Neighbors press council to remove pickleball lines at Rainier Trails; council leans to wait for new courts

At the start of public comment, Richard Gardine of the Stonebrook neighborhood told the council that resident complaints about pickleball noise have persisted since May 2025 and asked the city to remove pickleball markings at Rainier Trails.

"We want to be clear that we are not opposed to pickleball," Gardine said. "However, we are concerned about the location of the court at Rainier Trails Park… the impact on nearby residents is significant."

Gardine said the parks board passed a motion two weeks earlier to remove the pickleball lines and that funding exists to resurface the Rainier Trails court this year. Several council members discussed the parks board recommendation during committee reports and in the council roundtable.

Council member Storton, who said he lives in the neighborhood and plays pickleball, supported removing the lines once new facilities are available: "I'm personally … as long as Garrett is there, I don't see a reason why the lines at Rainier Trails shouldn't be removed," he said. Other council members emphasized fiscal prudence and suggested waiting until the seven new courts at Garrett Park are resurfaced and available to reduce displacement and the need to pay for line removal.

Council discussion also raised equity and feasibility concerns: some members said they were reluctant to take facilities away before an alternative was open, while others described the repeated complaints and urged decisive action. Council agreed to revisit the matter at the next meeting and to monitor Garrett Park’s resurfacing schedule, which staff indicated would begin May 18.

Next steps: council will discuss the issue again at the May 18 meeting after the Garrett Park resurfacing timetable and usage data are clearer.