Neighbors ask Enumclaw to remove pickleball lines at Rainier Trails; council will revisit after Garrett Park resurfacing

Neighbors from the Stonebrook subdivision urged Enumclaw’s City Council on April 27 to remove pickleball striping at Rainier Trails Park, saying daily play since May 2025 has produced disruptive noise for houses located as close as about 30 feet from the court.

Richard Gardine read a written statement on behalf of Stonebrook neighbors and said the group is “not opposed to pickleball” but that the current Rainier Trails location imposes a significant noise impact on nearby residents. He told council the parks board voted two weeks earlier to remove the pickleball lines and said funding is available to resurface and restore the court to tennis use.

Council discussion highlighted differing views. Councilmember Storton, who lives in the neighborhood and said he plays pickleball, acknowledged the noise and supported line removal once alternative courts are available. “Yes, it was really, really noisy,” Storton said of the Rainier Trails play last summer. Other councilmembers emphasized fiscal prudence and preferred waiting until Garrett Park’s seven‑court facility is resurfaced and open; several members said they did not want to remove lines only to pay later to remove and then repaint lines.

The council did not order immediate removal. Instead, members directed staff to return with follow‑up information and agreed to discuss the item again at the May 18 council meeting after Garrett Park resurfacing work begins (staff indicated that work is expected to start May 18). That follow‑up will allow the council to evaluate whether play shifts to the new facility and whether removal at Rainier Trails is still warranted.

What to expect: The issue is scheduled for further council discussion on May 18, when staff will report on the status of Garrett Park resurfacing and any implementation options for Rainier Trails.