HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Dog Park Task Force - 05/31/2018
Dog Park Task Force Meeting Agenda
Thursday, May 31 6-8 PM
APPROVED
Present: Linda Chiasson, Betty Milizia, Barb Sirvis, Katie Lenox
Staff: Maggie Leugers
Others in attendance: Mark Dickinson
Safety procedures: Maggie reviewed safety procedures.
Minutes: Approved May 14 meeting minutes with changes - change sub-committee to task force and change
Mark to public and change recommendations to ideas and wording around sub-committee. (Linda motions,
Betty seconds)
Review results of May 21 of City Council Meeting:
Jaycee will not open and Dog Park Committee will report directly to City Council.
Councilor Emery is drafting a resolution to establish a dog park committee composed of South Burlington
residents.
Discussion of openings - 7 total, 2 from Recreation and Parks and Natural Resources, and 1 expert. Questions
arise re: deadline for applications and committee meetings. Task Force discusses the number of residents who
can join the committee. Barb, Linda, and Katie want to be sure there is more room for other residents. Diversity
in perspectives and parts of the city seemed important to the group. To fix this, we ask for nine seats to be
made available.
Katie expressed concern that the word “fee” is in the resolution twice as that implies that is an already made
decision. Task Force is divided on the issue of fees and of the word fees in the resolution. The Task Force has
not come to consensus.
Barb suggested a list of issues on which we have consensus and do not. On the list is fees and funding.
Maggie talked about possible grants opportunities – Pet-Safe and AARP included.
Veterans Memorial Park:
Barb reviewed Veterans Memorial Park. This includes North Option (solar) and South Option.
Barb facilitated overview, maps, and evaluation of sites:
Entrance Site: has disadvantages - too small for two dog parks, potential water accumulation, slope, noise from
ball field, unattractive entrance to VMP, parking pressures with other events). Task Force scored this area as an
8 on the matrix.
North Site: (Solar) has disadvantages - long way to draw water, gate needed to protect maintenance area,
maintenance is more expensive there, handicap spots would be farther from entrance, safety areas and
advantages - away from other activities, size. Task Force scored this area as a 16.
Pond Site/Area south of the storm water pond: too small. Task Force scored this area as a 6 on the matrix.
South Site: Advantages include SBPD drives by regularly, easier installation of water and path, easy access to
parking; disadvantages parking during busy times. Task Force scored this area as a 18.
Matrix observations: Task Force deleted access enhancements and buffer enhancements and noted that the
standard setting scores (bottom left box of version 2 and 3) and minimum scoring needed (right hand column)
were based on earlier drafts of the matrix and need to be adjusted or removed.
Task Force looked at cost projects for North Site and South Site including: perimeter fencing, inside divider
gate, gats, Jaycee fencing, and more.
Task Force decided to recommend extending the South Site in the southwest. Second choice, North Site.