Resident urges council to address pickleball noise and sanitation at neighborhood parks

During public comment at the May 11 meeting, a resident identified as Sharon told the council that nearby pickleball courts are producing persistent, intrusive noise and described sanitation incidents she said have occurred near neighborhood yards.

“This debate about pickleball is not silly,” Sharon said, arguing the activity interferes with neighbors’ peace and citing repeated ball‑impact noise that she described as disruptive to daily life. She said players had urinated and defecated near a neighbor’s fence and that the city later placed a portable sanitary can at the park. Sharon linked the disturbance to personal safety and trauma concerns and urged the council to find ways to block or mitigate pickleball noise.

Mayor (acting presiding officer) responded with a point of information: he said he ordered a sanitary can be delivered to Rainier Trails Park after a resident showed the city video of alleged public urination and stated that the action was taken by the mayor’s office and not at the Parks Department’s direction. “I did not ask you for your budget authority to do it,” the mayor said, adding that the expense was a mayoral action intended to reduce future complaints.

The item was raised in public comment rather than as a council agenda item; the council did not vote on a policy or mitigation measure at the meeting. The mayor noted that councils may grant speakers additional time but enforced the three‑minute public‑comment limit for the night.

What’s next: The complaint and video were added to the meeting record and will be included in the minutes. Councilmembers and staff may follow up through the parks department or public‑safety channels; no formal direction or budgetary action was taken during the meeting.