LAKEPORT, Calif. – The first permanent beach handball courts in the country may soon become a part of Westside Community Park.

On Tuesday night, the Lakeport City Council voted unanimously to change the plans for the park's second phase to add the sand courts and a BMX pump track.

It's the latest update to the park plans that have gotten the go-ahead from the council in recent months.

At its June 2 meeting, the council also approved a proposal to add a disc golf course to the park, as Lake County News has reported.

Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider introduced the request, which he said would be a minor change to the ongoing development of the park.

The proposal by the Lake County Team Handball group calls for three sand courts, with areas for spectators, staging and cleaning.

The updated plans from the Westside Community Park Committee also call for a BMX pump track – a smaller track for practicing, not racing – rather than a full BMX track and skate park.

Grider said the proposal went to the Westside Community Park Committee and the Lakeport Parks and Recreation Committee, where it was unanimously accepted and forwarded to the council.

“These courts will be available to everybody,” said Grider.

Westside Community Park Committee Chair Dennis Rollins and beach handball enthusiast Adam Newell explained the proposal to the council.

Rollins said Newell and Jonathan Thorn approached the committee about adding the sand courts to the park plan. Meetings ensued with city officials – including the city engineer – and the plans were updated.

“It got to the point where we thought this was a good idea,” said Rollins.

Rollins said the proposal was for the beach handball group to have six months from council approval to provide documentation that the courts will be used. Representatives also are to meet with city staff to work on plan details, and will provide the funds to construct the courts.

The Westside Community Park Committee supported the proposal for a variety of reasons, including the fact that committee members don't believe a skate park belongs at the facility, Rollins said.

“It feels like the skate park should be more in town,” said Rollins, adding that there has been no sustained effort to build one from the skate park community.

He said a pump track is a good option, with lower costs and maintenance needs.

Newell said the goal is to have the courts available to the community for a variety of beach-based sports, in addition to beach handball. They also plan to make outreach to local schools.

He described beach handball as a fast-paced mix of polo, hockey and soccer that is part of the Pan American Games. The sport developed in Europe and is now catching on in the United States.

Players use their hands to pass a small rubber ball – there are different sizes for children, men and women – and attempt to get it into goals at the end of the courts using their hands. Four players for each team is on the court at any one time, with no contact allowed.

Everyone can play the sport, Newell said.

The local beach handball group is planning tournaments, said Newell. The team participates in tournaments across the United States, including a recent event in Alabama. Newell is planning to head to Los Angeles for another such event in August.

He said the goal is to build beach handball courts at Westside Community Park that are to the Pan American Games standard, which would allow them to host big tournaments here for beach handball, as well as beach volleyball and soccer.

Councilman Marc Spillman said he appreciated that the team is planning to reach out to local schools.

Newell said the courts will be the first permanent beach handball courts in the United States.

In response to questions about the sport from Councilman Kenny Parlet, Newell explained that the courts are about the size of a basketball court.

He said it is very fast-paced, with a lot of action and running, and offense and defense moving back and forth rapidly. There are two five-minute halves, with goals generally scored about every 15 to 20 seconds. It's a fun sport to watch in general, and not hard to learn, he said.

Newell said he and Thorn also are certified for coaching and refereeing for the sport, which can help them in working with the schools.

Rollins said he's watched a video of the sport. “There is a lot of movement going on. It's really quite energetic.”

“The first time I played, I threw up a couple of times,” added Newell, a comment which was greeted by laughter from the council.

Spillman moved to approve the request, which the council approved unanimously.

In other business on Tuesday, Finance Director Dan Buffalo took to the council a resolution declaring the council's intention to adopt increased solid waste collection rates, set a public hearing for Sept. 15 and issue a public notice under the auspices of Proposition 218, and a separate resolution adopting guidelines for submitting and tabulating protests in connection to the rate hearings.

Buffalo said the rates will increase by 1 percent to cover an administrative pass-through. City Manager Margaret Silveira said another reason for the increase is that the city is taking over commercial billing.

The council unanimously approved both resolutions.

The council also approved a request brought to them by Silveira to create a temporary community chalkboard on the north side of city hall in concert with the Regional Economic Development Committee's second annual Leadership Summit, which takes place in October.

Also on Tuesday, Grider introduced several new city staffers, including pool manager Reanna Hoaglen, mechanic Gary Lowblad, sewer and water construction crew member Tom Sheffer, Parks Department staffer John Banuelos and maintenance worker Steven Edwards.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram introduced new city planner Dan Chance, who comes to the city with extensive experience and already has been busy with less than a week on the job.

Mayor Martin Scheel presented employee awards to Carl Touros, volunteer of the year; Martha Huerta and Rebekah Dolby, peer awards; and Jim Kennedy, management award.

School also presented to Buffalo a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting given by the Government Finance Officers Association for the city’s annual financial report.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.