Condo Owners Sue Bay Club Over Pickleball Noise at Embarcadero Courts
The growing popularity of pickleball has sparked yet another legal battle, this time in San Francisco, where a homeowners association representing 155 condo units near the Embarcadero has sued the Bay Club over noise from its six pickleball courts. The Golden Gateway Commons Residential Association alleges that the courts, converted from tennis courts two years ago, produce “constant, unbearable, and offensive noise” that disrupts the daily lives of residents. They demand an immediate cessation of pickleball operations, citing the sharp “popping” sound created by paddles and balls as a major nuisance.
This dispute follows a similar controversy earlier this year when residents near the Presidio Wall courts managed to reduce the number of active pickleball courts by half. Complaints over noise have become a recurring issue in the Bay Area as the sport’s pandemic-era boom has clashed with residential peace. In the Bay Club case, the homeowners association claims that noise levels frequently exceed 70 decibels, far surpassing the local allowable limit of eight decibels above ambient noise levels. Despite the Bay Club’s efforts to mitigate the noise—such as installing noise-dampening curtains, limiting playing hours, and monitoring player behavior—the association dismissed these measures as insufficient.
Opinions among residents remain divided. While some, like Jim Oakes, a pickleball enthusiast living further from the courts, see measures like restricted playing hours as a reasonable compromise, others insist the constant noise is too disruptive, especially for those working from home. As pickleball continues to grow, the challenge of balancing its recreational benefits with the concerns of nearby residents highlights an increasingly complex battle between community spaces and urban living. The lawsuit, and others like it, raises a fundamental question: can pickleball coexist peacefully in residential neighborhoods, or is it destined to spark more disputes?
