Carmel council directs permanent ban on pickleball at Forest Hill Park

The Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council on Nov. 4 directed staff to prepare a permanent ordinance to codify the existing emergency ban on pickleball at Forest Hill Park, citing enforcement limits and persistent neighborhood noise concerns.

Supporters of pickleball urged the council to allow play using "quiet" pickleball equipment provided by the city and to treat the pilot as a low-cost trial with seven-day access. Neighbors and other residents pushed back, saying past time- and day-limits were regularly ignored and that the city lacks staffing to enforce rules. After extended public comment and council discussion, Council member Barron moved to instruct the city attorney to return with a codified ordinance adopting the emergency prohibition; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously in a roll-call vote.

Why it matters: The dispute has split neighbors, who said October brought a noticeable drop in noise under the emergency ordinance, and players seeking more public access to park courts. Council members repeatedly cited enforcement capacity — the city has no parks and recreation department and cannot regularly station staff to police informal court use — and said a permanent ordinance provides clearer, legally enforceable rules. Several council members expressed reluctance to spend city funds on long-term sound-mitigation infrastructure or to rely on a trial that staff could not reliably police.

What was decided: The council vote instructs the city attorney to prepare a codified municipal-code ordinance that would replace the temporary urgency ordinance that has been blocking pickleball play pending sound-mitigation study. The motion passed by unanimous roll call (5–0). The ordinance draft will return for formal introduction and subsequent readings as required by municipal procedure.

Public reaction: Dozens of residents spoke during the public hearing. Neighbors described calmer evenings and more tennis players using the courts since the temporary prohibition. Pickleball proponents said they would accept city-provided low-noise balls and nets but warned that restricting play to limited days would exclude many casual players. Several speakers urged the city to identify other public sites where pickleball could be accommodated with fewer impacts on neighbors.

Next steps: The city attorney will prepare a codified ordinance and return it for council consideration; staff said codification provides clearer enforcement authority and searchable rules in the municipal code. The urgency ordinance remains in place until a permanent ordinance, if adopted, becomes effective.