Arroyo Grande council orders master plan work, delays decision on converting tennis courts for pickleball

Arroyo Grande — The City Council on Sept. 9 authorized staff to move forward with a master plan for the 18‑acre SOTA Sports Complex and adjacent Elm Street Park, including infrastructure priorities such as restrooms, lighting, safe spectator areas and pedestrian connections, but stopped short of approving a permanent conversion of tennis courts for pickleball play.

The master plan work approved by the council will proceed with community outreach and targeted engagement, and staff was directed to treat parking as an optimization issue rather than simply adding more spaces immediately. Sheridan Bolkin, the city’s director of recreation services, told the council the master plan was funded at $275,000 in the current capital improvement program and is scheduled to begin in October 2025 with a target for completion by June 30, 2026. Bolkin also told the council staff’s recommendation was “to defer installation until the master plan process is complete” for any multiuse court conversions so improvements are coordinated as part of a larger plan rather than piecemealed.

Why it matters: the SOTA complex and Elm Street Park serve dense neighborhoods and regional users for softball, soccer, youth sports, dog‑park users and court players. The council’s direction seeks to balance competing demands — tennis players and organized leagues that require four dedicated tennis courts,…