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The Springtown Open Space project passed muster at a regular Livermore Planning Commission meeting last week, except for the redesign of Marlin Pound Neighborhood Park due to noise concerns related to proposed pickleball courts.
The park is set to be redesigned, sans court, and returned to the commission for review. Revisions will be completed through a collaboration between the city, Livermore Area Recreation Park District and the community, officials said.
“Please show up for those LARPD meetings. Please show up for those community meetings,” Commissioner Tracy Kronzak said of the opportunity for Marlin Pound redesigns. “It is your neighborhood, it is your park and it is your quality of life, and you deserve something that you want.”
Aside from the changes at Marlin Pound, the rest of phase 1 of the Springtown Open Space project — redevelopment of the former Springtown Golf Course into a six-acre community park with an 18-hole disc golf course — received the commission’s support. Their approval means the project design will go directly to the city’s engineering department for execution. Construction is set to begin June 2025 and reach completion in December 2025.
In addition to disc golf, the area is set to feature a community garden, classroom picnic area and multi-generation plaza for games like corn hole and chess.
In 2017 Livermore City Council adopted the Springtown Open Space Plan, which the city created with LARPD. At the time, funding issues delayed action on the project.
Following community feedback, the plan’s design in 2023 included a multi-use pickleball/tennis court and disc golf course.
After some additional feedback and adjustments, the city shared during a community outreach meeting this summer that the pickleball/tennis courts were specifically slated for Marlin Pound. Four pickleball courts would be located within two tennis courts at the existing location of a half basketball court at the park. The basketball court would be relocated within the site.
LARPD extended its support for the conceptual plans and community feedback was largely positive at the June 25 outreach meeting, according to staff.
Noise studies found that the pickleball courts would not produce noise in excess of allowable levels from the city’s general plan, officials said. Pickleball games would not contribute to additional noise at night because the park would only be open during daylight hours, they added.
At the meeting on Dec. 3, eight of nine public commenters spoke out against the pickleball courts. The one outlier supported the disc golf course in the community park and did not mention pickleball.
Among the top concerns of residents were noise disruption, parking availability and house values. A few of the speakers suggested moving it to a less populated area of Livermore.
Opposition also submitted a petition to move the courts with over 100 signatures.
“For a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood like Springtown, this level of disruption is unacceptable,” said Christine Guzman, a resident who said she lives near the park. “This is not just about a pickleball court. It’s about preserving the integrity and quality of life in our neighborhood.”
Momentarily, the game can create noise at a level of 70 dBA, according to studies by consultant Saxelby Acoustics. Over the period of an hour, the average noise level is 44.5 dBA when combined with the ambient noise, according to staff.
The city’s only noise standard regulates the average level, which it sets as 55 dBA, so the estimated volume with the pickleball courts was determined to be within standard limits, staff explained.
Kronzak questioned whether the right measurements have been taken into account for the pickleball courts. Kronzak also questioned if the city has the right standards by which to measure the game noise.
Kronzak then hinted at potential fallout from the commissioners’ decision. “Everybody in Livermore knows, the next step is to take approved projects to the court.”
Staff assured the commissioners that if taken to court, they would likely rule in favor of Livermore. The standards are being met, as they are currently laid out, staff said.
Vice chair Yolanda Fintschenko asked about alternative sources for obtaining noise guidelines, which staff considered possible but unusual for the city.
When the discussion shifted to mitigation measures, commissioner Daniel Leary warned of its potentially high costs. He suggested exchanging the court with another feature.
In response to the court site being supported by LARPD, Steven Dunbar added, “It sounds like they’re spreading out equitable access to a location that doesn’t really want it.”
Ultimately, the commissioners unanimously agreed that the overall project was consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act and approved the site plan design review for phase 1 of the Springtown Open Space project, with an amendment to remove Marlin Pound Park.
Redesigned plans for Marlin Pound will undergo future review by the commission.
