Expand / Collapse search
☰

Soothing or maddening? Winter Park adopts new Pickleball rules to address noise complaints

By
Published  September 1, 2025 5:46pm EDT
Winter Park
FOX 35 Orlando
Winter Park imposes new rules on pickleball courts

Winter Park imposes new rules on pickleball courts

Pickleball?s booming popularity has brought noise complaints to Winter Park, prompting the city to impose new restrictions on private courts. City commissioners this week approved zoning code updates aimed at easing tensions between players and nearby residents.

The Brief

    • The City of Winter Park has imposed new restrictions to pickleball courts on private property.
    • These changes aim to address noise concerns and regulate the sport's growing popularity.
    • The updated rules apply to new courts or those currently being renovated.

Like the sound of tennis, some people find the sound of players batting a pickleball back and forth – pop, pop, pop – to be soothing, while others may find it maddening. That has led the City of Winter Park to adopt new rules on pickleball courts to help alleviate noise complaints from those who live close to them.

The backstory:

The City of Winter Park recently voted unanimously to update zoning codes related to pickleball courts.

Under the new rules, new pickleball courts have to:

  • Be at least 150 feet from the side and rear of property lines.
  • Have a masonry wall on three sides that are at least 6 feet high.
  • Limit games between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

The new rules come as pickleball has seen a massive surge in popularity, which has led to more players learning the sport and competing, as well as an increase in noise complaints from those who live near these new courts. These new rules do not apply to already built courts; they only apply to future courts.

What they're saying:

FOX 35 stopped by Cady Way Park to see how pickleball players out there feel about the changes.

"I find it soothing, you know? It's, it's a noise that I kind of just got used to..." said Andrew Gillard, a pickleball player.

"I think it's a good idea. I like control because there's always going to be someone who will come in and, you know, have 3:00 a.m. beer parties at the pickleball court," said John Baranska. 

"This is like a busier time, but like, come 5 p.m. that both racks they have over there completely full," said Antoine Thurston.

Why you should care:

The new regulations reflect a balance between accommodating the sport's growth and addressing community concerns about noise and disruption. As pickleball continues to grow in popularity, similar measures may be considered in other communities.

Winter ParkSports