The closure of existing pickleball courts and delays in constructing new ones have not deterred Falmouth’s dedicated pickleball supporters, who form a working group that directly advises the town manager.
“Scott and I understand how the town operates,” Barbara P. Schneider remarked, laughing with fellow working group member Scott Ghelfi at his chocolate shop on Main Street. Another member, Thomas A. Zine, mentioned that he is learning from them.
This working group has established regular meetings with Town Manager Michael Renshaw to discuss potential new courts, work on zoning bylaws to define what constitutes “reasonable” pickleball noise, and make the game quieter to prevent future complaints.
Falmouth hosts hundreds of pickleball players, with numbers increasing in the summer.
However, noise from some courts has led to neighbor complaints. Recently, a lawsuit by residents near the Lawrence School courts was settled by banning pickleball there.
Now, the only public outdoor courts are at Nye Park in North Falmouth and Swift Park in West Falmouth, alongside indoor courts at the Gus Canty Community Center.
At the November 2023 Town Meeting, there were plans for eight to 16 pickleball courts at Trotting Park behind the Old Skate Park.
However, a January sound study showed that the noise levels would exceed Falmouth’s noise bylaw limits. Despite this, the pickleball working group remains optimistic.
Dr. Schneider mentioned that discussions with Mr. Renshaw revealed that consolidating recreation activities in one area is most effective.
“The idea is that we don’t give up on Trotting Park,” Dr. Schneider said.
The group believes Trotting Park is ideal for a pickleball complex due to existing sports fields, skate parks, parking, bathrooms, lighting, and other infrastructure.
The nearest home is several hundred feet away, meeting recognized standards for residential proximity to pickleball courts.
“It’s not going to be loud,” Mr. Ghelfi assured. “If they stick their ear outside, they’re going to hear it. Some people don’t want any sound.”
To prevent future conflicts like the Lawrence School case, the group hopes the town will establish a clear, objective noise standard.
“We don’t want to keep chipping away at places where no one can have anything that makes noise,” Dr. Schneider said.
Town Has A Noise Bylaw In Place Falmouth already has a noise bylaw, Chapter 150 in the town code, which bans “unnecessary, loud, excessive or unusual” noises that are “plainly audible” from 150 feet away from the source, punishable by a $50 fine per offense.
Dr. Schneider and Mr. Ghelfi hope for a new bylaw with an objective baseline for acceptable noise levels.
“We’ve been told it’s in the works,” Dr. Schneider said, noting that this conversation with town management happened months ago.
Dr. Schneider and Mr. Ghelfi suggested that the new bylaw might have different decibel limits for residential versus recreational areas.
Ideally, if someone living near a pickleball court finds the noise intolerable, town staff could measure the noise levels and determine if they exceed the bylaw limit.
Assistant Town Manager Peter K. Johnson-Staub confirmed in an email that an amendment to the noise bylaw is being prepared for review by the select board and public comment, with a plan to present it to Town Meeting voters in November, though no draft has been approved yet.
“The concept we discussed is identifying a community standard for acceptable noise levels to be codified in a bylaw,” Mr. Johnson-Staub wrote.
Mr. Ghelfi noted that the town was considering public land for potential pickleball courts, but the group prefers Trotting Park, a sentiment shared in meetings with town management.
Though the group explored options for pickleball enclosures to reduce noise, they found them ineffective, as walls would redirect sound upward, potentially affecting homes uphill from the complex, and total enclosures would only slightly reduce noise.
“The truth is, the sound bylaw still applies no matter what you do,” Dr. Schneider said.
Building an indoor court would require staffing and maintenance, and while players would likely enjoy any location, most prefer playing outside. Additionally, players can already use the Gus Canty Community Center courts for free.
The pickleball group also suggested that the recreation committee start providing “quieter” pickleball balls and encourage players to buy quieter paddles.
Dr. Schneider described quieter balls as slightly softer plastic, reducing the characteristic “popping” sound. USA Pickleball, the national governing body, is working on developing quieter equipment and sound buffer screens to foster better relationships with court neighbors.
One example is an OWL paddle, covered in a noise-dampening sheath to muffle the sound.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Working Group Members | Barbara P. Schneider, Scott Ghelfi, Thomas A. Zine |
| Purpose of Working Group | Advising Town Manager Michael Renshaw on new pickleball courts, working on zoning bylaws for noise standards, and making the game quieter to prevent complaints |
| Current Public Outdoor Courts | Nye Park (North Falmouth), Swift Park (West Falmouth) |
| Current Indoor Courts | Gus Canty Community Center |
| Recent Court Closures | Lawrence School courts (due to lawsuit settlement) |
| Proposed New Courts | Trotting Park (8 to 16 courts) |
| Sound Study Findings (January) | Pickleball noise at Trotting Park would exceed Falmouth’s noise bylaw limits |
| Group’s Preferred Site for New Courts | Trotting Park (due to existing infrastructure and distance from homes) |
| Existing Noise Bylaw | Chapter 150: Prohibits “unnecessary, loud, excessive or unusual” noises, enforceable by a $50 fine per offense |
| Proposed Noise Bylaw Changes | Setting an objective baseline for acceptable noise levels, tailored to different areas (residential vs. recreational) |
| Assistant Town Manager’s Input | Peter K. Johnson-Staub confirmed preparations for a noise bylaw amendment, to be reviewed by the select board and open for public comment, with a plan to present at the November Town Meeting |
| Potential Noise Mitigation Measures | Exploring quieter pickleball balls and paddles, such as OWL paddles with noise-dampening sheaths |
| Recreation Committee Recommendations | Provide quieter pickleball balls and encourage the use of quieter paddles |
| Complaint Status | No complaints at Nye Park, one complaint at Swift Park |
| Player Cooperation | Encouraging players to respect court schedules to avoid disturbing nearby residents |
| Long-term Goals | Advocating for the establishment of new courts at Trotting Park, ensuring minimal noise disturbance, and creating a positive relationship between pickleball players and the community |
“We’re trying really hard to self-police and minimize the disturbance to anyone,” Dr. Schneider said.
The working group hasn’t received complaints at Nye Park and only one at Swift Park. Dr. Schneider mentioned that the committee had funds to supply quieter balls to players.
The group also encourages players to respect pickleball schedules at Nye and Swift parks to avoid upsetting nearby residents. Meanwhile, the working group continues to advocate for the Trotting Park plans.
“Pickleball players are being really helpful, understanding, and patient,” Dr. Schneider said.
“And hopefully this will work out,” Mr. Zine added.
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