Published 12/06/07

Off-leash dog park proposal encounters opposition

by Beckye Randall

Residents of a housing subdivision that backs up to a proposed off-leash dog park made sure parks department and city officials heard their objections at a public meeting held November 29 at Sunnyside Elementary.

About a dozen homeowners from the Wilderun development voiced strong opposition to the proposal to convert a 5-acre “nature park” between the elementary school and their neighborhood into a special use area for dogs and their owners.

As Parks and Recreation Director Jim Ballew led a presentation that had been given earlier to city leaders, several homeowners questioned the validity of the data. Citing problems with off-leash parks in other parts of the country, residents asked about noise from barking dogs, environmental concerns in relation to dogs’ fecal matter, increased neighborhood traffic and parking problems.

Ballew explained that all the details for the proposed park weren’t available yet. “The emphasis here is on proposed. This park is not a done deal,” he assured those in attendance.

Based on the sale of pet licenses, officials estimate there are approximately 4,000 dogs in Marysville, with dog owners comprising 10 percent of the city’s population. Using standard parks department formulas, 1.5 acres are required for every 1000 people who might use a park. That means the city is looking for a property that’s roughly six acres in size for the off-leash facility.

The Sunnyside site, which was donated to the city by the Kiwanis Club, is approximately five acres in size. Its long, narrow shape and limited parking makes it undesirable for a multi-use park.

The undeveloped area is crossed by asphalt paths that were installed by the developer. The paths would remain as part of the proposed dog park, but access through the park area, from the subdivision to the school, would be closed off with fences.

Property improvements necessary to convert the land to off-leash use would be minimal. Ballew indicated an existing area would accommodate parking for twelve vehicles, and the other major expenses would include fencing, benches and a dog-friendly surface.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department estimates the cost for the dog park would be around $30,000, with approximately $11,000 of that total paid by local businesses and fundraising organizations. The cost for fencing, approximately $16,000, is available in the department’s current budget.

Representatives from Marysville Dog Owners Group, or M-DOG, have pledged to maintain the dog park at no cost to the city.

Jesse Thompson, president of the Wilderun homeowners’ association, said residents aren’t happy about the city’s plan for the land.

“Every homeowner in our association—all 77 of them—have said they’re against this idea,” said Thompson. “We’re concerned about dogs in the park barking and annoying our own dogs in our back yards. We don’t want people parking in our neighborhood and on our streets, and we don’t like the idea that the path to the school will be blocked off.”

Residents also brought up concerns about possible burglaries, and the impact on their homes’ resale values.

Proponents of the dog park argued that citizens who would use the park are responsible pet owners. Marike Burgess, a regular visitor to Marymoor and other off-leash parks in the Puget Sound area, said, “Dogs [in parks] are well-behaved because their owners take good care of them and socialize them.”

M-DOG member Doug Buell expressed the organization’s intention to maintain the park. “No matter where an off-leash park is located, we have pledged to be stewards of that facility.”

According to Ballew, the parks department hopes to establish several off-leash parks throughout the city and is considering other properties for that purpose. Officials are analyzing a part of Strawberry Fields off 152nd St. NE for that purpose, and Mother Nature’s Window in the Kellogg Marsh area has also been suggested.  

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