The Sun City West Governing Board on Dec. 12 directed staff to place three properties committee recommendations on next week’s meeting agenda for formal consideration: a teaching/commercial kitchen, repair or return of platform tennis courts to the capital plan and a major renovation of the RH Johnson Courtyard.

The recommendations originated with Director John Chattin, properties committee chair, who told the board the committee toured facilities this fall and recommended the three items be added to the FY27 capital improvement project evaluation. "We are requesting the board approve these 3 items for budget consideration," Chattin said. The board emphasized that placing the projects on the list is not the same as final funding approval.

Why it matters: directors said the items could affect how the association markets amenities to prospective residents, change how clubs use facilities and draw on limited CIP funds. "If we put money aside for these things, the first thing you have to put aside is planning dollars," Steven, the association general manager, said, noting staff proposed $100,000 in the FY27 budget for master‑planning and design work.

Discussion and detail: Directors questioned whether a full commercial kitchen is needed for cooking classes or whether a "teaching kitchen" or club‑level setup would suffice. Director Nick Turner said a commercial kitchen often supports banqueting and rentals, while others argued a teaching kitchen could be scaled for classes. Facilities manager Carl Wilhelm said the platform tennis courts are caged, in disrepair and that current cost estimates recently came in "in the 300 plus range" rather than earlier estimates near $500,000. Chattin and other directors noted the master‑planning process could identify the best long‑term locations for some of these investments.

Next steps: By consensus the board asked staff to add the three items to the list and to place them on next week’s regular meeting agenda for a formal vote on whether to advance them into the FY27 CIP process. Any final approval and funding decisions would occur later as projects are scoped and costed.

The board’s action ensures the projects will receive formal review in the coming weeks, with staff returning to answer detailed questions about scope, cost and timing.