Homeowners who want a lighted pickleball or basketball court in the backyard would face a new set of citywide rules under a proposal before the Pleasanton Planning Commission on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
City staff say the current code does not fully address private outdoor sports courts, which often come with tall fencing, rebound walls and lights. That gap, the staff report says, has led to uncertainty and disputes between neighbors when courts go in. The proposed rules would set objective standards and send new or substantially changed courts through the city's single-family design review.
What the court rules would require
Under the draft:
- Courts would generally go in rear or interior side yards, set back at least 10 feet from side and rear property lines. That rises to 15 feet when a neighbor's home sits within 30 feet of the shared line.
- Fencing would top out at 15 feet, or 20 feet with design review approval where needed to keep balls in. Rebound walls would be capped at 10 feet high and 20 feet long.
- Court lights could be no taller than 20 feet, with a color temperature limit of 3,500 Kelvin, and could spill no more than half a foot-candle at a residential property line.
- Play and lighting would be limited to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with automatic shutoff and no more than two hours of continuous lighting before someone has to switch it back on.
- Commercial use and amplified sound would be banned, and an acoustical study could be required where unusual noise is likely.
The zoning administrator could set stricter hours or deny a court outright if its effects on neighbors could not be reasonably reduced. Courts already approved could stay under their existing permits.
