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Caucus debates up to $145,000 for Martin Park pickleball sound mitigation; neighbors raise longstanding noise concerns
Summary
Councilmembers discussed funding and engineering options to add sound mitigation to Martin Park—s pickleball courts and agreed in caucus to advance an amendment to resolution 33 to increase the allocation for mitigation work.
Councilmembers in the Kingston Common Council Democratic Caucus discussed a plan to renovate Martin Park—s tennis and pickleball facilities and to add sound mitigation for nearby homes, with caucus members indicating they would propose an amendment on the council floor to increase the project authorization for sound mitigation.
A caucus member identified as Councilmember Jack summarized procurement steps, engineering options and vendor quotes for sound mitigation and said preliminary pricing for full coverage using an engineered barrier product (Pickle Block) and higher-strength fencing to handle wind load produced estimates in the mid-five figures. "With the engineering, with the pickle block material, and then we're having to upgrade the actual weight of the fencing to take the additional wind load on the pickle block, I'm looking at an addition of a hundred and $45,000," he said.
Jack told the caucus he had solicited a quote from PSN LLC, an engineering firm that provides site-specific noise-mitigation analysis for pickleball courts, and was waiting for additional quotes to complete the procurement process. He said he planned to write bid documents with a not-to-exceed amount for sound mitigation and to bring the matter to the full council the following day: "What we're gonna do is on the floor tomorrow, resolution number 33 to go add..." He then sought a motion in caucus; a caucus member named Bob seconded the motion.
Residents and council members then discussed the history of complaints. Neighbors said pickleball noise had been an ongoing issue for some nearby households, and councilmembers noted the pickleball courts— higher decibel profile compared with tennis. One resident said tennis courts had fallen into disrepair and that repairs to courts and safety issues were part of the project rationale.
Council discussion covered funding sources and fiscal impact. The caucus indicated the project would be paid from a recreation/trust fund that holds developer-contributed funds for park improvements; members said the fund has been unused for several years and that the proposed mitigation would not come from the city—s general fund. A caucus member noted the fund would take a "big hit" but would not be completely emptied; another member said the fund is regularly replenished by developer contributions. Councilmembers also discussed equity and prioritization for other parks: some said improvements could prompt other neighborhoods to request funds.
No final council vote took place in caucus. Caucus members agreed to advance an amendment to resolution 33 on the council floor to authorize an increased allocation (the caucus discussion referenced a proposed not-to-exceed $145,000 amendment) and to complete engineering reports and additional quotes to define the exact scope and cost before final procurement.
Ending: Caucus members asked staff to provide the engineering report and multiple vendor quotes, and the caucus planned to present the amended resolution to the full council the next day.
