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Residents press council over pickleball noise; council opts to wait for new courts
Summary
Stonebrook neighbors urged the council to remove pickleball lines at Rainier Trails Park because of daily noise; council members generally favored waiting until new courts at Garrett Park are resurfaced before removing lines to see whether play patterns change.
Neighbors raised park-use and nuisance concerns at the April 27, 2026 Incla City Council meeting, urging action on pickleball lines and reporting trespass and security problems near the Expo Center.
Neighborhood concerns about pickleball noise
Richard Gardine, a Stonebrook resident, told the council that pickleball lines were added to a court at Rainier Trails Park in May 2025 and that daily play during the warm months has created significant noise for properties as close as about 30 feet from the court. "We want to be clear that we are not opposed to pickleball. However, we are concerned about the location of the court at Rainier Trails Park," Gardine said, and asked council to remove the pickleball lines and restore the court to tennis-only once resurfacing funds and new courts at Garrett Park are available.
Council members discussed timing and fiscal concerns
Council committee members reported the parks board recommended removing the lines, but several council members said it would be prudent to wait until the new courts at Garrett Park are resurfaced and opened (work expected to start mid-May) to see whether playing patterns shift. "Let's get the new court surfaced and lined out and then see what the use is," one council member said. Other members expressed reluctance to spend tax dollars to remove lines immediately and favored a measured approach; multiple members indicated they prefer to wait until the new facility is online before making a removal decision.
Other public comments: streaming and trespass complaints
Sharon Covington (Stonebrook) asked the city to stream board and parks meetings (Zoom or similar) to improve engagement as the city grows. Deanna Miller, a resident bordering the Expo Center parking lot, described repeated trespassing and off-leash dogs that she said damaged her fence; she said she has video evidence and requested police reports and increased enforcement. The council did not take immediate action on enforcement during the meeting but acknowledged the complaints and said staff would follow up through appropriate departments.
What to expect next
Council members agreed the topic will be revisited on May 18 after the Garrett Park resurfacing work is underway so the city can better assess court usage and potential next steps for Rainier Trails Park.
