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Pickleball players urge Peachtree City Council for 18 public courts, warn 12-court plan won't meet demand
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council during public comment to fund at least 18 new public pickleball courts, criticizing a proposed 12-court plan and asking the city to prioritize construction quickly.
A succession of residents used the Peachtree City public comment period to press the council to build substantially more public pickleball courts than a draft plan proposes, saying demand and noise concerns make the issue urgent.
John Riley, who said he lives behind the Braylon (Bralin) Pickleball Court, opened with a noise-focused appeal: "It's time for my quarterly noise report... I'm perplexed, confused, and frustrated." Riley described a process he said had stretched for years and faulted a recent shift away from an 18-court proposal: "They didn't propose the 24 courts suggested by the master plan… they proposed 12 courts for a community of 40,000 people. The population deserves better than that."
Other residents amplified the call for more courts. Sue Reed said: "We cannot accept 12 courts for this city with closing 6 that we have now… 12 courts just will not help this city. We need to have 18 at the very least." Carrie Cook, who described herself as a regular player, added that courts serve a broad age range and community purpose and urged the council to "target 18 courts, not 12." Residents cited examples of neighboring cities expanding public court capacity and noted free access in those communities.
Why it matters: Speakers framed the issue as both a quality-of-life and access concern — they described crowded local facilities, long waits to play and a neighborhood noise problem stemming from play in existing courts that lack sufficient local alternatives. Several speakers said building now will be cheaper and will meet growing local demand; others urged that pay-for-play models would not solve access for many residents.
Ending: Commenters invited council members to visit nearby or regional facilities and public events to see the demand in person. Council did not take immediate formal action during the work session on the matter; the comments were entered for council consideration as staff and advisory bodies continue planning.
