Boulder moves to annex Hogan Pankost as part of East Boulder park and courts plan

City staff told the Boulder Parks & Recreation Advisory Board that the city has submitted an annexation application for the triangular Hogan Pankost parcel as part of an East Boulder Community Park project that would add courts and other park improvements. The presentation on the board's Jan. meeting outlined court-system recommendations, site constraints and next steps for zoning, design and funding.

The city plans to use roughly a 4- to 5‑acre area on the parcel’s southern edge for sports courts. “We hope to build up to eight new tennis courts,” a presenter said, noting a net gain of three tennis courts because five existing courts at the adjacent park would be converted to dedicated pickleball. Staff also described plans for 12 dedicated pickleball courts at Tom Watson Park and approximately 12 dedicated courts at East, which together would deliver the 24 dedicated pickleball courts staff said are needed now.

The nut of the matter is this: the property is not inside city limits and cannot be developed until annexed. Staff said the annexation must move through planning board and city council and will be followed by zoning and land‑use review before final design and permitting.

Staff framed the court work as part of a completed court system plan that sets a “level of service” for tennis and pickleball across Boulder. The plan recommended an additional 22 dedicated tennis courts and 22 dedicated pickleball courts to meet long‑term demand; staff said the projects now in motion would make a sizable dent in that need. Scott, the parks project manager, told the board the department is switching to post‑tension concrete for rebuilt courts to extend lifecycle to about 50 years and reduce long‑term maintenance costs.

Funding and partnerships were a central focus. Tom Watson Park’s court project has an estimated Class C cost of $2,016,000 with about $1.6 million identified, leaving an approximate $400,000 funding gap for lights, amenities and a parking improvement, staff said. The city plans a fundraising campaign with Play Boulder Foundation and will pursue grants (staff mentioned USTA, USDA and AARP as potential grant sources). Staff also described a letter of intent with the University of Colorado Boulder for an indoor, covered facility on the East site; CU would contribute capital and use the facility a fraction of the time, staff said. Project staff said they expect cost estimating to reach a Class B level in March and aim to have an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) draft in April–May.

Staff warned the East site is not raw land: it contains old ranch buildings, wetlands and a historic use as rodeo grounds and will require geotechnical and wetlands analysis. That analysis is already underway, staff said, and is the reason East’s timeline is longer than Tom Watson’s. In contrast, Tom Watson’s 12 dedicated pickleball courts are intended to be ready by fall and a Chautauqua courts rebuild is scheduled to start in March for completion in June.

Board members asked about neighborhood outreach, parking and access. Staff said they had reached out to property owners along the southern boundary and that most conversations had been constructive; they also said the southern portion of the parcel could remain relatively natural to reduce impacts. Staff emphasized that because the parcel is currently in Area 2 under the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, annexation to Area 1 is a required step before development.

Next steps listed by staff are finalizing annexation filings, completing wetlands and geotechnical work, advancing Class B cost estimating and beginning more detailed design and community engagement as zoning and land‑use review proceed. Staff said they will return to the board with design concepts once they are ready.

Votes recorded at the meeting did not apply to the East project; this item was presented for information and direction only.