BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Bloomfield Township leaders have placed a one-year moratorium on new backyard sports courts, hitting pause on permit applications as the popularity of pickleball brings noise and drainage concerns to residential neighborhoods.
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The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the moratorium 7-0 on Jan. 26. The pause does not affect residents who already have sports courts installed on their property.
Andrea Bibby, the township’s planning, building, and ordinance director, said the township receives an average of two applications a month for the zoning board.
"We feel we could have better ordinances in place that better address some of the concerns. Some of the concerns have to do with the size of the courts, which means adding impervious surface to a property, which could increase some drainage concerns," Bibby said. "That's one aspect of it. Noise is another concern. Obviously, people are more aware now of the sound impacts of pickleball."
Previously, all sports courts had to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals for approval, which placed restrictions on location, size, lighting, fencing, and limited play to daytime hours.
Bloomfield Township Trustee Chris Kolinski spoke about the issue during the January meeting.
"The balancing of property rights as well as the impact of neighbors is kind of really important, right? I want our neighbors in our community to be able to invest in their properties. This is important to them, but how do we do that with minimal impact on our neighbors?" Kolinski said.
Bloomfield Township resident Wendy Kippleman turned her tennis court into a pickleball court about six years ago.
"They just lowered the net a little bit and put the yellow lines, and that was the extent of it, and we did that probably 6 years ago, I would say," Kippleman said.
Kippleman said she is mindful of her neighbors when hitting the courts.
"I'm pretty much aware of the noise concerns. So, we don't play very early in the morning. We don't play very late at night, so I've never had any complaints whatsoever," Kipplman said.
Other locals recognize the potential nuisance. Tim Manley of White Lake noted the loud pop of the pickleball.
"I don’t know the solution, but I don’t know, but I wouldn't be happy if my neighbor put a court right next to me," Manley said.
Gus Ploss of Clarkston highlighted the investment involved in building a court.
"With the growth of the sport, I know a lot of people that are doing it. It’s expensive; it’s not a cheap process. And I think if you use natural colors, the greens, the blues representing grass or the sky, I mean, it really blends beautifully into our yard," Ploss said.
Township leaders plan to hold a study session with board members to gain feedback, survey residents, and hold a public hearing on draft language later this year.
"So this is just a pause, an opportunity to kind of take a look at the issues as well as look at other communities across the country and see how they are managing this common thing that's occurring within the township," Bibby said.
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