Reston Association Delays Pickleball Vote Until September

RESTON, VA — The Reston Association Board has postponed a decision on a series of pickleball recommendations until its September meeting after reviewing a staff presentation on court usage, future planning and potential improvements.

The board heard a presentation from RA CEO Peter Lusk during its Thursday night meeting but chose to defer action on staff recommendations, giving directors additional time to consider the proposals and their place within the association's broader facilities master plan.

Staff Recommends Dedicated Pickleball Courts At Autumnwood

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Although no action was taken, staff recommended converting the Autumnwood courts into eight dedicated pickleball courts by eliminating tennis play there no later than Sept. 1.

Additional recommendations included designing improvements for the site as part of the 2027 Capital Improvement Program, evaluating usage after the conversion and reporting back to the board in January 2027. Staff also plans to present a broader facilities master plan, including additional pickleball siting options, in December.

Lusk said the recommendation reflects changing expectations among players.

"Many pickleballers do not consider pickleball courts on tennis courts to be dedicated," he said, explaining that converting Autumnwood would create additional dedicated court space while responding to player requests.

Because the board deferred the matter, none of the recommendations have been approved.

Study Found Continued Interest, Available Court Time

The presentation summarized data collected over 32 days at the Autumnwood courts after board members requested additional information during the June meeting. Staff monitored activity during 12 operating hours each day, covering more than 3,000 hours of available court time. Courts were occupied about 66 percent of the time, while periods of unused court availability remained throughout the day.

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During the 8 to 11 a.m. time period alone, staff observed approximately 956 players and 94 people waiting to play. However, an average of three courts remained open because many players preferred waiting to play with friends or specific groups rather than joining games already in progress, Lusk said.

A separate survey of 105 participants — including 91 RA members and 14 non-members — found support for launching a pickleball league in spring 2027. Respondents expressed less interest in a paddle-stacking rotation system than in additional signage and water bottle filling stations.

Criteria Would Guide Future Court Locations

Lusk said staff continue to develop siting criteria that would be incorporated into the association's facilities master plan. Proposed criteria include:

• A minimum 500-foot setback from the nearest residence.
• Space for at least four dedicated courts.
• Existing amenities such as parking, restrooms, shade and drinking water.
• Sound mitigation measures.
• Environmental considerations, including tree impacts and resource protection areas.

He noted that while the United States Pickleball Association no longer recommends a specific residential setback, RA continues using a 500-foot minimum. Staff also no longer recommend colocating pickleball and tennis because the sports have evolved to require different types of facilities.

As an example, staff evaluated the Colts Neck courts using the proposed criteria but emphasized that no decision has been made on additional locations. Lusk said staff intentionally avoided publicly evaluating multiple sites before community engagement to prevent residents from assuming nearby courts were already planned.

Residents Renewed Calls For More Courts

The July presentation was prompted by comments from residents during the June 26 board meeting, when several members urged the association to move more quickly on expanding pickleball opportunities.

Resident Terry McCarthy said many pickleball players were traveling outside Reston because of limited court availability and questioned why the association had not made more progress on additional facilities.

Julie Bitzer, chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, also urged the board to continue expanding pickleball options.

"I want to proclaim my avid endorsement of support for more pickleball court options as chair of the Parks Recreation Advisory Committee," Bitzer said. "We have been trying to promote this idea for many, many years."

Following Lusk's presentation and board discussion, directors voted to defer consideration of the staff recommendations until their September meeting, when they are expected to revisit the proposed changes.