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Residents raise noise and environmental concerns over proposed pickleball courts at Cliff Fenn Park
Summary
At a Dec. 2 Parks Commission meeting, Burnsville residents urged caution about proposed pickleball courts at Cliff Fenn Park, citing noise described as impulsive and comparable to small-arms fire, concerns about orientation and environmental impacts, and suggestions to survey current park users.
A Burnsville resident (public commenter) told the Parks Commission on Dec. 2 that a proposed cluster of pickleball courts at Cliff Fenn Park could create substantial impulsive noise and harm park use and environment, urging the city to retain existing environmental investments and avoid infringing on neighbors’ quiet enjoyment.
The commenter said experts classify the “pops” from pickleball as highly impulsive and comparable to other impulsive sources: “The same as a small arms gunfire, the same as a pneumatic nailer, and also pile driving,” and cited an estimate of 122,400 “pops per day” for eight courts. The speaker also emphasized court orientation, saying “Pickleball orientation of courts is north south,” and that the direction of play and adjacent seating or queuing affect who hears the noise.
The remarks linked noise concerns to broader park impacts, noting that Cliff Fenn Park is used by “bikers, paddlers, people [who] read books, [and] neurodivergent neighbors,” and urged the commission to consider options that reduce resident impacts. The commenter asked whether current users of the rental park should be surveyed about preferences and warned that adding courts could expand impervious surface area if artificial turf or related infrastructure were used.
Another resident (public commenter) noted volunteer investment and park stewardship, saying volunteers have recorded roughly 405 hours of work over six years—about $26,000 worth of volunteer labor—and framed that volunteer commitment as part of the park’s existing environmental investment.
Speakers asked the commission to preserve the lake and park investments, and to weigh the rights of nearby residents to “quiet enjoyment.” The public commenters urged the commission to examine court orientation and placement to reduce impacts and to formally survey current users before advancing construction plans.
The comments were made during the public comment portion of the Parks Commission meeting and did not include a formal proposal, motion, or vote by the commission during the recorded segments. No ordinance, resolution, contract, or timetable for construction was stated in the provided transcript segments.
Ahead: commissioners may consider the points raised in public comment when discussing any future formal proposal for pickleball facility siting, design, or environmental review.
