Council hears parks-fee changes, refundable tournament deposit and pickleball upgrade plan

Greg Anderson, representing the parks advisory committee, presented a first reading of a parks-fee schedule update and related facility-improvement recommendations at the Feb. 16 Louisville council meeting.

Anderson said the committee consulted user groups (baseball, softball and the YMCA) on suggested fee levels. The proposal sets $250 per field per season for city leagues with a $1,500 cap for organizations that need multiple fields; non-city leagues were recommended to pay $500 per field per season. Anderson said the fees are intended primarily to help cover maintenance costs, such as field dragging and upkeep, not to generate excess revenue.

For tournaments and new facilities (including a proposed concession stand), the advisory committee recommended a refundable deposit to protect the city against damage and to improve scheduling reliability. "If somebody plans a tournament and they don't show up, they do take those facilities offline for other people to plan for," Anderson said, explaining the deposit rationale.

On recreation infrastructure, Anderson recommended expanding and reconfiguring the existing pickleball courts so they meet tournament standards and to add two more courts to address capacity and drainage concerns. He asked council direction to seek rough cost estimates and determine whether available measure-trust funds would cover construction or whether a bid process would be required.

Council had no immediate objection to advancing the changes; Ordinance 26-10 (the parks schedule amendment) was brought to the table for first reading and will return for additional committee and public discussion before final action.

No final ordinance was adopted at this meeting; council recorded votes to move the item forward for later consideration.