Available funds for an off-leash dog park Cost to install an
off-leash dog park Under $25,000. Location - City Centered,
Accessible, Available Parking, Distance from Citys Core, etc. Makes
the most amount of people happy with higher usage than other City
of Newcastle Amenities Pet waste disposal / sanitation Benefits of
an off-leash dog park Common sound decibel study results Lake Boren
Park Survey Results Saturday & Sunday, August 7 th & 8 th,
2010. Location Maps (3) Distance Map Sampling of signage Study
Session Request
Slide 4
In the July 15 th Parks Commission meeting, a Council Member,
speaking as a citizen of Newcastle, commented that the dog park
proposal is not in the CIP. The reality is that The dog park
proposal is not excluded in the CIP and Capital Improvement Funds
are in the bank and potentially available for an off-leash dog
park. In the July 20, 2010 City Council Meeting, the Newcastle
Director of Finance presented the Citys mid year financial status.
Capital Investment Program (CIP) Project Detail - on page 47 &
57 it shows $75,000 budgeted for Lake Boren NE Improvements. As of
the end of June, only $602 (less than 1% of the budget) has been
spent or allotted. The original purpose of the $75,000 was
primarily to make repairs to the existing play area. The City of
Newcastle sought and received State funding of $325,000 which is
being used to replace the play area and make improvements to the
area around the play area Thus, the $75,000 budget funds (less the
$602 spent) are available for other park repairs and/or
improvements, such as an off-leash dog park.
Slide 5
The basic needs of an off leash area in Newcastle includes:
1.364 acres of area (The park is 20.2 acres) 960 linear feet of
fencing Two entrances One equipment entrance for mowing and
maintenance Dog stations at each entrance and one inside the off-
leash area Signage Benches & Picnic Tables Plantings
Ballybunion (mini park) 8200 150th Ave. Acres = 0.81 Too Small
Ballybunion Gleneagles (mini park) 8230 154th Ave. SE. Acres = 1.1
Too Small Gleneagles Heritage Morgan (mini park) Located at 8740
139th Ave. SE. Acres = 0.16 (mini park) Too Small Highlands Park
(neighborhood park) 9100 140th Ave. SE. Acres = 1.58 Too Small
Highlands Park Highlands Forest View Park (mini park) 143rd Ave SE
& SE 92nd Pl, Highlands, Acres =.53 Too Small Highlands Forest
View Park Historic Coal Miners Cemetery (Historical Monument) 129th
Ave SE & Newcastle Way Too Small Historic Coal Miners Cemetery
Madison Lane Located at 6900 115th Court SE. Acres = 0.27 Too Small
Redman (mini park) 136th Ave & SE 75th (corner). Acres = 1.2
Too Small Redman Thomas Rouse Road Historical Park 136th Ave SE
& SE 75th St Too Small Thomas Rouse Road Historical Park Tralee
(mini park) 7825 155th Ave. SE. Acres = 0.53 Too Small Tralee
Windtree (mini park) 9129 121st Ave. SE. Acres = 0.34 Too Small
Windtree China Creek (neighborhood park) 7951 144th Ave. SE. Acres
= 5.5 Sloped/Trees/Primarily a childrens play area/ no parking
except for in residential neighborhood China Creek Donegal Park
(neighborhood park) 7319 125th Ave. SE. Acres = 2.1 Open area
directly adjacent to Childrens Play area, no parking except for in
residential neighborhood Donegal Park Hazelwood (resource park)
121st Place SE St. & SE 73 rd Pl.(Parking for three cars.)
Acres = 7.3 Sloped/Trees/No Open Area, currently used as a
connective park between street and neighborhoods. Hazelwood May
Creek SE 95th Way & Coal Creek Parkway. No parking, No ADA
access, Significant slope/grade to level area, at the far reaches
of the City, Drive to location only, Not walking distance for all
Newcastle residents, undeveloped, will be used primarily by Renton
residents that live across the street, dump site for coal creek
parkway construction. DOT Site East of Lake Boren along Coal Creek
Parkway - Narrow parcel / Steep slope / Would need to clear brush
up to the lake / distraction to Coal Creek Parkway drivers/
Potential attractive nuisance / Entire site is wet and mucky during
the winter / 1/3 of area not usable during 8 months of year due to
retention pond / Required to walk along Coal Creek Parkway to
access / No direct parking / Direct water access to the lake
condoned by the City, not requested by F.E.T.C.H.. See Handout Map
for Park Locations
Slide 8
An off-leash dog park at Lake Boren would get higher use and
accommodate a greater number of Newcastle residents compared to
other City of Newcastle amenities. More people would use the
off-leash dog park compared to people that currently use the tennis
courts, volleyball area and fishing dock. The cost to build an
off-leash dog area is less than the expense that the City has
already incurred in installing/building other amenities that
accommodate fewer people and experience less use.
Slide 9
Recently a comment was made that it is illegal to dispose of
pet waste into a garbage receptacle. King County and Waste
Management both recommend that fecal waste be disposed of in a
waste receptacle regardless of being in a private or public place.
Specifically, they recommend Dispose of pet or human waste in a
public or residential garbage can, wrapped in a closed leak-proof
bag or container.
Slide 10
It attracts dog owners to congregate / socialize in a specific
area of the park which is also central to the citys core. It also
attracts older residents whose children have moved out, who now
walk their dogs for exercise and socializing. It keeps the
off-leash dog area in a central location so that we dont
unnecessarily increase or promote added driving in and around our
city by making our residents drive to other municipalities
off-leash dog areas in Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond or Renton.
The location that is proposed for the off-leash area does not
interfere with the City of Newcastles Lake Boren Park Master Plan
created by Worthy & Associates on August 12, 2008 and adopted
by the City of Newcastle. As such, there should not be a need to
amend the Lake Boren Park Master Plan. This area allows
accessibility to those with limited mobility and allows them to
exercise their dogs in an enclosed area. Benefits of an off-leash
dog area
Slide 11
Decibel Levels SourcedB Breathing10 Leaves rustling in the
wind20 Whisper Quiet Library30 Library40 Dribbling a Basketball60
Conversation in a house60 Dog Barking63 Normal conversation
(3-5')65 Normal piano practice65 Vacuum Cleaner70 Listening to a
radio in a house70 Garbage Disposal80 Business Office80 Telephone
dial tone80 City Traffic (inside car)85 Violin87 Street Traffic
(neighborhood)88 Busy Urban Street90 Walkman on 5/1094 Subway train
at 200'95 Lawn Mower98 Passing truck100 Snowmobile, Motorcycle100
Power mower at 3'107 Chainsaw110 Car Horn110 Power saw at 3'110
Sandblasting115 People Clapping120 Pneumatic riveter at 4'125
Average 81
Slide 12
Total Park Load w/o Reserved Gazebo Gatherings Saturday Sunday
Combined Percent People w/o Dogs10134644767% People w
Dogs8113821933% Total People182484666 62 Deg. R ain 71 Deg. Clouds
Arrived by? Saturday Sunday Combined Percent Car10814325165%
Foot706713735% Total178210388
Slide 13
People w/o Pets Adults without Children108152260 Adults with
Children38133171 # Children w above Adult(s)35141176 Total People
w/o Pets181426607 People with Pets Adults without Children66109175
Adults with Children71623 # Children w above Adult(s)81321 Total
People with Pets81138219
Slide 14
Dog Activity Saturday Sunday Combined Percent Number of
Dogs71101172 Approached on-leash436210561% Approached
off-leash28396739% On -Leash in Park32407242% Off-Leash in
Park396110058% Off- Leash By Play Area3255%
Slide 15
Dog Use by Size Saturday Sunday Combined Percent Big 60
+313169% Large 45 - 6021244526% Medium 26 - 4520 4023% Small 0 -
2527447141% 71101172
Slide 16
Proposed Off-Leash Area Newc astle Days 2007
Slide 17
Lake Boren
Slide 18
Slide 19
Slide 20
Sampling of off-leash area signage
Slide 21
Sampling of Sally Ports aka Vestibules Luther Burbank Park
Mercer Island Cedar River Dog Park - Renton
Slide 22
The purpose of a study session with the Parks Commission is to
allow both the Commission and F.E.T.C.H. Newcastle to better
understand the concerns and direction that are involved regarding
an off-leash dog park in Newcastle. Todays challenge is that we are
trying to pack over one-hundred (100) hours of research and
observations into a ten (10) minute presentation to the Parks
Commission. It simply is not enough time for F.E.T.C.H., which is
made up of hundreds of residents of Newcastle, to effectively
interact with the Parks Commission. F.E.T.C.H. Newcastle We are the
end users of off-leash dog parks in the area We walk our dogs daily
in and around our Citys Parks We understand what works in a dog
park We understand what does not work in a dog park We have the
resources and compassion to make this work. Allow us, F.E.T.C.H.
Newcastle, to come along side you to further study and find the
solution for an off-leash dog park in Newcastle.