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Council adopts new parks-hours rules; orders study of sound mitigation after neighbors' complaints about Kiwanis pickleball courts
Summary
After a public hearing that included neighbors complaining about noise from the Kiwanis Park pickleball courts, the council adopted an amendment to BGMC 8.18 setting general park hours and facility‑specific times and directed staff to study sound mitigation and remote locking options for the courts.
The Battle Ground City Council adopted Ordinance 2025-10 on July 21, amending Battleground Municipal Code (BGMC) Chapter 8.18 to revise park hours and add facility-specific hours for several recreational facilities.
Under the amended rules approved by council, general park hours were set at 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the Kiwanis Park pickleball courts and basketball court were limited to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and the skate park hours were set at 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Councilmembers clarified that specific facilities can have different hours than general parks rules when justified.
Public hearing: Residents who live adjacent to Kiwanis Park testified at a public hearing that followed the staff presentation. Neighbors said the partially roofed pickleball courts amplify paddle and ball noise and that play often starts before dawn and continues late into the evening. Resident Darlene West told council: "The repetitive clatter of paddles and balls... makes it extremely difficult for us nearby residents to enjoy a moment of quiet in our own homes." Another resident, Bill Ramsey, said his neighborhood property values had suffered after the courts opened and recommended enclosing the facility to reduce noise.
Council action and follow-up: Councilmember Overholtzer moved adoption of the ordinance; Councilmember Kuipers seconded. The ordinance passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition. Council also added direction for staff to research sound‑mitigation options (for example, acoustic panels or enclosure possibilities) and to study the feasibility of timed or electronic locking of courts so hours can be enforced without staff physically opening and closing gates every day. Staff described options including enclosure, acoustic tiles and remote lock systems and said the city would return with cost estimates.
Why it matters: The new rules replace a dawn-to-dusk standard in some parks with fixed times for public clarity, reduce late-night and early-morning recreation noise where requested, and create a path to technical solutions (sound mitigation, timed gating) in neighborhoods where courts create friction between recreational users and adjacent residents.
Ending: The ordinance becomes effective per the municipal notice period; staff will return to council with options, costs and timelines for acoustic mitigation and for locking systems for the Kiwanis courts.
