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Flagstaff to monitor noise at Bushmaster Park after neighbors raise concerns over new pickleball courts
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Summary
Neighbors told the City Council that noise and bright lighting from newly rebuilt Bushmaster Park courts are disrupting nearby homes; staff said the courts opened recently and council directed staff to monitor summer usage and return with data and cost estimates for mitigation.
The Flagstaff City Council heard extended testimony on Feb. 10 about noise and light intrusions from newly reconstructed pickleball courts at Bushmaster Park and instructed staff to monitor use and report back after the busier spring and summer months.
Amy Hagen, assistant parks, recreation, open space and events director, told the council the completed capital project reopened in 2025 with eight lighted pickleball courts, two lighted tennis courts and two lighted basketball courts. She said the project replaced 21 removed trees with 21 replanted trees and added 74 shrubs, and that park lighting is programmed to stop at 9 p.m. while parks close at 10 p.m. Hagen said staff have no usage metrics yet because the courts have been open less than four months.
Neighbors described a different experience. "It's a very loud echoing pop," resident Audrea Smith said of the sound from play and told council the court lighting created daytime-like conditions that she called trespass onto her property. Jim McCarthy said he believes the only fully satisfactory solution would be relocating the courts away from homes and urged council to "show empathy" for affected neighbors.
Councilmembers said they want to see data from the anticipated higher-use season before committing to a costly mitigation plan. Councilmember Garcia asked staff to track usage and complaints and return with findings; several members echoed that approach. Councilmembers noted vendor claims that fence-mounted mitigation panels can reduce measured decibel levels by roughly 10 dB, with preliminary cost estimates offered during the meeting ranging from about $70,000 to $100,000 to surround the court perimeter.
Staff said PROS has not yet received formal complaints since mid-November and that design choices (including elevating the courts and shifting them farther from some homes) could be affecting how sound travels. Council members discussed visibility trade-offs: some mitigation panels can reduce noise but limit spectator sightlines.
Council did not approve a specific mitigation purchase. Instead, members generally directed staff to collect usage and sound data during spring and summer, explore mitigation options and budget implications, and return to council with recommendations. Hagen said staff will follow up with more vendors and field examples and will report back with any recommended next steps.
The councilmeeting record shows the city has not budgeted for mitigation in PROSthis fiscal year; any purchase above certain thresholds would likely require a formal council authorization. Staff said they will post any updates on the city website and include findings in a later council memo.
