Carmel, California has implemented a ban on public pickleball in its Forest Hill Park after receiving numerous complaints about the noise from paddles striking balls. The city council voted earlier this month to permanently prohibit the sport, marking the first such ban in the state. The council initially imposed a temporary ban last month, which residents found helpful in reducing the noise. However, enforcement remains a challenge, as the park lacks supervision and policing presence.
Residents reported that the constant ‘popping’ sound of the paddles striking plastic balls was echoing through the neighborhood and had become an issue, especially as the sport grew in popularity among seniors and retirees. The town’s decision to ban pickleball came after several residents expressed concerns during a city council meeting on November 4, where they mentioned that the noise had been significantly reduced since the temporary ban was put in place.
While some residents welcomed the quieter environment, others, like Carmel resident Kimberly Edwards, raised concerns about enforcement. Edwards questioned how the ban would be implemented without supervision, suggesting that calling the police for noise complaints could be impractical. ‘These aren’t supervised courts,’ she stated, adding that there was no parks and recreation department to enforce such measures.
Competitive pickleball player Barbara Lang, who no longer uses the Forest Hill Park courts, argued that even ‘quiet’ pickleball would be preferable to banning the sport. ‘If you want to try it with the quiet ball, I think it’s only fair to the players to give that a chance,’ Lang said, noting that she speaks for many players not present at the meeting.
Despite the council’s efforts to find a compromise, the city decided against allowing the sport to continue with quieter equipment, citing the complexity of monitoring the sport. Council member Alissandra Dramov remarked that they were overcomplicating the issue, stating that the reality was that the park was not a suitable location for pickleball.
The city will draft an ordinance to permanently ban pickleball at the park, with opponents having two more hearings to appeal the decision. Mayor Dale Byrne supported the ban, acknowledging the difficulty in enforcement and expressing regret over the town’s inability to resolve the issue.