are other solutions than taking away even one of the four courts, when we have already lost several courts to pickleball in the area. Please give the existing courts, the tennis game and those of us who love the sport some respect! Thank you for your time. Best Wishes, Melanie Topp 248 Quarterhorse Way Arroyo Grande, Ca 805 471-3620 From: Nancy Allison < Sent: Monday, September 8, 2025 6:55:33 PM To: Aileen Loe <aloe@arroyogrande.org> Subject: Soto Sports Facility IRONSCALES couldn't recognize this email as this is the first time you received an email from this sender Good evening Council Member Loe, Thanks for reading! My best, Nancy Allison September 8, 2025 Arroyo Grande City Council Members RE: Soto Sports Complex Honorable City Council Members, As a lifelong tennis player and former Cal Poly team member, I have cherished the game of tennis for most of my life. Since moving to the Five Cities area in 1990, I have witnessed a steady decline in public tennis courts as pickleball has rapidly grown in popularity. Over the past decade, the Five Cities tennis community has experienced the following losses, with several tennis courts converted into pickleball-only facilities: Soto Sports -1 tennis court +4 pickle ball courts Mentone Basin Park -1 tennis court +4 pickle ball courts Pismo Athletic Club -2 tennis courts +4 pickle ball courts Shell Beach Park -1 tennis court +4 pickle ball courts Avila Bay Club -1 tennis court +4 pickle ball courts Tennis court losses= -6 Pickle ball gains= + 20 Tennis is one of the healthiest sports you can play, benefiting both the body and the brain. Many local children are first introduced to the game through Parks & Recreation lessons at Soto Park, where they develop skills they can enjoy for a lifetime. Tennis also teaches sportsmanship, discipline, and healthy competitiveness. Beyond youth programs, the Soto tennis facility serves as a home base for the Central Coast Women’s Tennis League Arroyo Grande team for nine months out of the year. Without access to four dedicated courts, many of these activities will no longer be feasible, putting at risk valuable recreational and community opportunities that have long enriched our area. The tennis community urges you to add another tennis court to Soto, and not reduce please! Local pickle ball players already have 20+ courts to use for their sport. From:Susan Ritchie To:public comment Subject:9/9/25 Agenda Item 11.a Soto Sports Complex Master Plan Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 4:08:06 PM Monday, September 8, 2025 Arroyo Grande City Council 9/9/25 Agenda Item: 11.a Soto Sports Complex Master Plan and Pickleball Multi-Use Court Request Discussion Honorable City Council Members, I write today to express my opposition to the conversion of tennis courts at Soto Sports Complex for multi-use/pickleball. There are only four tennis courts left at Soto Sports Complex, since a court was previously converted for pickleball. Four tennis courts do not come close to accommodating the local tennis community. I attempt to play at Soto twice a week, and many times we are forced to look for a court elsewhere because the Soto courts are full; sometimes we are completely skunked elsewhere. Tennis leagues alone place a very high demand on the Soto courts, with doubles play (both practice and official competition) at least five days per week. Instruction also has a demand on the courts (rightly so). I know MANY pickleball players who are current or former tennis players, and many more who are fans of professional tennis. They watch the major tournaments, talk about and follow the players, etc. It’s because tennis is an exciting sport with a rich history. Having access to quality public tennis courts is the cornerstone to the future of the sport. Communities need an ample supply of public tennis courts for people of all ages and all levels to explore the game, to learn, to practice, and to compete. I began playing at the age of 8, and I am the player I am today because of access to public tennis courts and programs. The rise in popularity of pickleball shows a growing interest in an active lifestyle, and that is a good thing. But it is unfair and the wrong approach to appease one group in the community by robbing another of its ability to participate in their sport. In addition, Grover Beach converted the Basin Park tennis court to pickleball, and more are planned in the Ramona Park redesign. So, I see pickleball courts increasing already. I don’t see any new tennis courts being added in AG or Grover. Thank you for your consideration. Please preserve the four tennis courts at Soto as they currently exist. It is the fair and right thing to do. Respectfully, Susan Ritchie Bratcher