ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council recently discussed potential upgrades to Encinitas Community Park, including adding pickleball and sand volleyball courts at the popular 44-acre recreational area along Santa Fe Drive.
The council’s conversation focused on the results of a feasibility study conducted by RRM Design Group. The study evaluated the potential for installing new courts at the park in areas initially earmarked for a teen center and an aquatic center, both of which were part of the park’s original master plan but have yet to be built.
“We started this conversation a long time ago, and it’s great to get to this milestone,” said David Norgaard, the city’s park operations manager. “The park has been a success, but the community has expressed interest in new amenities, particularly pickleball and sand volleyball.”
The study presented three options for the council’s consideration. The first would see two sand volleyball courts placed in the park’s northwest corner, where the teen center was originally planned. The second option proposed up to 12 pickleball courts in the northeast corner, replacing the planned aquatic center. A third option combined the two ideas, with four sand volleyball courts and eight pickleball courts.
Estimated costs for the upgrades range from $350,000 to $3 million, depending on which option is selected.
During the meeting, public speakers largely supported the addition of pickleball courts, with the sport’s growing popularity in Encinitas being a key point of discussion.
Eva Meier, a local pickleball advocate, spoke enthusiastically about the benefits of the sport.
“Pickleball has become a sport for all ages, from teens to retirees,” Meier said. “There’s just a huge demand, and the proposed location is perfect.”
Ross Ridder, chair of the Encinitas Parks and Recreation Commission, also spoke in favor of the new amenities but raised concerns about the feasibility of building the aquatic center due to its high cost.
“We haven’t seen recent community interest in building a teen center, and the aquatic center would require millions of dollars we don’t have in the budget,” Ridder said.
While council members expressed interest in the proposals, they agreed on the importance of further public outreach and engagement before making any decisions. Councilmember Bruce Ehlers stressed the need for additional data to ensure the proposed changes align with the community’s current needs and the park’s long-term plans.
“This is a great first step, but it’s premature to make any definitive decisions tonight,” Ehlers said. “We need to engage more with the public and understand how these changes would affect other planned uses for the park.”
The council plans to revisit the issue during upcoming budget discussions, with particular attention to the costs of public outreach and the steps required for an environmental review.
Mayor Tony Kranz emphasized the importance of considering the upgrades as part of the city’s long-term planning efforts.
“There are a lot of trade-offs here,” Kranz said. “We want to make sure we’re moving forward in a way that reflects the needs and interests of all park users.”
The council unanimously approved a motion directing city staff to assess the costs of further public outreach and report back during the next budget cycle. Councilmember Kellie Hinze was absent from the meeting.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story ran misspelling Eva Meier’s name. The article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling.
