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Commission approves rezoning to expand Oak Trails Park; public urges pickleball courts
Summary
The city commission rezoned five parcels to parks and recreation to allow expansion of Oak Trails Park. Residents urged inclusion of pickleball courts and raised environmental and traffic concerns during the public hearing.
The Coconut Creek City Commission adopted Ordinance 2025-003 on Feb. 13 to rezone properties west of Oak Trails Park from A-1 (agricultural) to P (parks and recreation) to facilitate expansion of the park.
The rezoning, presented as a city-sponsored application, covers parcels described during the hearing as 4140250 Northwest 70 Fourth Street (as read into the record). The ordinance provides findings and conditions of approval and was moved and seconded during the meeting; the commission voted unanimously.
Public comment included residents urging active uses on the expanded parkland. Lee Pinbride, who lives near the site, asked the commission to “put a pickleball” court in the park, saying there is high demand at local facilities and that pickleball promotes community health. Another resident, Sean Miami, asked the commission to consider environmental impacts, citing loss of natural trees, the presence of gopher tortoises, and potential traffic impacts from nearby developments.
Commissioner Riedell (district representative for the northern part of the city) said preserving a passive, low-impact character for the park had been a priority and that, while he supports passive uses, pickleball “is not always the right place in the right park.” He said he supports the rezoning to keep the parcels protected as parkland rather than allow private development.
Sustainable Development Director Justin Proffitt told the commission the item had previously passed first reading and that, after adoption, the ordinance becomes effective 90 days later to allow staff time to implement the new rules and train staff on impact fee and permitting changes tied to the rezone process.
The vote was recorded as a roll call: Commissioners Riedell, Wasserman, Brody, Vice Mayor Railey and Mayor Welch voted yes. The commission’s action preserves 15 contiguous acres for passive park use, staff said, and community meetings will continue as any design work or funding efforts proceed. Several speakers requested specific amenities; staff and commissioners noted that final programming and funding are separate steps and would be addressed in future planning and budget sessions.
