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Dog Park Inches Closer to Approval

A proposed dog park at the entrance to Salt Meadow Park is one step closer to fruition and is expected to be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) in the coming months. The new dog park would be sited near the Route 1 boundary of the Salt Meadow acreage on the left as you enter the Park, according to town officials.

The current plan, not yet approved by the Advisory Committee on Community Appearance (ACCA) due to several small design issues, is expected to be adopted soon by the Committee. It calls for a square shape surrounded by gauged wire mesh affixed to cedar post and rail fencing near the edge of the roadway near the Salt Meadow Park entrance. The original design had black chain-link fencing as the confining material, but the members of ACCA requested the change to cedar posts and to the shape of the design, according to Beach and Recreation Department Director Austin Hall whose department has oversight of the project.

“The idea for a dog park was an idea prior to me starting here. It was an idea the town was considering for many years, and there were several locations considered and then Salt Meadow became the favored location,” Hall said. “This was thought to be the best spot for a dog park. The park would be in that unused area of the park near Boston Post Road as you enter the Salt Meadow now.”

The ACCA is an entity that provides advice and guidance to applicants before submitting construction plans to the PZC. According to its charge, the ACCA minimizes delays, expense, and inconvenience to applicants and identify potential areas of concern.

According to Hall, the committee has requested a few changes to the proposal including aesthetic plantings around the site and also a reconfiguration of the shape of the park. Those changes are expected to be presented to the ACCA at their next meeting.

“There has been a lot of chatter about it. Everyone I have talked to is excited about [it] and has been calling for updates on the project. Madison doesn’t have a dedicated dog park and most other surrounding towns do. I think it will attract people from all over,” Hall said. “Any dog park that I’ve ever taken my dog to, gets a lot of use. It turns into a little community and people have great conversations and the dogs all get along, and that’s what we’re looking to do over here.”

There is no date set as of yet for construction to start, Hall said. Though the town would like to start construction before winter sets in, the length of the approval process, along with the time needed for ordering and receipt of construction materials, would delay the project too late into the season to begin construction, making an early spring timeframe more likely, according to Hall.

“By the time it goes through Planning and Zoning it’s probably a little too late to try and install for this year,” said Hall. “If we don’t have a huge freeze, it might be possible still, but I think the likelihood of that is slim. We can’t order anything, materials until approved…so, in all likely hood we’re talking about a March-April opening.”