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NewsTampa Bay TimesSeptember 7, 2026Hillsborough

St. Petersburg Development Review Commission approves existing pickleball courts at local racquet club

The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission voted to allow four pickleball courts at the St. Petersburg Racquet Club to remain, despite the club having installed them without prior city approval. The commission rejected a staff recommendation for a mandatory 10-foot sound barrier, instead requiring the club to conduct professional noise testing and implement sound-mitigation measures based on those results.

zoningnoise controlpickleballland useSt. Petersburg
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Why It Matters

Nearby residents are required to live with the noise levels produced by the courts while the club undergoes a multi-stage sound testing and mitigation process to address neighborhood complaints.

Key Facts

  • The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission unanimously approved the continued operation of four pickleball courts.
  • The courts were originally converted from a tennis court without required city approval.
  • The commission rejected a staff recommendation to mandate a 10-foot sound barrier.
  • The club is required to conduct professional sound testing while courts are both active and empty.
  • Testing must include locations across the canal along 45th Avenue Northeast.
  • The club must implement noise controls recommended by the study and perform follow-up testing.
  • If follow-up testing shows continued noise issues, the club must make additional improvements.
  • The courts have been in operation since January 2024.
  • City staff received 30 emails objecting to the courts and one phone call in support prior to the hearing.
  • The Racquet Club has operated at the site since 1968.

Who's Mentioned

personMatt Walker“Representative for the Racquet Club from Aligned Engineering and Design.”personMichael Kiernan“Commissioner who argued for professional sound studies over arbitrary fence requ”organizationSt. Petersburg Development Review Commission“The city body that approved the request and set the noise testing requirements.”personCharles Flynt“Commissioner who expressed concern for residents living across the canal.”organizationSt. Petersburg Racquet Club“The club that converted tennis courts to pickleball courts without city approval”location170 47th Ave. NE“The address of the St. Petersburg Racquet Club.”