Single Family Design Board denies backyard pickleball court at 45 Los Alurus Circle over noise and neighborhood impacts

The Santa Barbara Single Family Design Board voted 4–1 on April 6 to deny a homeowners’ application to construct a backyard pickleball court at 45 Los Alurus Circle, citing neighborhood‑level noise impacts and site topography that the board said could not be reasonably mitigated.

The board’s decision came after more than an hour of testimony from nearby residents, technical exchanges about two competing acoustical reports and a lengthy presentation by the applicants and staff. Chair Sherry moved to deny the application, arguing the proposed court’s siting and the measured or modeled sound levels made the project incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood; the motion carried after a roll‑call vote.

Why it matters: Neighbors and multiple speakers told the board that impulsive pickleball impacts — the sharp pop when the paddle hits the ball — carried up the hillside and would intrude into homes and outdoor spaces. Several residents cited a third‑party acoustical review that modeled levels of 60–80 decibels at nearby property lines and concluded the court could create an unlawful nuisance under the city’s noise guidance. The applicants and their consultant disputed those conclusions and offered additional…