A California Town May Ban Pickleball Over Noise Complaints

Pickleball has become a popular sport among both the young and old in recent years. From the beer leagues that see middle-aged couples taking to the court to work off some frustrations, to the seniors who like to gather on the court for a midday match, the game has grown considerably since it first came on the scene.

And while many people welcome pickleball to their neighborhoods since it brings more adults to public parks, there's at least one town that is saying "thanks, but no thanks."

A California town council is meeting to discuss potential pickleball bans at its public courts, eliminating the game from the neighborhood. The reason? Years of noise complaints have prompted many unhappy residents to head to the town council for a solution.

Want to learn more about why this town is making pickleball a thing of the past? Keep reading as we share what the council has done in the past, as well as how it will likely proceed during a future vote regarding the sport.

Residents of Carmel-by-the-Sea may have to travel to another zip code if they want to break out their pickleball paddles. According to ABC News, the town council says it has grown tired of constant noise complaints from residents who live near Forest Hill Park, where the town's only public pickleball courts are located.

The council spent two years trying to find a compromise that worked for both the residents and the pickleball players, which included limited hours and equipment restrictions.

When that didn't work, the council voted to temporarily ban the sport in October 2025. The city's attorney told ABC News that the next step is to draft a permanent ban on the sport, which will be put before the city council for a vote at an undisclosed date in the future.

As for those who are willing to break the law to enjoy a round of pickleball, well, they will face a warning from the Carmel police department. However, the local police chief told ABC News that he wasn't aware of issues so far.

If you don't know anything about pickleball other than the fact that it has a charming name, then it may be hard to imagine why a sport that is so easily enjoyed by seniors could be upsetting an entire town.

According to Wikipedia, pickleball shares a lot in common with tennis, since it's a racket sport that involves a solid paddle and a hollow plastic ball. However, as you can imagine, the smooth racket makes quite a bit of noise on impact, and that's magnified during a game.

And, the more rallies a player makes — which is the name for the hits players make when they volley the ball back and forth — the more consistent those loud noises become. As for how loud they are, well, some people have described them as being similar to rapid gunfire.

As you can imagine, that would be very unsettling in a small residential area, which is likely why the people living around Forest Hills Park have been struggling with the sounds for so long.