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05.21.2024 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP May 21, 2024 CALL TO ORDER The City Council met in a workshop session on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 in the Clermont City Council Chambers. Mayor Murry called the workshop to order at 6:30 pm with the following Council Members present: Council Members Pines, Myers and Gonzalez. Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, City Attorney Mantzaris, and City Clerk Howe. AGENDA ITEMS 1. Pickleball City Manager Bulthuis stated that the Council discussed pickleball at the January 16, 2024 workshop. The consensus of the City Council was to convert the tennis courts at Felter Park to pickleball. There have been delays in the project due to a bidding issue. Staff will move forward with the project if that is still the desire of council. City Manager Bulthuis presented Council a Power Point presentation with five options to review and chose which direction they want staff to pursue. Option 1 — Leave everything as is. Option 2 — Add pickleball lines to all tennis courts. The cost to add lines to Hancock Park and Palatlakaha Park is $11,000. Option 3 - Felter Park conversion. Convert the existing two tennis courts into six pickleball courts. The cost would be $100,000. Option 4 — Add 6 additional pickleball courts at Arts and Recreation Center. The cost for just the courts would be $175,000. To add lighting would be an additional $275,000. Adding a restroom would be an additional $260,000. Additional parking would cost $500,000 and adding a shade structure is an additional $50,000. Option 5 — Add lights to the six existing pickleball courts at the Arts and Recreation Center. The cost for lighting the courts would be $150,000. Adding a restroom would be an additional $260,000. Additional parking would cost $500,000 and adding a shade structure is an additional $50,000. City Manager Bulthuis explained to Council that staff believes the costs associated are the actual costs and it is the Council's decision how to move forward. Mayor Murry opened the floor to public comments. Firouz Farrokh, 3362 Saint Vincent Lane, Clermont — Tennis players are playing at Felter Park. He has observed usage of the tennis courts on different occasions and only once were pickleball players utilizing them. City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP May 21, 2024 Joey Qaundt, 655 Shady Nook Drive, Clermont — Prefers Option 3, the tennis courts are always open and pickleball continually has a line of people waiting to play. The city needs more pickleball courts. Sophia O'Keefe, 489 W Minnehaha, Clermont — Prefers Option 4. Painting lines on the tennis courts does not solve the problem; the net is the wrong height. The extras are not necessary at the Arts and Recreation Center. Linda Killoran, 1536 Sherbrook, Clermont — Prefers Option 1. In addition, likes option 4; however, it is a lot of money. Royce Johnson, 1083 Glenraven Lane, Clermont — Prefers Option 4. He prefers to have all of the courts in one location. Tod Howard, 1986 Brantley Circle, Clermont —He met with City Manager Bulthuis on this topic and would like the data on all of these uses. Without the data, he is uncomfortable moving forward. Micah Shivoe, Groveland resident — He inquired about adjusting the indoor gym schedule to allow pickleball indoors. Cheryl Chaplin, 3950 Liberty Hill Drive, Clermont — Prefers Option 4. She would like more courts to continue to play and to have shade. Catherine, Groveland Resident — Consider both tennis and pickleball players. Alvera McDowell, 12725 Amber Ave. — There are more pickleball courts than tennis courts. She requested the Council not remove the tennis courts. Beth Yarrish, 9347 Ivywood — Prefers Option 4. She requested the Council leave the tennis courts as is and build new pickleball courts. Mayor Murry closed the public hearing. Council Member Myers prefers option 4. The city needs more pickleball courts since more people are playing the sport and the players will be utilizing the courts. The additional courts have an immediate need however; the lights and extras can be in a future budget. Council Member Gonzalez stated that he also prefers option 4. He does not want to take away the tennis courts. Council Member Pines explained that the city receives recreation impact fees from developers that would go toward the decision that Council makes. If Council goes with option 4, the total cost with all additions is approximately $1.26 million. She will weigh all the options provided when it is time to vote. City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP May 21, 2024 Mayor Murry stated that Parks and Recreation staff previously performed a study and presented data regarding the usage of tennis courts in the city. The hesitancy with option 4 is the noise it can create and lights disturbing the surrounding residents. Building more courts will also affect the parking at the Arts and Recreation Center. Mayor Murry inquired about the average number of events held at the Arts and Recreation Center each month. Deputy City Manager Davidoff stated that over the last 18 months the average is 2 to 5 events per month. It can fluctuate seasonally based on the Clermont Performing Arts calendar and galas. If there were additional courts built at the Arts and Recreation Center, staff would recommend closing the pickleball courts during those large events to preserve parking for those guests. City Manager Bulthuis clarified that the discussion regarding the pickleball courts started after daylight savings time and the request was to add lights. From December to April, staff observed pickleball and tennis courts. It was observed that all the tennis courts were used at one time on four occasions. If it is Councils direction, staff will add this item to the May 28 agenda. If Council moves forward with option 4, staff will go out to bid for the project. Mayor Murry asked staff to move forward with placing the item on the next agenda and commended the Arts and Recreation staff. 2.Other No further comments. City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP May 21, 2024 ADJOURN: With no further comments, this workshop adjourned at 7:40pm. APPROVED: _._ Tim Murry, May r ATTEST Tracy Ackroyd Howe, MMC City Clerk