C4D - Refer Public Safety Committee to Discuss Perman...

Committee Referrals - C4 D

COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION

Refer an item to the September 10, 2025, Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC”) to discuss the Administration’s recommendation to make the current pilot neighborhood tennis court reservation program permanent, and to extend the program to the six tennis courts at the new Bayshore Park selecting Van Daalen Tennis, LLC. as the contractor to provide oversight of the courts due to their established relationship with the tennis program at Miami Beach Senior High.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

The Parks and Recreation Department has been addressing an influx of unregulated tennis lessons taking place at the city’s neighborhood tennis courts located at Palm Island, Normandy Shores, Fairway, and Polo Parks. The neighborhood tennis courts were designed for open free play on a first-come, first-served basis, and currently, unregulated private instruction is not allowed. Many attempts at enforcement and tamping down on unauthorized lessons has yielded little success as often times Park Rangers and Code Compliance do not see an exchange of money legitimizing the lesson and when confronted, Rangers and Code are told that it is not a lesson, but rather family members playing among each other, they are just hitting partners, etc. Additionally, as part of the popularity of tennis that has taken place past COVID, the Department has also heard from residents that live in walking distance to these courts and want the ability to take a private lesson at their neighborhood tennis court. The Park’s Department appreciates the value in both open tennis play and tennis instruction.

ANALYSIS

After reviewing the issue thoroughly, meeting the demand for both resident user groups that want open play and those that want to take private lessons, required an approach to allow for a system to book the tennis courts in an appropriate manner.

The Parks Department implemented a pilot program at the Normandy Shores, Fairway, and Palm Island tennis courts on September 3, 2024. Parks worked with Van Daalen Tennis (Miami Beach

Tennis Academy) who are the operators of the tennis facility at North Shore Park, and Canas Racket who are the operators of the tennis facility at Flamingo Park, to implement an online booking system for open play, classes, and private instruction with tennis professionals that are vetted, licensed, insured, and background.

The program at the Palm Island, Normandy Shores and Fairway Park tennis courts was implemented successfully and has received praise from the community. The number of unauthorized tennis instruction on the courts is at an all-time low and the open play court booking has been embraced as a much needed and welcomed change.

The Parks and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board passed a motion at the November 19, 2024, meeting recommending: …to make the pilot neighborhood tennis program permanent at the current locations, and to expand it to other City neighborhood parks with tennis courts. (Exhibit A)

Based on the success of the program, the expansion of the program moved to the courts at Polo Park in January 2025 due to an uptick in unauthorized tennis instruction which caused frustration from residents in the area who wished to play tennis but could not because pros had set up shop on the courts.

The structure of the current program is outlined below.

1. Program Description: Miami Beach residents currently have the option to book a court at Palm Island Park, Polo Park, Fairway Park, and Normandy Shores Park for the following: a) Private lessons with a vetted and authorized tennis instructor. • Instructors are vetted through the Flamingo Park Tennis Center (FPTC) for Palm Island and Polo Park, and at the Miami Beach Tennis Center (MBTC) for Fairway Park and Normandy Shores Park, and need to provide a Business Tax Receipt (BTR), certification through the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), and go through background screening. • Only 1 court at each facility is utilized for lessons. b) Open recreation play. • 1-2 courts available for open recreation play depending on the site. • No private lessons allowed. 2. Residents also have an option of coming to the site without a court booking on a first come, first served basis to play. • Provided there are no court bookings. • No private lessons allowed. 3. Peak Times Identified: 7am – 11am and 4pm-8pm (Monday – Sunday) 4. Fees: a) Private lessons start at $100 (based on instructor qualifications) b) Court Bookings $3.00 (residents) and $17.00 (guests) per person per hour for a court booking (doubles can book for 2 hours). 5. Court bookings are handled through the reservation platform systems of the Flamingo Park and Miami Beach Tennis Centers. 6. Staffing: Courts at Palm Island and Polo Park are managed by the FPTC and courts at Normandy Shores and Fairway are managed through MBTC under the direction of the Parks and Recreation Department. FPTC and MBTC staff are onsite for implementation and enforcement with the assistance of Park Rangers as needed. 7. Hours are open to be re-evaluated based on demand. 8. Number of courts to be used for programming are open to be re-evaluated based on demand.

Based on the success of the pilot program at the neighborhood tennis courts, the Parks and

Recreation Department recommends that the pilot program become permanent, and that the existing management agreements for both Canas Racket and Van Daalen Tennis, LLC. be amended to include the oversight and management of the neighborhood courts.

Further, with the completion of the Bayshore Park project expected at the end of September, the Parks and Recreation Department also recommends that Van Daalen Tennis, LLC. which currently oversees the MBTC and the neighborhood courts at Fairway and Normandy Shores Park, manage the 6 tennis courts at the new Bayshore Park. The tennis courts at Bayshore Park will be primarily used for Miami Beach Senior High School’s tennis program, and given the established relationship that Van Daalen Tennis, LLC. has through its Tennis Academy with the high school, it is recommended to keep that existing relationship intact for a seamless and efficient use of the facility.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT

There would be no operating or staffing impact. Revenue would be generated from this program.

Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)

If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

N/A

CONCLUSION

N/A

Applicable Area

Citywide

Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No

If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):

Department

Parks and Recreation

Sponsor(s)

Commissioner Alex Fernandez

Co-sponsor(s)

Condensed Title

Ref: PSNQLC - Make Pilot Neighborhood Tennis Court Reservation Program Permanent. (Fernandez) PKS

Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)