Resident petitions board over pickleball noise; trustees direct staff to workshop zoning/noise options

A Lisle resident told the Village Board on Feb. 17 that pickleball courts near homes are causing a noise problem and presented a petition signed by more than 500 people asking the village to require safe setbacks for courts.

"All of you are aware of the pickleball issues at [Abbevoort]," said Vitus Matuleauskas, who identified himself as a Lisle resident and a member of the United States Pickleball Association. He told trustees he and neighbors have repeatedly tried to work with the park district and "we feel we have a solution, a reasonable compromise" and asked the board to refer the matter to the zoning commission.

Matuleauskas cited examples from other jurisdictions and said Naperville has a 500-foot buffer policy for courts. Several trustees agreed the village should examine its zoning and noise-exemption rules and requested a workshop. Trustee Greco explicitly asked that staff consider a 500-foot setback for pickleball courts as one option; Trustee Olson and others urged a broader review so any changes would apply consistently to other potential noise sources, such as park events, churches or institutional uses.

Trustees directed staff to place the topic on a Committee of the Whole agenda for a comprehensive discussion with the park district and other stakeholders; the board did not adopt an ordinance or regulatory change on Feb. 17. Staff said the park district had provided some responses to village inquiries and that coordination with the park district would be included in future discussion.

The petition will be retained by the deputy clerk, and trustees said they expect the matter to return for fuller review at a workshop meeting.