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Off-leash Dog Park
May 6, 2008
During the Courtesy of the Floor section of the agenda, Laura Worth of
Yorktown Community Dog Park (www.yorktowndogpark.com) provided information
about the new non profit group that is working the Recreation Commission on
the creation and management of an off leash park.
June 10, 2008, work session
Councilman Bianco advised the board that the
proponents of the dog park needed guidance on the future location of the
park. There appeared to be a disagreement within the Recreation Commission
over two locations: Downing
Park, behind the tennis
courts and backing up to the ballfields and the
former Solomon Farms property on Gomer Street.
Highway Superintendent DiBartolo supported the Downing Park site and noted that the Solomon's
site was in a residential neighborhood where dogs barking early in the
morning could present a problem.
The board agreed that Downing
Park was the better
location. The park will be built at no cost to the town. Park supporters will
raise money for the required fencing and other expenses. The work (installing
the fence and cutting back the low limbs on the trees within the enclosure)
will be done by town staff.
Now that the site has been selected, the supporters will be able to begin
raising money for a site specific project.
June 17, 2008
The board approved a resolution indicating its support for a dog park, making
it clear that the resolution did not specify the location of the park. The
resolution states that a site, which is still under discussion in the
Recreation Commission, should be determined within a 30 day period.
Supervisor Peters said that all costs associated with the park will be paid
for with private funds.
During the second Courtesy of the Floor section of the agenda, an organizer
for the park explained the group plans to begin fund raising as soon as the
site is selected. She said the group will need $30,000 for fencing for the
planned one acre park.
August 5, 2008
During Courtesy of the Floor Laura Wuerth of the Yorktown Community Dog
Park organization told
the board that her group was disappointed and frustrated at the delay in
finalizing a site for the new off leash dog park. She said the group has been
working for the past 10 months to review eight possible sites and that it had
submitted its recommendations to the Recreation Commission in May.
In response, Councilman Bianco said that he was
just as frustrated but that the Recreation Commission had asked for more
time. He was hopeful that a decision by the town board would be made soon.
Councilman Lou Campisi said that he hoped the board
would have some direction from the Rec Commission
by September 2nd.
September 2, 2008
The board was originally scheduled to approve a resolution approving the
location of the proposed new dog park but delayed taking any action pending a
final review of three possible sites: Downing Park,
a town-owned parcel on Stony
Street and an abandoned right of way near Baldwin Rd and
the Taconic Parkway
that was recently suggested. The Baldwin
Rd parcel would require the approval of the NYS
Department of Transportation. The board scheduled a site visit to all three
locations on Saturday, September 6th, beginning at Downing Park
at 9:30am. The board will discuss its finding at its September 23rd work
session in an effort to finally resolve where the park should be. Supervisor
Don Peters and Councilman Matt Metz reiterated the town's support for the
park; the only outstanding issue is where it is to be located.
October 14, 2008, work session
Members of the Yorktown Community Dog
Park and the Recreation Commission
reviewed with the town board the possibility of locating the proposed dog
park at the French Hill extension of the Trump State Park
off the Taconic and Baldwin Rd. Members of all three groups had previously
visited the site. The site would require the town to get a lease from NYS to
use the park, and the town in turn, would sub lease the site to the group
that would be responsible for the operation and general maintenance of the
dog park.
One of the overriding issues influencing the discussion was the cost of the
dog park as some locations within the park site would have required more site
preparation work than others and therefore would have cost more. A member of
the Recreation Commission stated that when the park was first proposed in
2007, it was with the understanding that there would be no cost to the town,
other than some maintenance such as mowing the grass or plowing a parking
area. Councilman Campisi stated that the park
should not be a financial burden on the town.
Eric DiBartolo, Director of Labor Operations,
advised the board that when discussing the lease arrangements with the state,
it should be made clear who would be responsible for the maintenance of the
existing buildings on the site. (The town currently has no plans to use the
buildings.) He also noted the possibility of unanticipated costs and gave the
example of the new skate board park for which the town is now paying for a portosan.
The dog committee representatives said that their concern about costs was one
reason why they initially favored Downing
Park which would have
required little site preparation work. The group expects to raise $30,000 to
cover the cost of fencing in whatever property is ultimately selected.
A general agreement was reached to site the dog facility in the portion of
the park that is already cleared. The dog park group will prepare a map of
the area along with a concept plan that will be submitted to the state in
order to ascertain its interest in leasing the land. The dog group will also
begin discussions with the Recreation Commission on the rules and regulations
that will govern the dog park.
March 17, 2009
The proposed letter of support for the dog park that was on the agenda was
withdrawn as not necessary after Town Clerk Alice Roker
advised the board during the pre-session meeting that the Recreation
Commission had met with the NYS Parks Department which has no problem
allowing the town to use one acre on the Trump site for the dog park. The two
parties are continuing to process the required paperwork.
January
5, 2010
The Town is in the
process of finalizing legal issues.
During Courtesy of the floor, Laura Worth asked that the dog run be in
place by this spring. She noted
that there are over 300 individuals on the committee who have raised funds
for fencing, maintenance and ongoing management. The dog park will be in the French
Hill section of Trump
Park. She also reported that the Town should
have its agreement with the State any day now. The Supervisor responded by
saying that she expected the Dog Park would be on the January 12 or 26 work
session agenda for a review of the final changes to the agreement. She cautioned that the resignation of
the Town Attorney effective January 15 might create a hitch in the
process. Board members indicated
they want to see the Dog
Park in place quickly,
and Councilman Murphy also asked that interested members of the public could
reach out to him directly and he will get back to them as Town Board Liaison
to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
He also noted that Joe Falcone is a
Commissioner and is on the Dog Park Committee.
January
26, 2010
Superintendent of
Parks & Recreation, Jennifer Fava
There was discussion
of what is involved to have one acre of the Trump State Park site, off
Baldwin Road, available for the town dog park.
There would need to
be two leases, one with the State covering the entire 153 acre park, and one
with the Dog group covering the one acre dog park. Yorktown would have to take
responsibility for the maintenance of the whole park (153 acres) in an all or
nothing lease with the state. The State will not consider any other
options. In addition, if the Town
accepts the State deal, the dog park must be open to all state residents. This is not seen as a big problem in
terms of volume. Mr. Spadaccia (insurance representative) said there would be
no additional premium - the current policy covers all parks in Yorktown. In case of a claim, the impact would
be the same as a claim arising from any other Town property. The question from the
Supervisor’s perspective is whether this park would increase the
Town’s probability of claims because of the dilapidated buildings and
unfilled swimming pool. Jim Martorano also expressed concern for the
“attractive nuisance” created by the buildings and pool.
At present there is a
gate across the road which is locked at all times. Anyone can walk in. If the gate is open there will have to
be a parking lot which must be maintained. The boarded up buildings and pool on
the property were discussed. The
pool would have to be filled in.
If Yorktown, with a "hold harmless" clause from the State,
takes over the park, it would be the same exposure as any other park in
Yorktown. Per Nick Bianco, every time we take over open space we take
responsibility for liability. It
will be run as a town park. There
will be some mowing, but Jen Fava did not feel
there would need to be much more in the way of ongoing, regular
maintenance. The Parks and Rec Commission also indicated it was comfortable with
taking on this park.
The Dog Park Committee
asked that if the Town cannot agree to create the dog park here quickly, it
should consider other options.
The original location at Downing Park was thought to be ideal because
of its location.
Nick Bianco wants to move on having the dog park in the Trump
State Park which involves a 10 year lease.
Jen Fava - site does not concern her for maintaining it. The dog park will be maintained as a
natural field. There will be
fencing. It will be self policing
- pick up after dogs. There will
be receptacles available which will be maintained by town. There were questions of wood chips
(will not be used) and port-a-san availability - also handicap access, which
need to be worked out in lease between Town and Dog group.
The discussion moved
on to what each side would be responsible under the terms of a lease between
the Town and the dog group. The
dog group will install the fencing – there will be a two gate system,
one for large dog area and one for small dog area. The Town will be
responsible for mowing and maintenance, the dog group will clean up trash,
which the Town will collect from receptacles. The Town will plow to the parking lot
gate as it does with other parks, someone must talk to Eric. Any signage must be cleared through
the State.
A resolution will be
ready for Tuesday's Board Meeting.
February
16, 2010
The Supervisor reported on progress with the Dog Park.
The State has given the Town approval to demolish the buildings and fill the
pool. The State has commissioned
a study to verify there is no lead or asbestos in the buildings, and the Town
is awaiting the results. If the
buildings are clean, the Fire Department has requested it burn the buildings
down to demolish them as a training exercise. They must request permission from the
State as well (this could take several months), and will do that if the
results come back clean. Then, if
the debris from the burn is clean, it can be used to fill the pool. She estimated we could get answers in
about 2 – 3 weeks.
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