2026 Sound Decisions: Understanding Pickleball's Noise Impact Webinar

Fee: $10/Member; $25/Nonmember

~Fee includes .1 CEU and access to recorded video for 60 days following the webinar.

Pickleball continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in the country, but not without issue. As courts multiply, so do conflicts between players and nearby residents. Noise complaints, property value concerns, and even litigation are becoming commonplace due to pickleball’s unique acoustic profile.

Join members of the National Task Force: Pickleball Noise for a fact-based look at these concerns and what municipalities can do to plan for and address them. This session will cover what makes pickleball noise unique to other noise disturbances, the impact of this noise on human health, best practices for site location determination, and emerging approaches to reduce the impact of pickleball noise.

Speakers: 
Barbara Heller
Barbara Heller is the Practice Advisor for the Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Practice Group with BerryDunn, starting in June 2019. Previously she was President of Heller and Heller Consulting, LLC. She brings exceptional knowledge from more than 16 years consulting experience, paired with an additional 30 years in local government park systems across the country. Her education background includes a master’s degree in public administration from the American University in Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University.  She has presented at state and national conferences for the last 25 years. 

Charles Leahy
Charles Leahy is an attorney, retired mechanical engineer, and former homeowners association board member who studies the legal, planning, and acoustical issues created when pickleball courts are located near homes. He has presented on pickleball noise at meetings of the Acoustical Society of America and the International Municipal Lawyers Association, with a focus on consultant reports, zoning, nuisance lawsuits, impulsive sound, and practical steps public agencies can take before siting or expanding courts. His work is published at American Planning Association and Municipal Lawyer magazine.

Kathleen Romito, M.D.
Kathleen Romito, M.D., practiced family medicine for 30 years and now researches the public-health impacts of pickleball noise on nearby residents. Her work focuses on the physiological and psychological effects of chronic exposure to repetitive impulsive sound, including sleep disruption, stress response, health complaints, and community conflict. She collaborates with public-health researchers and acoustical experts, serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Quiet Communities, Inc., and has presented pickleball-noise research at the Acoustical Society of America and the International Conference on the Public Health Effects of Noise.

Barry R. Wyerman, Ph.D., P.E.
Barry R. Wyerman, Ph.D., P.E., is Principal Acoustical Engineer with Pickleball Sound Mitigation LLC. He has more than 40 years of experience in acoustics, including architectural acoustics, industrial noise abatement, automotive noise and vibration, and product-development acoustics. His pickleball work includes field measurement, noise modeling, mitigation design, and evaluation of barriers, quieter equipment, operating limits, and relocation options for courts near residences.


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Cancellation and Refund Policy: PRPS will refund your registration, less a $10 processing fee, if your cancellation is received in writing at least 10 business days prior to the event. No refunds/credits will be given for cancellations occurring less than 10 business days prior to an event. Substitute attendees are welcomed in lieu of cancellations; please contact the PRPS office to arrange this.

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