Neighbors can’t take the racket, so a Johnson County city is taking down pickleball nets

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Pickleball was soaring in popularity to become America’s fastest growing sport. Courts started multiplying throughout Kansas City, becoming a staple of parks, community centers and new entertainment complexes. And with high demand, Prairie Village — already needing to resurface its tennis courts at Windsor Park — decided to restripe for pickleball.

But nearby neighbors say they can only take so much.

Many say the constant “pop, pop, pop” reverberating through their neighborhood has been a headache since the courts were completed last June, at the park near Mission Road and south of 71st Street. While the paddleball-adjacent sport has won the hearts of active residents, it’s also led to noise complaints, neighborhood disputes and even lawsuits, both in Johnson County and across the country.

Searching for a solution, the Prairie Village City Council has considered spending money on sound proofing panels to block the noise, or repainting to bring back the quieter game of tennis.

Councilman Greg Shelton said that he lives near Meadowbrook Park’s eight pickleball courts, which officials say now has sound barriers put in place by the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department.

“They mitigate. They abate at best, but you will still hear the noise,” he told the council. “If it’s one court, if it’s two courts, if it’s eight courts like we have at Meadowbrook, it’s there. ... I live with this as well. It’s disruptive to my son in the morning and in the late evenings when he’s trying to go to sleep. Because his room is right there.”

Last week, the council decided on a temporary compromise. Council members agreed to take down the nets on four of the six pickleball courts at Windsor Park to see if that helps reduce noise in the area. All but two courts will be closed on a trial base.

Shelton said the issue is about the “trade off between” answering neighbors’ concerns and “having this amenity, and bringing people into Prairie Village, whether they’re residents or not. Certainly, it’s likely contributing to some economic activity.”

Pickleball has taken over the metro area in recent years, with Kansas City expected to welcome its first professional team this year — The Stingers.

But the fad has resulted in a nuisance across the country, with many neighbors complaining of the high-pitched, repetitive “thwack” noise synonymous with the game driving them crazy day and night. A couple of years ago, Darrell Franklin, who was mayor of Mission Woods at the time, sued Mission Hills Country Club, asking the court to order it to move its pickleball courts further from his home, saying the noise is causing him and his wife emotional distress.

Municipalities have explored ways of mitigating the problem, by adding noise barriers and offering different paddles that are supposed to better absorb sound.

Prairie Village will study how much of a difference it makes to only have two pickleball courts before deciding on next steps.