The approved draft of the 2025 Aquarina budget allocates $100,000 of the additonal reserve funds for the construction of 2-3 pickleball courts at a proposed location which includes where the current bocce court is located.

This estimate is stated to be based on several bids gathered over the summer.  However, these numbers are premature as the estimates are based on a location that has not been evaluated by an outside, independent noise impact assessment organization: one that has no vested interest in whether the courts are built are not.  A noise mitigation company whose income is attached to the results is not acceptable. That is what this petition is asking for. We have provided information for Spendiarian & Willis Acoustics & Noise Control LLC (https://www.acousticalnoise.com/) to the ACSA / AGI board members for consideration as a professional noise impact assessment organization for this purpose. Their services have been utilized by both country clubs and city governments for this purpose, the results of which have been provided to the ACSA board for review. Based on their review, the following was established by the City of Centennial Ordinance No. 2023-0-10, including:

• Prohibited Location. No Outdoor Pickleball Court may be located within 250 feet of a lot or parcel that is residentially zoned or residentially used, except as may be authorized in accordance with Section 12-2-409(H).
• Pickleball Noise Standard. An Outdoor Pickleball Court, or any collection of adjacent Outdoor Pickleball Courts, shall not produce noise in excess of 47 decibels measured at the nearest adjacent property lines for properties zoned for residential use or used for residential purposes.

Without a noise impact study there is almost certainly no sound mitigation included in any of the bids. The bids we received have not been disclosed, so we are left with many questions about the $100,000. We've been told it likely is not enough to complete the project:

• Do the bids include a special sports surface for the courts that helps to dampen noise?
• Do the bids include lowering the court surface to help with noise?
• If the court is lowered, do the bids include drainage?
• Alternatively, earthen berms around the courts can be used to help with noise. Do the bids include these? How high?
• Alternatively, 10-12' walls might be used to help with noise mitigation towards Blue Heron, Egret Trace, Spoonbill and Sandpiper Cove. Do the bids include this? If so, does the wall meet hurricane construction requirements?
• Do the bids include dense landscaping to help with noise mitigation? 

Even the answers to basic questions are unclear:

• Do the bids include the cost to relocate and rebuild the bocce court that would be lost at the originally proposed location?
• Do the bids include ground and site preparation such as leveling and tree clearing?
• Do the bids include any post-installation landscaping? 

Since the $100,000 is likely not enough and was developed without any regard to sound mitigation, the gap will have to be closed using a combination of a special assessment against all Aquarina residents and funding from private individuals.

As it stands, if the draft budget is approved it would make this project actionable without a community vote and without a noise impact study through the use of:

1. the $100,000 reserves assignment
2. a $75,000 special assessment
3. private funding (whether donated or loaned) by interested parties, as has happened with many recent projects.

In the spirit of transparency and accountability, we strongly urge that the pickleball court be removed from the 2025 budget reserves and replaced instead with funding for a noise impact study, conducted at several possible locations (approx $5K for each).

We also urge that a pickleball committee be formed that considers noise impact site selection for this process during 2025. Depending on their recommendation and the results of the noise impact study, an alternative site may be selected and/or sound mitigations may be recommended which will provide a much more accurate estimate for the 2026 budget.

The ACSA board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 31st.

1. Be on the lookout for the meeting notice from First Service Residential so that you can attend, in person or via Zoom. This update is publicly posted, so we cannot provide the Zoom information here.
2. Please do your best to get FIVE FRIENDS to sign the petition. It is located at http://change.org/pickleball-impact

We have 2 weeks to go before the 2025 budget is finalized. We are so greatful that Hurricane Milton did not damage our beautiful Aquarina. Let's keep moving forward with thoughtful engagement to ensure our tranquil surroundings are not impacted. We need your signatures on this petition and your voices to be heard.