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4-20-23 Villager

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VOLUME 41 • NUMBER 21 • APRIL 20, 2023

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Centennial moratorium freezes Lifetime Fitness’s plans for outdoor pickleball BY FREDA MIKLIN STAFF WRITER

CNBC recently reported that 36.5 million people played pickleball between August 2021 and August 2022. USA Pickleball tells us that half of all pickleball players are ages 34 and under, 32% are 35-64, and 18% are 65+. A few weeks ago, 95-year-old Rita Price was featured on a local news station playing pickleball in her Pinehurst neighborhood in southwest Denver. Pickleball, created in 1965 in Washington State by two dads looking for an activity to keep their children busy during the summer, is played with a composite-material racquet that resembles an oversized ping-pong paddle and a whiffle ball on a 20 X 44-foot court. What makes it so popular is that people of all ages can play and those of both genders and multiple age groups can play against one another in a competitive game. It also doesn’t require the high level of fitness or athleticism that other sports do, although those things are

sport. The always a plus. So are height only downand reach. side for some The game took a giant people who are not leap in popularity during the playing, which has been widepandemic when many people ly reported, is the repetitive did not leave home much expopping sound of the whiffle cept to go outside where they ball hitting the paddles. This discovered this new outdoor issue has led to recent actions activity. The game is also nationwide by HOAs and played inside and is offered some city governments that in multiple locations, inhave met mixed reviews. cluding South Suburban Rec On March 21, the City of Centers in the area. It takes Centennial passed a about 15 minutes moratorium on conor less to complete sidering or approvan 11-point game, ing new outdoor which adds to the attractiveness of the www.villagerpublishing.com pickleball courts

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anywhere in the city until October 1. The staff report to the city council, as they considered approving the emergency ordinance required to institute the moratorium said, “Pickleball noise is unlike and more impactful than noise created by other forms of outdoor recreational activities.” The report all said that outdoor pickleball courts within 500 feet of residences in the city were being planned

that did not require a building permit because they were conversions of tennis courts, necessitating the “emergency ordinance” to allow Centennial “to consider the impacts of outdoor pickleball courts on residentially zoned or residentially used property.” It also noted that the city’s Land Development Code “does not specifically address pickleball courts and potential noise mitigation requirements or siting standards.” At the hearing, Centennial city officials pointed to planned outdoor pickleball courts that they were aware of in three locations: Lifetime Fitness Club at 5000 E. Dry Creek Road, Fox Ridge Club, and Crestline Park. Centennial Director for Community and Economic Development Neil Marciniak reminded the city council that, in 2021, Centennial gave grant funds Continued on pages 12-13


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