NEWBERG, Ore. — The pickleball and tennis courts at Jaquith Park are still under construction as Chehalem Parks and Recreation District prepares to fulfill noise reduction requirements by installing clear sound-reduction panels around the facility.
The City of Newberg’s Community Development Director Scot Siegel said the city denied CPRD’s request in April to waive the noise mitigation condition attached to the project’s original design review approval. CPRD confirmed it will not appeal that decision.
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The condition requires CPRD to provide a noise mitigation strategy that reduces typical pickleball decibel output — roughly 65 to 70 decibels — by approximately 12 decibels, or about 50 percent, using proven products and interventions. The condition also requires the district to establish regulated hours of play at the courts. The city confirmed the panels must be installed before courts can open to pickleball.
CPRD has selected Sport Surfaces Sonic Guard SonicShield Vision clear panels as its mitigation solution, according to Assistant Superintendent Casey Creighton. The panels are rated for up to 14 decibels of noise reduction according to the product webpage.
CPRD submitted the product to the city for review, and the city confirmed the panels would be acceptable provided they are installed according to manufacturer specifications. The panels have been ordered, with an estimated arrival of mid-July and installation expected within a week of delivery.
Creighton said CPRD opted for clear panels in part because of visibility and safety considerations at the facility.
CPRD filed a major modification application in January 2026 to remove Condition A.3, contending the city lacked specific pickleball land use regulations and that the noise mitigation requirement was not proportional to the anticipated impacts of play. No new evidence or proposed design alternatives were submitted with that application.
City staff denied the request on April 17, citing the proximity of the new courts to neighboring residential properties — some as close as 130 feet — and a body of planning research on pickleball noise impacts. The decision noted that the replacement of open green space with active courts brings noise-generating activity closer to nearby homes than the existing tennis courts. The city also noted that CPRD did not submit new materials to differentiate the modification request from the original design review application, and that the original approval had become effective in May 2025 without appeal.
Creighton said the volume of public comment on the modification application was higher than expected, with neighbors raising concerns about both noise and safety. He said CPRD views maintaining good relations with neighbors and the City of Newberg as a priority as the facility grows.
The nearly $800,000 construction contract was awarded to Lee Contractors in July 2025. The project also includes resurfacing of the existing four tennis courts at Jaquith Park, 1215 N College St. When complete, the facility will have two dedicated tennis courts, six dedicated pickleball courts, and two dual-purpose courts that can be configured for either two tennis courts or six additional pickleball courts, allowing for up to 12 simultaneous pickleball courts.
