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Neighbors oppose extended hours at North Temple pickleball courts; council removes courts from ordinance pending mitigation
Summary
Neighbors at North Temple urged the council not to extend pickleball hours beyond 7 p.m., citing persistent noise, amplified music, vehicle lights and safety concerns. Council voted 7–0 to remove the North Temple courts from the parks‑hours amendment and to retain the Little League field item for first passage, asking staff to install sound barriers and consider locked gates or enforcement practices.
The council considered a first‑passage amendment to the parks and recreation ordinance to add access times for two recently added facilities: the North Temple pickleball courts and the South Lewiston Little League field. Director Nicole Welch and Police Chief Connley told council that because neither site has permanent lighting, recommended closing times should be 9:00 p.m. or dusk; staff also planned to install sound‑mitigation panels that would take several weeks to receive and install.
Neighbors gave extended public testimony describing persistent after‑hours noise, shouting, profanity, loud music, vehicle lights and people remaining on courts well past 7 p.m. Several residents said posted rules were never enforced and volunteered that they would lock and unlock gates for the city. A neighbor described severe impacts to a household containing a 100% disabled veteran with PTSD.
Councilors and staff discussed intermediate steps: improved signage, adding a prohibition on amplified music without a permit, a targeted public‑information push to local pickleball groups, and the possibility of locking gates at closing time (either on a timer or by staff/resident keyholders). Chief Connley said beat officers can ask late groups to leave; the department also confirmed options such as issuing ordinances or temporary closures if rules are routinely violated.
Councilor Chidum moved an amendment to remove the North Temple pickleball courts from the current ordinance amendment and to proceed with the Little League field; the amendment passed unanimously. Council then approved the amended main motion (first passage) 7–0. Several councilors said they opposed extending hours before sound barriers were installed and long‑term enforcement and gate‑locking responsibilities settled.
Next steps: staff will install sound barriers (expected weeks to months for delivery and installation), revise signage to specify hours and amplified‑music prohibitions, coordinate with police on enforcement plans, and return to council with a clarified enforcement plan and possible gate‑locking protocols before any decision to extend North Temple hours.
