Neighbors sue Upper Main Line YMCA and Easttown Township over pickleball noise

BERWYN, Pa. (WPVI) -- The sound of pickleball has some neighbors in Berwyn, Pa. in a pickle.

The Upper Main Line YMCA in Berwyn has shut down its outdoor pickleball courts amid a lawsuit from nearby homeowners over the noise.

The homeowners at four properties ranging in distance from about 500 to 1,000 feet from the pickleball court complex claim the YMCA broke Easttown Township's zoning code and failed to get proper permits when it converted tennis courts to pickleball courts.

Complainants say the game breaks the noise ordinance in Easttown Township. The township is also named in the lawsuit claiming civil conspiracy, for allegedly failing to maintain and enforce its noise and code ordinances in favor of the YMCA.

"When people convert courts from tennis to pickleball, it's a shock to some people," says Dale Van Scoyk.

Scoyk is the owner of Pickleball Sound Mitigation Consulting.

It's his job to find solutions to quiet down the game he loves for companies and homeowners across the nation.

"The sound wave has a particular characteristic to them that annoying to humans. First of all, it's a short pop," says Van Scoyk. "The frequency happens to be 1000 hertz, which is the same as human speech, so our ears are tuned to listen carefully for that particular frequency."

Amidst the closure, the YMCA says in part: "We strive to be good neighbors and thoughtful stewards of our shared community. We are currently facing civil litigation related to the alleged violations of local noise ordinances stemming from pickleball activities on the premises."

In April, the Easttown Township Board voted to amend its zoning code to regulate outdoor pickleball play.

Now, after receiving conditional approval for a court, owners must provide noise studies and evidence they are complying with noise and nuisance standards.