Plan commission hires park design consultant; neighbors object to possible 12 Lions Park pickleball courts

The New Berlin Plan Commission voted unanimously May 5 to recommend that the Common Council approve a contract with a design consultant to prepare a park plan for Lions Park, a process that could include up to 12 new pickleball courts.

Neighbors attending the meeting used the commission’s “privilege of the floor” to oppose locating courts at the existing community center site, saying the courts would be too close to nearby homes and would generate disruptive noise. Karen Hart, a resident at 16230 West National Avenue, said proposed placements could be as close as 100 feet to some backyards and called the plan “a lot of people playing pickleball and hitting balls.”

The commission chair and staff emphasized the vote approved only a design contract and not a final park plan or construction. Planning staff said the consultant will produce a conceptual plan, hold at least one neighborhood meeting, and return to the Plan Commission and ultimately to the Common Council with a recommended design and cost estimate. The council will decide whether to fund and build elements of the plan.

During public comments several residents near Lions Park said they had not been notified directly about the proposal and asked for more outreach. Kathy Flynn Wenney, who lives at 2601 South Brookland Road, said she believed earlier conversations with city officials indicated pickleball courts would not be placed at that site and said lights and extended hours would intensify impacts. Colleen Rauch and Diane Devore described pickleball noise as louder than tennis and said Lions Park is small and surrounded by homes.

Commissioners discussed the item as a design contract, not an approval of courts, lights, or construction. Commissioner Felder and others said the design phase will allow staff, neighbors and the consultant to evaluate layouts and mitigation. Staff noted the community center demolition decision was made previously by the council and that no construction budget is yet allocated; implementation likely would be several years away and requires subsequent approvals.

The motion to recommend council approval of the consultant selection passed unanimously. Staff said the design contract could produce alternatives that do not include pickleball courts, and that any final park design, funding and construction would require later review and council action.

Community members asked staff for clearer notice of future neighborhood meetings and for the consultant to consider noise mitigation, setbacks, hours, and accessibility during the design phase.