Mountain View in ‘active negotiations’ for new pickleball facility

Mountain View recently announced that it has identified a site for an interim pickleball facility after a proposal to build courts at Cuesta Park and the adjacent annex fizzled last year in the face of substantial opposition from nearby residents.

The city is currently negotiating the use of a privately owned property that could be developed as an outdoor pickleball facility, Community Services Director John Marchant told the City Council at a Jan. 27 meeting.

Marchant did not disclose the property’s location, but he said that it was “about half a mile from the nearest residential neighborhood in the eastern part of the city.” He also did not elaborate on how many courts the site could accommodate.

“We are in the initial stages of negotiation with the property owner to come to an agreement for the interim use of the site, after which the city could begin the process to design and construct the pickleball courts,” Marchant said.

The city is planning to use the site for at least five years while still looking for a permanent location for new pickleball courts, possibly at the same site, according to Marchant. He added that the interim site would include parking, but did not specify the number of spaces.

The city plans to share more updates in about two to three months, “subject to reaching a formal agreement with the property owner for the interim use of the site,” Marchant said.

Last year, a plan to potentially build pickleball courts at Cuesta Park and Cuesta Annex, a 12.5-acre plot of undeveloped open space next to the park, drew community pushback. A group of Mountain View residents launched a campaign, arguing that the courts would destroy valuable green and open space and disrupt the tranquility of the area.

The city also came up with an alternative plan to locate a pickleball facility at a site on San Rafael Avenue that Mountain View had recently purchased. However, residents of the area strongly objected to the idea on the grounds that it would take over much-needed green space and cause noise and parking issues in the neighborhood.

This story originally appeared in the Mountain View Voice. Emily Margaretten joined the Mountain View Voice in 2023 as a reporter covering City Hall.