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Staff proposes sound-controlled pickleball courts at Forest Hill Park to reduce neighbor complaints
Summary
Public Works presented a proposal to build two sound-reducing pickleball courts at Forest Hill Park with pickled glass walls and a roof; council discussion raised ventilation, timing and construction-disruption questions but no vote was taken.
Public Works staff presented a proposal to build two sound-controlled pickleball courts at Forest Hill Park to reduce noise complaints from nearby homeowners.
Presenters described the issue as amplified by topography: homes sit roughly 30 feet above the existing courts, causing sharp popping noises from pickleball play to echo into neighborhoods. The proposed solution would convert an underused basketball-court area at Forest Hill Park into two pickleball courts surrounded by clear "pickled glass" sound walls and a roof to dampen echo and retain visibility. Automated locks would limit hours to 7 a.m.–5 p.m.; staff estimated the project cost at approximately $220,000 and said the budget would cover walls, a roof, tree removals and amenities.
Questions from councilors and the public addressed ventilation and airflow for an enclosed structure, impacts of weather and high winds on the glass walls, effects on existing basketball players, construction timeline (staff estimated two to four months after approvals), and whether retrofitting the existing noisy courts might be less disruptive.
No final vote was taken on construction funding during the meeting; councilors discussed alternatives including installing sound mitigation at the current court location and balancing disruption to nearby residents.
