Pickleball enthusiasts soon could have a new place to play in Park City.The Park City Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing the installation of six indoor pickleball courts for public play in a 15,000-square-foot bay at the Utah Film Studio at Quinn’s Junction.Last month, the City Council approved efforts by the Park City Recreation Department to negotiate a lease for a temporary indoor pickleball facility at the studio. The department has proposed operating the courts from Feb. 1 through April 30; Nov. 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026; and Nov. 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.Recreation Director Ken Fisher said the department is not seeking a year-round lease because the big demand for indoor play is in the winter, while there seems to be enough courts in the summer.The Recreation Department has been working to balance the demand by pickleball and tennis for court time within existing facilities, according to a Planning Department staff report. The proposal will increase pickleball court availability and free up tennis courts in the Park City Municipal Athletic & Recreation Center while a permanent solution is explored, the report says.Pickleball — a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong — is played on a level court with short-handled paddles and a light, hollow ball. Two or four players hit the ball back and forth over a net that is 34 inches high in the middle and 36 inches high at the sidelines.The sound of a paddle hitting a hard plastic pickleball is louder than that of a racket hitting a softer tennis ball and play can lead to noise complaints.The staff report says the bay, which is designed for film production, is soundproof and pickleball play is not expected to generate sound that exceeds the city noise ordinance. However, the exterior bay door must remain closed during play.Park City built outdoor pickleball courts in 2013, but as the sport grew in popularity, players have been asking to play on PC MARC’s indoor tennis courts and to have more access to them during prime times.The plan is for the pickleball facility at the studio, 4001 Kearns Blvd., to operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. The hours could be extended from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with administrative approval.The courts would be scheduled with reserved play time and lessons and clinics taught by pickleball pros. A maximum of 24 users can play at a time.Fisher said that “certainly having the potential of six courts open seven days a week for 12 hours a day” would satisfy the current demand.Under the proposal, there would be a temporary restroom for patrons outside the entrance. Staff members have recommended that at least 30 parking spaces be allocated to pickleball players and employees.There would be no new construction or change to the existing building’s footprint.A project description says the Utah Film Studio is in the Community Transition Zone and a public recreation facility is an allowed use. It says the pickleball facility would fit in with surrounding recreational uses.“In close proximity is the Park City Sports Complex, which offers athletic playing fields, a playground, an ice arena, trails, and access to Round Valley Open Space,” the description says.Pickleheads, a pickleball court and game finder, says 2024 statistics show there are 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States and 18 to 34 is the largest age bracket with 28.8% of the total. The rate of growth of the sport was 223.5% during the past three years and there are 13,969 places to play pickleball, the organization says.The post Planning Commission serves up OK for pickleball courts at Film Studio appeared first on Park Record.