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Commission considers 11 p.m. curfew, fixture limits for backyard sports-court lighting after resident complaints
Summary
Following multiple complaints about late-night sports-court lighting and noise — especially from backyard pickleball courts — the commission asked staff to draft a standalone lighting ordinance addressing fixture shielding, pole height, light spill and a possible 11 p.m. cutoff, and to coordinate enforcement language.
Fruit Heights planning commissioners spent substantial time reviewing complaints about backyard sports courts — primarily pickleball — and associated lighting and noise. Residents and commissioners said neighbors have reported bright lights and late-night play that disturbs bedrooms.
"I've had multiple calls from different residents now that there's all these pickle balls, floors, tours... where the light lights up the whole walk or lights up 3 or 4 meters houses at the same time," Speaker 5, City planner, told the commission. Commissioners reviewed model language used by other Utah cities and discussed several regulatory approaches, including requiring fixtures that direct light only onto the property, limiting pole heights, and imposing an evening cutoff for court lighting.
Many commissioners favored an explicit curfew: several suggested 11 p.m. as a reasonable time to require lights be turned off. "But 11 seems reasonable as part of the time," Speaker 2, Planning Commission member, said. Commissioners also discussed enforcement options; staff noted that law enforcement or code enforcement responses are possible when neighbors report violations.
The commission reviewed a noise summary presented by a member of the commission who referenced published measures that indicate pickleball can produce approximately "70 decibels at a 100 foot distance," which is louder than typical tennis play and above many outdoor decibel thresholds. "Compared to other sports courts, pickleball produces sounds at a louder level, approximately 70 decibels at a 100 foot distance," Speaker 1 said during the presentation.
Commissioners agreed to separate lighting from other topics and pursue a standalone lighting ordinance, with staff drafting specific, enforceable language on directional shielding, pole height limits, allowable light spill beyond property lines, and a recommended time limit (11 p.m. was a common suggestion). They also asked staff to outline enforcement procedures and potential permit requirements for sport courts.
No new ordinance was adopted at the meeting; the commission asked staff to prepare draft language for discussion at the next meeting.
