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Home My WebLink AboutItem 8.2 Off-LeashDogPark CITY CLERK File # DBJ[Z]~-~[ð] AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 5, 2004 SUBJECT: Proposed Off-Leash Dog Park at Dougherty Hills Open Space Report by Herma Lichtenstein, Parks and Facilities Development Manager ATTACHMENTS: 1) Proposed Site Plan 2) Reduced Site Plan 3) Correspondence from Carolyn Trent and Family 4) Correspondence from Quartz Circle residents RECOMMENDATION: 1) Receive presentation from Staff /'7 ~ f'v/ 2) Receive public testimony on the proposed off-leash dog park at (\(/\1' Dougherty Hills Open Space ~ 3) Determine if the Dougherty Hills Open Space should be modified to include the off-leash dog park. 4) Identify a preference for a parking lot entrance location. 5) If approved, provide Staff with direction to finalize the conceptual design and cost estimate for the park for consideration as part of the Fiscal-Year 2005-2006 Update to the Capital Improvement Program. FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Estimated cost to modify Dougherty Hills Open Space - $299,470 - $478,380 Funding is not included in the 2004-2009 Capital Improvement Program DESCRIPTION: One of the Fiscal-Year 2004-2005 high priority City Council goals is to explore the opportunity to use Dougherty Hills Open Space on Amador Valley Boulevard at Stagecoach Road for a Dog Park. Staff has evaluated the site and determined that it will accommodate a two-acre dog park with areas for both large and small dogs. BACKGROUND: The original request for an off-leash dog park occurred at the June 19, 2000 meeting of the Parks & Community Services Commission, where Dublin resident Rose Rose addressed the Commission requesting consideration of installing an off-leash dog park at Alamo Creek Park. Ms. Rose presented petitions containing 267 signatures in support of the dog park. Approximately 177 or 66% were Dublin residents. With Commission and Council approval Staff proceeded with a study at Alamo Creek Park. In 2001 Staff presented the dog park at the location at Alamo Creek Park to the City Council. Neighbors objected to the site due to lack of access and parking and no park was installed in this location. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPIES TO: Parks & Community Services Commission \~ ITEM NO. R. 2.. In 2004 a small dog park was included as part of the design of Bray Commons Park in Eastern Dublin. The area was not large enough to include an off-leash area for large dogs. In order to accommodate a wider cross section of dog owners a park with enough space for both large and small dogs should be included in the overall park system for the City of Dublin. PROPOSED OFF-LEASH DOG PARK: Staff identified the base of Dougherty Hills Open Space as a possible site and studied the feasibility of accommodating a design at this location. The site is approximately two acres in size, which would allow enough space for a large and small dog area as well as 18 off street parking spaces. In order to convert this area for use as a dog park, additional fencing would be installed as well as double-gated entries on the west end of the area. Drinking water, garbage cans, benches, signs stating rules at each entrance and "dog waste clean-up tools" would also be necessary. In addition Staff is suggesting enhanced landscaping and a Dog Agility Course. Typical Characteristics Between one and five acres of land is the ideal size for a dog park, although existing dog parks vary in size from as small as half an acre to as large as 70 acres. Parks smaller than one acre have sometimes experienced overcrowding problems, while parks exceeding five acres are sometimes too large to be well controlled. A 5 to 6 foot fence enclosing the dog park is recommended. Fencing ensures that dogs will not escape and endanger themselves or any people in the area. A dog park should also include the following: · Entry - double gated · Pooper-scooper stations · Shade and water · Benches · Adequate drainage · Wheel chair access · Parking close to site · Safe location, not isolated · Surfacing such as grass, bark or fine gravel · Regular maintenance · Covered garbage cans Estimated Cost Staff has prepared a preliminary plan which includes all of the elements typically suggested for a dog park (Attachment 1). The cost for all of the elements to be included is $478,380. As an option some of the elements such as benches and landscaping could be reduced or deleted which would reduce the cost to $299,470 (Attachment 2). In addition Staff is working with EBMUD to have some of the initial site work prepared by their contractor as part of the agreement to use the site as a construction staging area for the DERW A project. This will potentially offset the cost of either option by $35,000. PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: On September 21, 2004 Staff presented the proposed plan to the Parks and Community Services Commission. At the meeting the Commission received public testimony related to the park. Residents within four hundred feet of the project site were notified of the meeting. Those in attendance were in favor of the location with suggestions for layout refinements. The Commission concurred with public comment and voted to recommend that the Dog Park project be included in the Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Update to the Capital Improvement Program. They further recommended that the park be funded to the higher design level and a design process allowing for further public comment be included as part of the project. ~trö3 As a result of the public notification and after public testimony was taken at the Parks and Community Services Commission meeting correspondence from Carolyn Trent and Family was received (Attachment 3). While the Trent Family supports the dog park they are concerned about the parking lot entrance off Quartz Circle. Additionally, on September 29,2004 a letter signed by over 20 residents of Quartz Circle expressing concern about the proposed parking lot entrance off their street was received. Staff has further evaluated parking lot options and believes that two possible entrances off Amador Valley Boulevard can be safely achieved. The entrance locations are shown on Attachments #1 and #2 with red dots. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: There are number of cities throughout the Bay Area, including Danville, San Ramon, Livermore and Pleasanton that have areas in a park set aside specifically for dogs off leash. As evidenced by the petitions previously submitted by Ms. Rose and the interest shown at the recent Parks and Community Services Commission meeting, there is support and interest for an off-leash dog park in Dublin. Staff recommends that the Council; 1) Receive presentation from Staff 2) Receive public testimony on the proposed off-leash dog park at Dougherty Hills Open Space 3) Determine ifthe Dougherty Hills Open Space should be modified to include the off-leash dog park. 4) Identify a preference for a parking lot entrance location. 5) If approved, provide Staff with direction to finalize the conceptual design and cost estimate for the park for consideration as part of the Fiscal-Year 2005-2006 Update to the Capital Improvement Program. 3 Df:::; a~~ 7404 Quartz Circle Dublin, Ca. 94568 Manager Parks and Community Services Department City of Dublin 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, Ca. 94568 Dear Manager, This past Monday, Sept.19, 2004, there was a public meeting on a proposed dog park at Quartz Circle and Amador Valley Blvd. I did not attend but a neighbor did and informed the residents on Quartz Circle of the proceedings. I am not opposed to this dog park but the location of the driveway into the parking lot should be changed to Amador Valley Blvd. This should be done for two reasons: l.There are a lot of young children on Quartz Circle and traffic should be kept to a minimurtI~ ------------ 2.As presently shown, the driveway is on the blind curve. ~~ J40/-r Carolyn Trent And family 'Ij,@ ~ 'íì"13\\ 1\)) ). t , 1.ß\\' ~ Sl? A TT ACHMENT 3 ;I September 24, 2004 City of Dublin Parks and Community Services Department Re: Dog Park at Stagecoach and Amador Valley To Whom It May Concern: .. YDf>6" Weare writing this letter to express our concern regarding the above mentioned dog park that will be placed near our neighborhood. Our concern focuses on the entrance/exit to the dog park from Quartz Circle. Quartz Circle is a neighborhood with many families, most with small children under the age of 12 (at last count we have at least 10 children under this age on our street). Additionally, some of the neighbors have small grandchildren that visit them. We believe that having the entrance/exit to the dog park located on Quartz Circle could pose a serious risk to the children in our neighborhood. Weare concerned that many people who use the park will drive down Quartz Circle and use the northern exit from the street to get back onto Stagecoach Road, rather than using the southern exit. While as parents, we teach our children to stay out of the street and watch for oncoming cars, it only takes one second and a driver who is unfamiliar with the street for an accident to occur. We believe that a better solution would be to have the entrance/exit located on either Stagecoach Road or Amador Valley Road. Thank you for taking the time to listen to our concerns. Sincerely, Address 7-cllf~ ~e Cac.¿(E 7~~7 ØOAÆ'l;Z (!¡//t"'Æ' ~~~ ~"L ~~ ì3q;;] Q.11~z.. 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