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Council approves temporary 'tennis only' sign at Rainier Trails Park to ease pickleball tensions
Summary
Enumclaw City Council approved a temporary sign at Rainier Trails Park asking users to 'please limit use to tennis' and directing pickleball players to resurfaced courts at Dwight Garrett, citing noise and parking complaints. Council emphasized the sign is instructional — not codified or enforceable — and staff will reevaluate after a trial period.
Enumclaw’s City Council voted to install a temporary sign at Rainier Trails Park encouraging tennis-only use and directing pickleball players to the newly resurfaced Dwight Garrett courts.
The motion, introduced by a council member and seconded by another, passed after extended discussion about enforcement limits and neighborhood complaints. Council members and staff repeatedly noted that the sign would be instructional — an 'honor system' — because the city has not codified a restriction that would allow enforcement by code officers or police.
Why it matters: Residents and the Rainier Trails HOA raised concerns this month about noise, cars parked on both sides of a narrow street, and incidents of public urination near the courts. Council members said the new Dwight Garrett courts offer an alternative location with improved facilities and that a temporary sign may reduce neighborhood friction without an immediate regulatory change.
Council deliberations focused on trade-offs between neighborhood concerns and enforceability. Councilmember Martineau said the goal was to protect parade-like community amenities and attendees: 'This request is for funding of safety...the barricade rental itself is only one piece' (staffed comments during a related discussion). Other council members asked whether placing a sign could create a legal expectation that would obligate the city to take further action on parking or noise; staff answered no, noting the sign would not cite any state statute or municipal code and therefore would not itself create an enforceable restriction.
Staff recommended a temporary, instructional sign that will be reevaluated after a one-month trial. The sign language suggested by staff and council would encourage tennis use and include a direction to nearby pickleball courts at Dwight Garrett. Council also discussed outreach to the local pickleball group about previously applied court striping and potential reimbursement if the city later restricts use and the group paid for striping.
The action: Council approved placing a temporary sign at Rainier Trails Park and asked staff to monitor effects and return with findings.
Next steps: Staff will produce the temporary sign, coordinate wording to include alternative-court directions, and revisit the issue after the trial period to determine whether further policy or code changes are needed.
