Neighbors claim the pickleball courts at Mission Hills (Kan.) Country Club are creating a nuisance and ask for a judge to prevent pickleball from being played on the four converted courts at the club and ban the club from adding more pickleball courts within 600 feet of their home. The club has already installed an acoustic barrier, shortened hours of play and installed a timer on lights at the court.
Mission Hills (Kan.) Country Club is being sued over its pickleball courts, WDAF reported. Darrell and Laurie Franklin, whose home backs up to the club’s courts, claim the noise is an issue.
According to the lawsuit, the tennis courts at Mission Hills are on the Northwest portion of the property, WDAF reported. All of the homes in the neighborhood are to the east and west of the tennis courts. The country club converted the southernmost outdoor tennis court into four outdoor pickleball courts.
The lawsuit said the converted pickleball courts are 90 feet from the property line and less than 200 feet from the Franklin’s home, WDAF reported.
“Playing pickelball on pickleball courts positioned in proximity to residential homes creates a nuisance. Absent appropriate noise abatement efforts, it is recommended that pickleball courts be positioned at least 500 to 600 feet away from residential properties, with a potential need for greater distance in environments like golf courses due to the refraction of the noise,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges pickleball creates a louder sound than tennis and is more intrusive to the surrounding areas, WDAF reported. The activity is also played on smaller courts, so there are more people playing pickleball in the same area as one tennis match.
An attorney representing Mission Hills Country Club said the tennis court was converted to pickleball courts in 2017, WDAF reported. It said the country club installed an acoustic barrier called Acoustifence earlier in May. The fence blocks and reduces sound.
The lawsuit also claims pickleball is played at the country club from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and results in a continuous and repetitive nuisance, WDAF reported. It also alleges there is loud music and vulgar language coming from the courts.
“When the paddle hits the ball, it creates a popping sound that causes mental false alarms and makes it difficult to relax, concentrate, or sleep soundly. The continual noise can cause stress, fatigue and anxiety,” according to the lawsuit.
The club’s attorney said the country club sent an update to members last week, WDAF reported. In the memo it said pickleball play will be limited to the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. It also said all social gatherings on the courts in question must end by 9 p.m.
The country club also installed timers to make sure the court lights are turned off at 9:20 p.m. each night, WDAF reported.
The lawsuit asks for a judge to prevent pickleball from being played on the four converted courts at the country club and ban the club from adding additional pickleball courts within 600 feet of the Franklin’s home, WDAF reported. The lawsuit also asks a judge to require the country club to take additional sound reduction measures.
Finally, the lawsuit asks the judge to award the Franklins damages caused by the nuisance they claim the pickleball courts cause, WDAF reported.
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