Residents press council on streaming meetings, off‑leash dogs, and pickleball noise

Several residents used the public‑comment portion of the April 27 Enumclaw City Council meeting to raise community concerns about transparency and park use.

Sharon Covington, a Stonebrook resident, asked the council to stream and provide Zoom access for boards and parks meetings to improve community engagement as the city grows: “If it would be possible ... streaming and zooming ... I just think it would be more involved as our city population gets, it grows.”

Deanna Miller, a resident whose property borders the Expo Center parking lot, reported repeated trespass and off‑leash dogs that have damaged her fence and said she has about six months of video evidence; she asked the council and police to follow up and requested officer reports. “I have like 6 months worth of video ... I have cameras sitting there and I even said something to them and they just don't care because there's no repercussions,” Miller said.

Richard Gardine, speaking for Stonebrook neighbors, asked the council to remove pickleball lines added at Rainier Trails Park in May 2025, arguing that a daily pickleball group produces noise that affects houses as close as about 30 feet. He said the parks board voted to remove the lines and that funding is available to restore the court to tennis use after resurfacing at Garrett Park is complete. “We want to be clear that we are not opposed to pickleball,” Gardine said. “However, we are concerned about the location of the court at Rainier Trails Park ... the impact on nearby residents is significant.”

Council members noted the parks board recommendation and several members said they favored waiting to remove lines until the new courts at Garrett Park are resurfaced (work expected to start May 18) so players have an alternate location. One council member voiced concern about the city paying to remove lines and preferred waiting to determine if the new courts reduce play at Rainier Trails.

Why it matters: These public comments touch on city transparency (streaming meetings), neighborhood livability and enforcement (off‑leash dogs/trespass), and parks management decisions that require balancing recreational access with nearby residents’ concerns.

What’s next: Council members said they will discuss pickleball policy at a future meeting on May 18; staff and committee updates will include follow-ups on enforcement and potential action.