Oak Harbor staff refine pickleball RFP; board leans toward 8 courts with room to expand

Oak Harbor staff updated the board on edits to a request for proposals for a community pickleball facility, asking designers to analyze the right number of courts and appropriate sites. Staff said the RFP removes overly prescriptive specifications and asks proposers to evaluate site options and materials, including concrete versus permeable pavement.

Discussion focused on court count and infrastructure. Staff noted many communities operate at high capacity and recommended planning for growth: "we27ll go to 12. We'll scale back down to 8. It might even be 6," a member summarized the options and the recommended approach was to plan a base footprint that allows future expansion. Members emphasized that proposals should include parking, restrooms, spectator seating, noise mitigation and egress for adjacent residential areas.

Board members asked staff to schedule a site visit with designers and requested that the RFP include explicit analysis of maintenance, support infrastructure and long-term use patterns. Staff said the finalized RFP will be distributed to allow for community feedback and designer proposals.