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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-05-26 Parks and Recreation Commission Summary Minutes1 MINUTES 2 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION 3 Regular meeting 4 May 26, 2026 5 In-Person & Virtual Conference 6 Palo Alto, California 7 8 Commissioners Present in Person:Chair Nellis Freeman, Vice Chair Bing Wei; Commissioners Yudy Deng, 9 Shani Kleinhaus, Vadim Axelrod, Amanda Brown, and Roger Smith 10 Commissioners Present Virtually:None 11 Commissioners Absent:None 12 Others Present:Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims 13 Staff Present: Ben Heistein, Adam Howard, Sarah Robustelli 14 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 15 Chair Freeman called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. 16 The roll was called and there was quorum. 17 PUBLIC COMMENT 18 Chair Freeman opened public comment for non-agenda items. 19 Daniel G. (in person) provided public comment not related to an agenda item and shared his views. 20 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS 21 None 22 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 23 Chair Freeman asked for a motion to approve minutes from April 28, 2026. A motion was made 24 to approve the minutes and the motion was seconded. 25 No minutes were in the packet from last month and Chair Freeman struck the item. 26 CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS 27 1. Council Liaison Report 28 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims, council liaison to the PRC, thanked everyone for their service. 29 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims reported there was a recent vote to move forward with a ballot 30 measure for sales tax to support Cubberley land acquisition and redevelopment of that parcel. She 31 stated Council has 5 confirmed community partners in the effort. Councilmember Lythcott-Haims 32 noted Council will vote on ballot language on June 8, 2026. Secondly, she reported Palo Alto is 33 sponsoring an event for Pride on June 7, 2026, in King Plaza. There will be remarks and entertainment 34 as well as organizations present. There are a number of sponsors for the event. The Palo Alto Police 35 Department has created a Pride patch to wear in June. Thirdly, 156 California has a builder’s remedy 36 project. The Council Ad Hoc Committee negotiated with the developer to bring the height of the 3 37 towers down. There are 2 projects in El Camino in the Fish Market area. Both are 7 stories and will 38 welcome people with different income levels to Palo Alto. Fourth, a recent vote was made not to close 39 Churchill Avenue as the presence of track monitors are preventing loss of life. Creation of quiet zones 40 is in progress. Closure would have resulted in putting cars in the way of kids on their way to school. 41 Lastly, the Finance Department and staff are working to close the budget deficit. The budget is 42 expected to be approved as the fiscal year draws to a close. 43 2. Department Report 44 Sarah Robustelli, Community Services Division Manager, recapped the May Fete Parade and 45 Community Fair. The theme was “Not All Heroes Wear Capes.” There were about 750 participants in 46 the parade and over 1,500 attendees at the fair. The fair has grown since last year with new booths. 47 Upcoming special events include Inaugural Thursday Live Event on May 28 with a ribbon cutting. The 48 6th Annual Summer Family Movie Night series will begin at Mitchell Park Athletic Community Center 49 Fields with the first movie on June 5. The Fourth of July Chili Cookoff and Summer Festival is drawing 50 more teams than last year. Cash prizes will be awarded. Commissioners have been invited to attend 51 Bryant Street Community Center Grand Opening on June 3, celebrating opening of Downtown Teen 52 Center, previewing upcoming classes and programs, and highlighting the new Downtown Home for 53 La Comida, Senior Lunch Program. Ms. Robustelli echoed Councilmember Lythcott-Haims’ comments 54 regarding City Council’s recent action. 55 Ben Heistein, Assistant Director of Open Space Parks and Golf, provided updates on the sluice gate 56 repair status. Mr. Heistein stated the Tide Gate Structure is critical for flood control and is managed 57 by Valley Water. The sluice gate has a 2-way feature to either let water in or keep it out. The Flood 58 Basin is 600 acres and houses the sluice gate. In addition to the Bay, the Flood Basin receives flow 59 from 3 main creeks and stormwater runoff sources. Mr. Heistein reported the Emily Renzel Ponds and 60 Salt Marsh were created in 1992, which pump water into Matadero Creek before reaching the Flood 61 Basin. He provided a history of the sluice gate from 1975 to 2025, which included mitigation for 62 extending the Palo Alto Landfill, now Byxbee Park. A man-made tidal marsh habitat was later created. 63 Valley Water began planning a Tide Gate replacement project in 2018 that would include a new sluice 64 gate. Neither the motorized nor manual operation of the sluice gate has worked since around 2020. 65 The Tide Gate Replacement Project was deferred until 2060 with a focus to extend the service life of 66 the Tide Gate. Dry inspection confirmed no leakage from the sluice gate. Mr. Heistein updated the 67 Commission regarding a permanent application submitted to clean the sluice gate, remove marine 68 buildup, and assess underwater conditions, noting the importance of wet versus dry inspection. The 69 purpose is to extend the life of the system so it is operable until the Shoreline II Project happens in 70 2060. Valley Water’s project will resume in September to repair 6 flappers. Mr. Heistein stated the 71 City’s next steps include evaluating water level trends in the Basin. He reported the possibility of Emily 72 Renzel Ponds and Salt Marsh supporting the sluice gate function should be looked into. 73 Mr. Heistein noted irrigation budget cuts for 2027. An agronomist will help construct the Natural Grass 74 Pilot at Greer Park. The draft proposal will be reviewed and will affect maintenance of fields at Greer 75 Park. Two fields will be closed in October for renovation to improve drainage and playability. On April 76 28, staff from Parks Maintenance, Watershed Protection Team, and Open Space participated in GSI 77 certification training. There was both classroom training and a field practicum. 78 Ms. Robustelli reported the CSD was invited to a spring native planting at Bowden Park with a second 79 planting planned for the fall. She thanked Juanita Salisbury for providing the planting plan. Ms. 80 Robustelli showed upgrades made at Ramos Park and thanked Public Works. She thanked the San 81 Francisco Recreation and Parks Commission for the recent visit at the Vault Museum at McLaren 82 Lodge. 83 Chair Freeman invited commissioners to ask questions to the staff. 84 Commissioner Kleinhaus appreciated clarification that reduction in irrigation is not limited to foothills. 85 She recommended plantings to enhance the monarch butterfly habitat. Regarding the sluice gate, 86 Commissioner Kleinhaus questioned whether corrosion could increase flood risk. Mr. Heistein 87 responded the seals were confirmed to be intact but the underwater inspection will look deeper to 88 verify and expose the structure of the sluice gate. When closed, there is no flood risk. Commissioner 89 Kleinhaus inquired if there is a change in the vegetation in the Flood Basin. Mr. Heistein reported no 90 current studies of plant communities in the Flood Basin as the focus is on repairing the sluice gate. He 91 agreed with the need to evaluate and noted Valley Water did analyze a limited area. Mr. Heistein 92 stated obstruction to flapper gates during storm events can impact plant communities. 93 Vice Chair Wei asked for the current status of the sluice gate. Mr. Heistein reiterated it has been stuck 94 in the closed position. The sluice gate was able to be manually operated at one time and he is looking 95 to restore that function until the motorized function can be restored. Vice Chair Wei asked if access 96 is expected to change when the work is resumed. According to Mr. Heistein, public access is not 97 expected to change for longer than a couple days. The Palo Alto Seismic Retrofit Project will impact 98 access for a few months. Vice Chair Wei asked for clarification regarding the budget cut. Mr. Heistein 99 stated municipal agencies will have to comply with AB 572 as of January 1, 2027, before private 100 landowners have to comply. He provided a definition of nonfunctional turf. 101 Commissioner Axelrod asked for clarification regarding Thursday Live. Adam Howard, Senior 102 Community Services Manager, stated there will be live music. Sometimes there will be an added 103 special feature such as a car show. Commissioner Axelrod asked Mr. Heistein if estimates and 104 scenarios regarding the outcomes of the Tide Gate Structure inspection will be made available. Mr. 105 Heistein believes there will be more insights after the inspection and emphasized the need to extend 106 the life of the sluice gate 20 to 40 years. He confirmed all elements will be inspected. 107 Commissioner Deng was honored to serve as a judge for the May Fete Parade and congratulated the 108 winners. She will be tabling at Palo Alto Pride on June 7. Commissioner Deng appreciates the progress 109 on the Natural Grass Pilot at Greer Park. 110 Chair Freeman hopes Live on California Avenue will be an ongoing event. He deferred discussion of 111 the soccer field closure to Ad Hoc but asked for clarification that the closure would be only 2 weeks. 112 Mr. Heistein replied he spoke with Reservation Staff on Mr. Howard’s team. There was previously 113 concern the entire park would be closed but he reiterated shutdown of only Fields 2 and 4 for 9 days 114 in October. Reservation staff is working to move groups to other fields if needed. Chair Freeman 115 applauded the Chili Cookoff. Ms. Robustelli stated sign-up is open for the 4th of July Chili Cookoff. 116 Vice Chair Wei appreciated the detailed report on the sluice gate and inquired if ecologic data is 117 available and if there are opportunities to improve habitat resilience while extending the service life 118 of the infrastructure. Mr. Heistein stated evaluating the health of the plant communities needs a 119 holistic approach, which would be a multi-agency effort. There are currently no plans to do that. The 120 focus is on ensuring the sluice gate is operable. Vice Chair Wei asked who is responsible for long-term 121 maintenance. Mr. Heistein stated Palo Alto is in charge of maintaining the sluice gate and Valley 122 Waters is responsible for the Tide Gate Structure and an easement. The Basin is a flood control facility. 123 Vice Chair Wei wondered if educational partnerships would be supported for marsh stewardship 124 climate resilience. 125 3. Ad Hoc Liaison Reports 126 Commissioner Axelrod commended Councilmember Lythcott-Haims for Cubberley updates. He noted 127 a need for getting the word out on a bike safety park in Ventura. 128 Commissioner Kleinhaus reported there has been a review of city policies and plans regarding nature 129 connectivity. 130 Commissioner Freeman asked Ms. Robustelli for an update on Palo Alto Community Child Care. Ms. 131 Robustelli replied she is working with internal departments, ensuring no carveouts are necessary 132 before having the land surveyed. Commissioner Freeman stated Measure E will be on the agenda in 133 June to which Ms. Robustelli concurred. 134 BUSINESS ITEMS 135 4. Pickleball Facility Usage and Expansion Evaluation – 75 Minutes – Staff Presentation 136 Commissioner Freeman thanked everyone for attending the meeting and requested a respectful 137 environment during the discussion. 138 Adam Howard, Senior Community Services Manager with the City of Palo Alto and the Recreation 139 Department, discussed the pickleball facility usage, expansion, and evaluation in Palo Alto. The 140 recommendation is to not increase inventory of the pickleball courts due to operational use, parking, 141 noise, and user conflict concerns. Mr. Howard provided background, noting a request to convert some 142 Mitchell Park tennis courts into pickleball courts. In 2018, pickleball was allowed on a limited basis. 143 Increased demand of pickleball led to design of new courts in 2019. Pickleball space officially opened 144 in 2020. Lights were eventually added. Mr. Howard noted the times of highest demand for pickleball 145 and tennis courts. Palo Alto High School courts are not city operated and there is no bathroom access 146 during evenings or weekends. Peak parking times were noted to be during weekend mornings at 147 Mitchell Park. Mr. Howard stated additional demand would put parking at capacity. The Pickleball 148 Club has requested expansion in Mitchell Park, which would increase pickleball courts and reduce 149 tennis courts. Alternatives to expansion are also being looked at. Mr. Howard noted concerns of 150 additional noise in Mitchell Park that would come with expansion, affecting the playgrounds and 151 Community Center rental spaces. Pickleball is more social than tennis and creates more noise. There 152 is a higher demand for pickleball, leading to longer wait times. He noted the tennis community does 153 not want to lose lit tennis courts. Residents are concerned about overcrowding of Mitchell Park. 154 Mr. Howard highlighted ideas being looked into regarding pickleball expansion: dual striping of courts, 155 a resident permit system, lighting Cubberley courts, and a new location for dedicated pickleball use. 156 He listed pros and cons of each. The Baylands Athletic Center was considered as an alternate location. 157 Mr. Howard noted the largest concern is a housing development going in next door. 158 Chair Freeman appreciated Mr. Howard’s thorough report and allowed commissioners a chance to 159 ask questions. 160 Vice Chair Wei asked Mr. Howard about enforcement of fair access for resident priority use. Mr. 161 Howard replied there is no current software for digital check-ins and staff would be needed to check 162 permits. Vice Chair Wei wondered if other jurisdictions have a best practice as a comparison. Mr. 163 Howard said cities have followed Palo Alto’s lead on dual striping but conflicts cannot be avoided. 164 Commissioner Deng sought clarification on Attachment A for court counts. Mr. Howard explained the 165 spreadsheet. 166 Commissioner Axelrod wondered about solutions for parking locations and wanted to know the future 167 of the Cubberley lighting project. Mr. Howard stated Mitchell Park parking lots are owned by Palo 168 Alto. The Pickleball Club has looked at other lots. Lighting Cubberley courts is not seen as a tradeoff 169 but believed to be good for the tennis community also. 170 Chair Freeman received clarification from Mr. Howard as to how many courts are currently lit. Chair 171 Freeman asked if noise reduction could be considered at Baylands Athletic Center. Mr. Howard stated 172 the housing development and new pickleball space could be built with each other mind but there are 173 still concerns. 174 Public Comment: 175 1. Harriet S. shared public comment via video. 176 2. Kathy F. chose to share public comment via video. The computer froze and video was not shown. 177 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j4p4QmM6uIA 178 3. Hope C. thanked Mr. Howard for his report and the Commission for the opportunity to deliver 179 remarks. She appreciated the opportunity living near Mitchell Park provides and she utilizes the 180 tennis courts. 181 4. Joyce R. thanked the Council and Mr. Howard for his report. She previously was a board chair of 182 the Magical Bridge Foundation. She noted the people who attend Magical Bridge have special 183 needs and the video from Harriet S. showed how the noise from the pickleball courts prevents 184 conversation as it is in close proximity. 185 5. Yong G. believes converting tennis courts to pickleball courts is a shortcut that hurts the 186 community. It is difficult to organize a social match and he has to go to other courts and wait. 187 6. Nadya has children who play tennis. She approves of more tennis courts and pickleball courts and 188 believes more social sports are good for the community. Nadya wanted to share a solution used 189 in the Southern Philippines instead of repainting the lines but time expired. 190 7. Cheryl K. (Merlani H. stated Cheryl K. was the previous speaker.) 191 8. Merlani H. lives 3 minutes from Mitchell Park and supports keeping the tennis courts unchanged. 192 Parking and restroom capacity is already difficult. She believes expanding pickleball will cause 193 more congestion. Friendship and connection are built on the tennis court. 194 9. Kala M. began playing tennis 20 years ago and her kids also play. She utilizes the tennis courts at 195 Mitchell Park and opposes the proposal to convert the courts. 196 10. Tracy F. stated Tennis Courts 1 and 2 are used for instruction. If Courts 3 and 4 are taken away, 197 the public will not be able to play tennis. She is concerned about the long-time tennis players who 198 would no longer be able to use the courts. 199 11. David M. has been playing tennis for over 40 years. He stated tennis courts are a long-term 200 resource for many. Tennis has been an outlet for his daughter with special needs. He is concerned 201 of the effects on families like his if the courts are lost. Mr. M. believes popularity growth should 202 not be the only reason to make changes. He encouraged the Commission to consider the broader 203 community not in attendance. 204 12. Jett K. is a captain for a USTA adult league tennis team. She had requested preferred times and 205 all 3 were declined due to unavailability. She is concerned if 2 more courts are converted to 206 pickleball courts, it will be difficult to secure tennis courts and get more residents to play for the 207 team. 208 13. Olenka V. thanked Mr. Howard and the staff for the recommendation. She started the Magical 209 Bridge Playground and is not anti-pickleball but is about placement, noting concern for those 210 being displaced. It took 7 years to raise the money for the playground. The tennis courts were 211 quiet neighbors. She noted for those with autism, sensory sensitivities, PTSD, dementia, etc., the 212 high-pitched noise from pickleball causes distress, anxiety, and overwhelm. She stated families 213 have been leaving the playground. Some who utilize the playground are nonverbal and rely on 214 the playground and the park for safety and quiet. A member was almost hit by a car. Ms. V. 215 reiterated she is not anti-pickleball but is asking for equity and consideration and questioned why 216 some of the community’s most marginalized people have to inherit the noise situation. She asked 217 that Mitchell Park be restored to a place for every member of the community with consideration 218 to move the pickleball courts to a location with more space and parking. 219 14. Tom N. stated pickleball has 80 percent of the resources while tennis has 20 percent and asked 220 the Commission to reject the proposal. He believes this would not create a fair use of space for 221 everyone and that it is already difficult to get enough time to play tennis at Mitchell Park. 222 15. Ravi K. said Mitchell Park is a community resource and believes the character of the park will be 223 destroyed by increasing pickleball. He is concerned about the disruption for the children at the 224 Magical Bridge Playground and others who use the lawn and playground. He echoed the pressure 225 on parking. Mr. K. stated nearby citizens are afraid to speak publicly but are also affected. He 226 noted it is neighboring cities, not Palo Alto, which have a shortage of pickleball courts. 227 16. Frank L. did not provide comment. 228 17. Sifeng L. did not provide comment. 229 18. Khamh T. appreciates Palo Alto’s tennis courts. 230 19. Laurens V. stated his younger kids learned to play tennis on the Mitchell Park courts and believes 231 it is unfair to take the courts away from the Palo Alto community and those living nearby. His wife 232 plays pickleball and she is opposed to expanding the pickleball courts. 233 20. Wenxin H. is a USTA captain who plays tennis at Mitchell Park. He noted the multicultural, 234 multipurpose park. If courts are converted to pickleball, he states there will only be 4 courts for 235 all Palo Alto citizens. He is not against pickleball but it should be moved to another place because 236 it creates a lot of noise and impacts activities. 237 21. Ted F. plays both tennis and pickleball. Various age groups play tennis on the courts every day and 238 he stated it is their future. He addressed David Siegel, asking him to focus the energy and 239 persistence he has with the Pickleball Club on finding a solution that will not have a negative 240 impact. 241 22. Cliff C. is president of the Mountain View Pickleball Club. He stated they have 6 dual-striped courts 242 and 2 dedicated courts. The City is receiving a proposal for a private property public pickleball 243 facility. He noted other cities are trying to increase the supply of pickleball to relieve demand from 244 Mitchell Park. He stated there are no conflicts with the dual-striped courts and there is an 245 agreement with the tennis club on shared hours. He does support expansion of pickleball courts. 246 A member of the public voiced disagreement and Chair Freeman intervened. 247 23. Robert C. added to others’ comments that expansion of the pickleball courts will result in only 1 248 lit court for walk-on tennis because most courts are reserved for instruction or USTA matches. 249 24. Carina T. is a junior at Gunn High School and member of the Gunn High Pickleball Club. She 250 explained how pickleball is beneficial and the challenges at Mitchell Park. Ms. T. hopes Palo Alto 251 will be supportive of providing space for youth to play pickleball. 252 25. Max Z. is a sophomore at Palo Alto High School and president of the Paly Pickleball Club. He noted 253 that pickleball applies to all ages. As both a soccer and pickleball player, he stated advantages of 254 pickleball are playability and accessibility. The Paly Pickleball Club tripled in size in the course of a 255 month after its founding and continues to grow. Mr. Z. stated it grows 30 percent per year on 256 average, more than other clubs. He provided reasons youth are not often playing pickleball at 257 Mitchell Park and would like a designated place to play for those of the same age. He believes the 258 mental health of teens would be improved and that more space and youth-priority courts would 259 allow youth leagues and community events. He supports the proposed expansion at Mitchell Park. 260 26. Long N. asked the Commission to consider that children need a healthy, safe, peaceful, and no- 261 noise environment to learn. He provided ratios of city populations to pickleball courts. 262 27. David Siegel, president of the Palo Alto Pickleball Club, thanked the staff and Mr. Howard for 263 support of pickleball. He represents membership and others who utilize the courts. He asked 264 attendees who play pickleball to raise their hands. Mr. Siegel stated he has seen pickleball save 265 lives and urged people to consider the impact of pickleball since COVID-19, bringing people out of 266 isolation. He reported on June 14, there will be a youth event at Mitchell Park for the Gunn and 267 Paly Pickleball Clubs. The proposal includes 4 dedicated youth courts. He noted the Commission’s 268 understanding of youth mental health by the use of track monitors to deter suicide. Mr. Siegel 269 stated research shows pickleball reduces isolation and builds belonging among teens. He stated 270 the proposal is about reaching more people with the joy and benefits of pickleball and hosting 271 more community events. He believes pickleball supports people of all ages who are isolated. He 272 assured parking is being discussed and the Club may pay for sound barriers if feasible. The Club 273 has offered to fund lights at Cubberley to expand tennis availability after dark. He brought to 274 attention the lack of mentioning pickleball’s health benefits in Mr. Howard’s report and also spoke 275 about highlights from the report. He noted commercial courts have opened or will soon and 276 agrees the Baylands site is not realistic. He states the issue is not tennis versus pickleball but 277 pickleball versus loneliness, depression, and community. Traffic, parking, and noise were stated 278 to be legitimate concerns that Mr. Siegel takes seriously. He asked the Commission to weigh those 279 concerns against the goal of improving social and mental health of the residents. Mr. Siegel 280 concluded with his request for 2 out of 54 public tennis courts to be repurposed for 8 pickleball 281 courts. 282 28. Jack K. stated pickleball has helped him since his diagnosis of Parkinson disease. Due to long 283 waiting times at Mitchell Park, he and his wife have been playing at Rengstorff Park. Mr. K. quoted 284 a statement from the Parkinson’s Foundation noting pickleball is beneficial for people with 285 Parkinson disease and boosts mental health and emotional wellbeing. He empathized with those 286 who will not pick up the sport because of the crowds at Mitchell Park. 287 29. Henry R. is an officer with the Palo Alto Tennis Club. He stated he is not adversarial, thanked the 288 Commission, and appreciated the public comments. Mr. R. pointed out that converting 2 tennis 289 courts to pickleball will not solve a youth crisis. 290 30. Peter F. is a parent from the Challenger School near Mitchell Park. He stated playing tennis and 291 connecting with the community at Mitchell Park helped him recover from mental health issues. 292 He has respect for pickleball players but the sport is noisy and affects the students at the 293 Challenger School and people at Magical Bridge Playground. He requested the City to find a way 294 to both support recreation and protect the learning environment. 295 31. Vittorio F. pointed out the difference in the availability of tennis versus pickleball courts. He stated 296 tennis players will have to go to several courts to try and find a place to play while pickleball has 297 a bigger rotation with less of a likelihood of not being able to play. Taking Mitchell courts and lit 298 courts out, he noted there are only 4 courts. 299 32. Anne C. is an Olympian from 1960 who stated she believes in the value of sports for everyone. 300 She thanked everyone for the discussion. She appreciated the community and its facilities and 301 would like to see how everyone can work together to make changes. She is supportive of the 302 conversion of tennis courts to pickleball and of lighting courts at Cubberley to extend tennis 303 playing time into the evening. Ms. C. stated she would like to restart the Joint Commission Task 304 Force. 305 33. Jared P. stated he plays tennis and attended due to curiosity. He thought Mr. Howard’s 306 recommendation made sense because there are more pickleball players. He indicated if pickleball 307 takes over a couple courts, they will take over the whole park and does not understand why 308 pickleball does not go to another location. 309 34. Jenny L. thanked Mr. Howard for his report. She noted the main issue with pickleball is noise. She 310 stated Boise, Idaho, had converted tennis courts to pickleball and then had to reconvert due to 311 noise and has set a legal precedent. She voiced her concern for AchieveKids who is next door to 312 the proposed courts. 313 35. Minxia Z. spoke about noise complaints and indicated concerns have not been addressed. 314 36. Cash’s father reported a bond he has with his son over tennis. If the 4 courts at Mitchell Park 315 become 2, he believes it will be impossible to play and continue bonding. Cash spoke about the 316 importance of playing tennis at Mitchell Park with his father and friends and his concern of no 317 longer being able to play there. 318 37. Kathy F.’s video was played, noting the focus on Mitchell Park is because there are no nearby 319 residences to be disturbed by the noise. 320 38. Brian N. appeared via Zoom. As CEO of AbilityPath and Learning Links, he stated the pickleball 321 courts cause a challenge to an oasis created for individuals with developmental disabilities and 322 learning differences. He would like a solution that meets the needs of pickleball and tennis players 323 while protecting the oasis. He believes it would be a travesty to make Magical Bridge unusable 324 due to noise and hopes for a long-term solution elsewhere regarding the pickleball courts. 325 39. Karen H. appeared via Zoom and asked the Commission to consider the sensitivities of those with 326 developmental disabilities. She used an example of planting the right tree in the right place, 327 avoiding conflict, which she believes applies in this case. 328 40. Brian W. appeared via Zoom. He stated he believes Mitchell Park should be inclusive. He believes 329 pickleball is overpowering the other activities. Mr. W. pointed out sound features within Magical 330 Bridge Playground are no longer audible due to noise from the pickleball courts. He said he would 331 like the City to restrict pickleball to allow other activities to flourish. 332 Chair Freeman thanked all members of the public for providing feedback. He acknowledged this is a 333 difficult issue. One of his concerns is understanding the balance between the 2 sports. Chair Freeman 334 appreciated that Mr. Howard’s report included parking, noise, operational impacts, and user 335 experience. He noted hearing everyone’s perspective is of the most interest. He would like to see both 336 communities get together to come to a solution and reported that other cities are facing a similar 337 issue. 338 Commissioner Brown reported she has been working on the courts throughout the duration of her 339 time on the Commission. She stated the Park’s master plan says demand and capacity of major 340 recreational facilities should be evaluated every 5 years and that the staff has been doing this almost 341 annually. Commissioner Brown said space is a concern. She appreciates the mental health comments 342 and the desire to create opportunities for youth. She echoed Chair Freeman’s comments about finding 343 a balance. Chair Brown spoke about the principles of the Park’s master plan, which include balance 344 and flexibility. She supported the recommendation to pause the expansion of pickleball in Mitchell 345 Park and continue the effort of identifying future spaces, not only what is currently available but what 346 could be possible. Chair Brown stated she is not in favor of the reservation system. 347 Commissioner Deng expressed empathy for both sides as she has played tennis and pickleball. She 348 stated she would like to respect and support the staff recommendation. She is interested in creative 349 solutions and collaboration between both communities. 350 Vice Chair Wei echoed remarks from the Commission. She encouraged the Pickleball Club to partner 351 with staff on practical sound mitigation strategies and provided some examples. She noted the 352 importance of the Magical Bridge Playground. She supported looking for alternative spaces. 353 Commissioner Axelrod stated he has played both sports and utilizes Mitchell Park frequently. He 354 supported a long-term balance solution while addressing the conflicts at Mitchell Park. He would be 355 interested in looking into mitigations and lighting courts at Cubberley. 356 Commissioner Kleinhaus appreciated everyone’s opinions. She voiced her concern that the group 357 from AchieveKids, AbilityPath, and Magical Bridge were not involved in the conversation at first and 358 believes this is a failure. She noted new housing going in for people with developmental disabilities 359 and wondered if they would be able to use their outdoor space due to the noise. Either way, she 360 believes a solution for sound must be achieved, including looking into another space. Commissioner 361 Kleinhaus spoke about a similar situation in Mountain View. She stated noise also needs to be 362 considered with alternative locations. 363 Commissioner Smith apologized to the community for failure regarding Friends of the Palo Alto Parks 364 with regard to noise. He stated Monica is the mother of pickleball in Palo Alto and the mother of 365 Peninsula Pickleball. He believes everyone needs to work together on the sound and that it does not 366 make sense to put the courts in close proximity to a cafe and a playground. He supported the 367 Commission’s proposal. 368 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims acknowledged the challenge as a community and hoped for all to 369 treat each other with kindness and compassion in coming up with desired solutions. 370 MOTION A: Chair Freeman, seconded by Vice Chair Wei, recommended that the City Council move 371 forward with staff recommendation 372 (Staff and the Ad Hoc Committee recommend the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) support 373 the recommendation to not increase inventory of City of Palo Alto (City) pickleball courts, including 374 conversion of additional City tennis courts at Mitchell Park based on analysis of operational, parking, 375 noise, and user conflict concerns.) 376 Discussion ensued between commissioners and Chair Freeman to clarify the motions. 377 MOTION CARRIED: 7-0 378 MOTION B: Chair Freeman recommended forwarding to the City Council for review and approval. 379 Discussion ensued and it was determined there was no need for a second motion. 380 Commissioner Axelrod recommended a motion for staff to return with a plan incorporating the 381 parking and noise abatements at Mitchell that were discussed and lighting courts at Cubberley in 382 order to continue further discussions. It was determined a separate motion was not needed. 383 COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 384 Ms. Robustelli spoke about future meeting agendas and noted that public comment on items not on 385 the agenda will be at the end of the meeting. June’s agenda includes a second deck study, Measure E 386 site, and Park Improvement Ordinance for Foothills Improvement Plan and Arastradero Creek 387 Pipeline. She stated there is too much on the agenda and one of the PIOs can be pushed to the July 388 meeting. 389 Chair Freeman was informed by the clerk that no additional speakers were on Zoom and adjourned 390 the meeting. 391 ADJOURNMENT 392 The meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.