Carmel-by-the-Sea staff: council will weigh temporary pickleball moratorium while studying sound‑mitigation costs

Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea city staff said the City Council will be asked to consider a temporary moratorium on new pickleball facilities and to pursue the Forest and Beach Commission’s recommendation while the council explores ways to reduce on‑court noise.

A staff member said the city plans to return to council — possibly in October — with “a couple of resolutions, slash urgency ordinance” to impose a pause on pickleball development while officials study mitigation measures and costs. The staff member added the council wants to know what sound‑attenuation would cost and “what it’s gonna take from a construction perspective.”

Officials said they will collect additional evidence before council action: staff plan to make on‑site audio recordings of play, conduct individual field visits with council members (no more than two at a time) and gather examples of acoustic measures used elsewhere, including portable acoustic shrouds used around municipal courts. City staff also said they discussed how Pacific Grove and other communities have addressed pickleball noise.

The planned council return will pair the moratorium proposal with consideration of the Forest and Beach Commission’s recommendation, subject to the sound‑mitigation study and cost estimates. No formal vote or ordinance was recorded on the vlog; staff described these next steps as directions to bring draft measures back to council for formal action.

Council and staff emphasized that the effort aims to balance residential quality of life near courts with recreational demand. Staff said they will present the mitigation options and cost estimates when the ordinances and resolutions are brought forward.

The discussion about pickleball was raised during the city’s Friday staff vlog and recorded as part of preparatory work ahead of the council agenda.