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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Dog Park Task Force - 05/14/2018 Dog Park Task Force Meeting for Jaycee Community Dog Park Minutes by Katie Lenox Monday May 14, 2018 Medium Conference Room City Hall Approved 6-8 PM Present members: Elizabeth Milizi, Maike Uetzmann, Linda Chiasson, Barb Sirvis, Katie Lenox, Elizabeth Walker-Bennett, Catherine Young, Staff: Maggie Leugers Others in attendance: Ed Plourde, Maria Moore, Councilor Meghan Emery, Deeanna Plourde, Mark Dickinson Safety Procedures: Maggie reviewed safety procedures. Jaycee Meeting Discussion: Maggie will be on vacation. Holly Baker will sit in on it. Barb will write letter. Review of Friday, 5/11 meeting: Ten folks from the Chamberlain neighborhood were present at Friday’s meeting. They talked about background and recommendations. Notes from meeting were reviewed including agreement (there was disappointment that Jaycee was smaller, no neighborhood impact, all agree on need for community dog park). Differing opinions on divisive or cohesive to community. Review of challenges and recommendations: Maggie combined that with Barb’s notes on recommendations and added Task Force points. These include: training, hours, resident/non, safety, volunteers, rules, animal control, funding, entrance, sound barriers, visual barriers, monitoring, adjustments, triggers, community involvement. (Full list on Maggie and Barb’s PowerPoint.) Barb drafted a PowerPoint with major points from discussion. Subcommittee reviewed preliminary PowerPoint. Mark offered that sound travels up and out and that barking was a challenge and that was why the park was closed. He wanted to see it on recommendations list. Committee decided on a reminder slide including challenges such as noise in order to separate challenges and recommendations. Barb, Maike bring up separation of recommendations for all parks for Jaycee Park. Councilor Emery shared that two ordinances came up at Friday 5/11 meeting. She said to look at ordinances for the care for dogs and cats. Maike asked how ordinances are interpreted. Emery said that council executes and attorney interprets; council does not interpret them, she said. Ordinances: Control of Dogs and Cats and Public Nuisance Emery summarized and shared that state law also needs to be followed. Barb took Jaycee notes from Friday, May 11 meeting. Maggie shared them with the group. Barb said concerns at the heart of the matter should be the focus because some challenges rose above. (Notes from Jaycee Dog Park Community Meeting) Betty shared a strategy of going down the recommendations and deciding whether it is Jaycee specific or applicable to all dog parks. Some are physical concerns and some are not (such as rights and privileges). Ed talked about a visual barrier between the kids and dogs. Mark and Barb discussed enforcement issues and the idea of a probationary period in case enforcement is an issue. Councilor Emery suggested giving the council as much information as possible including possible Friends of Dog Park, key holders. Ed asked if there is record of violations of ordinances and is told that is public information. Councilor Emery asked the group about Veteran’s Memorial park and said that was the initial charge of the Task Force in November. That scored well. Barb suggested that work was for a future committee and that today’s work is focused on Jaycee. Discussion about trying recommendations and re-evaluating. Barb shared a list of recommendations: (not all are agreed upon by the group) Open 7 am-dusk or 8 pm with possible “hot hours” shut down Lock after hours (Can parks open on weekdays?) New sign (rules not suggestions) Limit # of dogs Small dog area (35 pounds is Farrell Park rule; some people in the group thought that 30 or 25 would be more appropriate and others thought that staying with 35 is important) Have two entrances Make Jaycee an on leash park (compromise? concession) Friends of Dog Park South Burlington residents only Dog has to be licensed Clean up after dog # for in case of emergency (police) Evaluation/trial period Discussion about those recommendations followed. List of Ideas Committee and Community Thoughts Friends of Dog Park People need to commit to Friends of Jaycee Dog Park to volunteer (must be done by June 15) and parameters would need to be established (organizing meeting, key monitors, schedule, membership list, operational guidelines, contact person) Betty shared that self-governance is always needed at a dog park. New sign (rules not suggestions) Clean up after dog · No children under 12 · Clean up after dog · Temporary sign indicating Jaycee is under evaluation period and be extra mindful of barking · Open 7 am-dusk or 8 pm with possible “hot hours” shut down · Lock after hours (Can parks open on weekdays?) There is a considerable amount of difference in the hours of opening. Mark’s recommendation: weekdays 8-11 and 2-7, weekends 9-4;Catherine’s recommendation that weekends should also be 7-dusk; Ed’s recommendation for a later weekend opening; Deanna’s recommendation for closing at certain days; Barb’s recommendation that it be open certain days of the week (M, W, F, Sat) 7am-8pm or dusk Hours of operation need to consider # of people needed to keep it open, logistics, compromise Maria shared that people’s hours are different and there needs to be accessibility for all as much as possible. Group shared that there are hours for Jaycee Park. Keys that could not be copied. Make Jaycee an on leash park (compromise? concession) Make Jaycee on leash park with exception of fenced in dog park Have two entrances · Create visuals and instructions for using entrances (stand back 5 feet when entering and exiting) · South Burlington residents only · Dog has to be licensed · Katie shared that she feels very strongly that excluding people by creating a pay to use model. (Parks and Rec values - stewardship, inclusivity) · Evaluation/trial period · People suggest 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks. People decide by majority 8 weeks · Question: Who is evaluating? Point person and Friends · Question: How is evaluation conducted? Survey monkey advertised on Front Porch Forum · # for in case of emergency · Ask City Council · Small dog area (35 pounds is Farrell Park rule; some people in the group thought that 30 or 25 would be more appropriate and others thought that staying with 35 is important) · Not in agreement - 25 - 35 are discussed · Limit # of dogs 4 in small dog area and 8 in big dog area Suggestion box or feedback mechanism is discussed. Gauge levels of noise Betty called for city-wide Dog Park Committee under Rec. & Parks Department and each park has its own Friends of Dog Park group Promote Humane Society resources and education as well as South Burlington Parks and Rec dog classes Group goes back to challenges. Challenges Specific to Jaycee Park: Noise Size Balance of needs of children’s area and dog park Mixed use space; needs visual barrier One main gate General Challenges: Improvements to noise barriers Safety Relationships with and proximity to neighbors Education and training Mechanism for complaints Ordinances City Council meeting June 4 Barb proposes going to June 4 for Friends of Dog Park guidelines and putting together recommendations for city wide committee. City Council meeting May 21 Barb can present