Allen homeowner pushes for noise rules as pickleball courts spark complaints

As pickleball continues to grow in popularity,  questions are being raised about the sound and how close courts should be to homes.  

Pickleball has exploded in North Texas and for a stretch of several months, Allen homeowner Jeff Kacines says he became very used to its sound. 

"It's a popping sound," said Allen homeowner Jeff Kacines. "A high-pitched popping sound. It's not only an annoying sound, but it also travels further than other sounds."

He says that back in July of 2024, the Twin Creeks HOA replaced two tennis courts with six pickleball courts.

"Those pickleball courts are 350 feet to our window," Kacines said. 

He heard the matches morning, noon and night. He says that after complaints from nearby residents, this year, the courts were converted back to tennis courts. But it raised an issue.

"This is the part that really surprised me, that the amenities in the community, at least with our HOA, and I suspect most HOAs, those can be changed by the board's decision," Kacines said. "The problem I had with that is the next board could just change the rules tomorrow."

That's why he brought his concerns to the Allen City Council Tuesday night. 

Allen has a general noise ordinance, but nothing specific to pickleball, which is what Kacines suggests. He also says these courts should be set farther away from homes.

"A lot of the ordinances out there are 600 feet," he said. "We recommend 1,000."

Kacines says for him, the bigger issue is making sure neighborhoods have some kind of protection moving forward. 

"People are converting them without really thinking this through," he said. "This is a very unique noise issue."

As the sport continues to grow, Kacines says this is a cautionary tale of what can happen.