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Oak Harbor board advances planning discussion for Harbor Heights, flags feasibility study for regional sports complex
Summary
Commissioners and staff discussed using Harbor Heights (roughly 76 acres) for trails, disc golf and a possible regional sports complex, and agreed to pursue a feasibility study (to be scoped and placed in future CIP/budget cycles) to weigh indoor facilities vs. expanded outdoor fields.
Commissioners spent substantial time on Nov. 13 discussing Harbor Heights and the city’s long-term sports facilities strategy, including a proposal for multiuse trails, a professionally designed disc golf course and the possible future addition of an indoor regional sports complex.
Staff said city council was receptive to activating Harbor Heights as a regional amenity but emphasized constraints: limited road access, challenging topography and proximity to a military base that restricts outdoor lighting in some locations. Commissioners noted those constraints make certain amenities (for example, lighted tournament fields) less feasible there and suggested that an indoor facility might be a higher priority if the city wants year-round, lighted court and turf space.
Multiple board members urged a scoped feasibility study to determine the right phased approach. Speakers raised the following practical questions: what acreage is needed for an indoor facility and supporting outdoor fields (staff said roughly 20 acres could be sufficient for an indoor facility with supporting fields), whether to buy contiguous parcels to control access and roads, and how the timing fits into the capital improvement program. One commissioner said the city should aim to budget feasibility work during the next budget process and target a longer-term capital program (example target cited: budget cycle leading to implementation after 2027).
Board members also discussed staging options: start by activating underutilized parkland and trails as lower-cost, early wins while developing a master plan and feasibility work for a larger regional complex. Staff cautioned that adding more intensive facilities will trigger additional infrastructure needs — restrooms, parking, access improvements and permitting — which increase costs substantially.
Next steps: commissioners supported moving forward with a clearly scoped feasibility study and asked staff to bring recommended scope and CIP timing to council and to the parks master plan effort.
