Dear Mayor Combs and Menlo Park City Council Members,
I hope youre doing well. Im writing as a concerned neighbor residing in an apartment complex directly adjacent to the pickleball courts at Nealon Park (800 Middle Ave.). While I appreciate having a vibrant public park in our community, there are several issues that have significantly disrupted our ability to enjoy our home—especially this summer.
Major Concerns:
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Extended play hours
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Despite posted court hours of 8 a.m.–10 p.m., users frequently begin before 8 a.m. and continue well past 10 p.m.
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The courts’ lights do not automatically shut off at 10 p.m., enabling late-night play that is loud and persistent. They are instead set to a button that users push to keep the lights on for an hour, and users will sometimes keep the lights on and keep playing to well after midnight.
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Excessive noise
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Paddle strikes and player chatter are extremely loud. We do not have air conditioning and must keep our windows open during the summer, which makes the noise intolerable.
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Theres no enforcement of quiet hours—this makes restful sleep and general peace impossible.
Proposed Solutions:
To restore peace for nearby residents, I kindly request the City implement the following measures:
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Automatic lighting shut-off at 10 p.m.
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Gate locks that prevent entry outside of official hours (8 a.m.–10 p.m.).
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Sound mitigation—such as fence-mounted noise barriers or acoustic panels—to dampen court noise.
- Moving the court to one of the tennis courts further away from residents.
(Similar ideas have been supported both by residents and local pickleball players in community surveys and articles: [Almanac Article](https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.almanacnews.com%2fsports%2f2024%2f03%2f24%2fguest-opinion-pickleball-players-perspectives%2f&c=E,1,QVfRoJZjE5u7MGZzi6X8SiCFHMunrp11yAOV6ZIHXLkJ4V4RgC1kfHUZLo2TrKqXSW86gzK7b9OWnCz-tKz6VRQIowsiuNcanldDwf9orwPhMOwJgwxao-FC52k,&typo=1), .)
Impact on Residents:
Our family’s sleep, relaxation, and ability to enjoy our home are severely affected. The evenings are unbearably loud, and theres no reprieve even in early morning. With rising temperatures, we must keep windows open, but its nearly impossible due to the constant noise.
Why now?
Pickleball is a wonderful community activity—we fully support its continued presence. However, without reasonable controls, its encroaching on neighborhood livability. This is not about restricting public space, but about balancing community enjoyment and residential peace. Similar concerns were previously voiced by both players and neighbors .
Mayor Combs, given your leadership over Parks & Recreation, and to the Council, I urge you to prioritize:
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Implementing automated shut-off systems for court lights,
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Installing timed gate locks,
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Pilot-testing sound buffers along the fence line,
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Moving the pickleball courts further away from residents.
I’m happy to meet in person to discuss this further or support any plans to improve conditions at Nealon Park. Most of my suggestions excepting potentially the sound buffers should be very easy to implement, and I think would be an easy win for the city. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Warm regards,
Reid Miller
560 University Dr Apt 7Menlo Park, CA
