Katy council approves park renovations but strips out permanent pickleball conversion after public outcry

Katy City Council on Dec. 8 approved a capital-improvement package for Katy City Park but amended the bid to remove a planned permanent conversion of two tennis courts into pickleball courts after sustained public opposition.

Council approved the base bid for the park's drainage, subgrade, sidewalks and multipurpose turf work — a package staff said brings the total cost for the listed 6B items to $2,357,530 — while declining the alternate bid that would have converted two southern tennis courts for permanent pickleball use. The pickleball alternate was identified in staff materials as an alternate line item of roughly $51,000.

The vote followed more than two hours of public comment, during which multiple parents, league coaches and youth players described the courts as essential training spaces for teens and children who rely on lit courts for evening practice. "If we destroy those two tennis courts, that would take away a third of our courts," Kathy Disby told the council, noting the city has only six public tennis courts and that many local children walk to practice.

Council members said they heard the speakers' concerns. Council member Gina Hicks moved to approve the base bid without the pickleball alternate; the amended motion passed on voice vote. Council directed parks staff to solicit quotes to restripe two courts for dual use and to return results or share quotes with council, noting restriping would be a small-scope project that could be reversed if it proved unsuitable.

Staff advised the council that the base bid addresses safety and access issues — including subgrade work for the new multipurpose field, improved sidewalks and drainage — and that lighting and other field upgrades are part of the base scope. Staff also noted that fully separate pickleball courts would require additional site work (drainage and fencing) and could be more costly and disruptive.

Several council members and staff suggested alternative approaches such as restriping tennis courts with pickleball outlines or identifying other park sites for standalone pickleball courts. Council member Janet Courts urged staff to examine other locations and to return with options.

The amended approval preserves the park renovation timeline while leaving the permanent fate of the two tennis courts undecided. Council and staff said they will pursue lower-cost, temporary or restriping solutions first and evaluate longer-term standalone court options elsewhere in the city.

The decision comes amid a regional rise in pickleball amenities and continued high demand for public tennis time; staff said reservations and rentals for the tennis courts increased significantly in recent years, from roughly 274 court rentals in FY2022 to more than 1,000 in FY2024.