Pickleball ribbon-cutting set for Sept. 8; indoor facility concept faces design-review questions

Council members asked staff for updates on pickleball facilities. Community Development staff confirmed a ribbon-cutting for the Gibbons Park outdoor courts is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. The committee also discussed a proposed indoor pickleball facility: staff said the applicant has not yet submitted a building permit and that the building concept presented earlier does not meet the city's architectural design standards for that site. "The building they're showing now is just a big metal building without any windows or articulation," staff said, and staff cited a higher‑quality example (a multi‑kitchen/indoor-court facility in Lacey) as a design model that would meet Port Orchard standards. Staff said the project team revised the site plan but the building massing still needs more work before a permit application would be approvable.