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Residents urge halt to Burnet Woods dog‑park project, cite fundraising shortfall and ADA and bidding concerns
Summary
Opponents of a planned dog park at Burnet Woods told council the project lacks required private fundraising, removed ADA elements during scope reduction, excluded minority contractors from bidding, and that residents within 185 feet had not been notified; they asked the city to pause bulldozing until issues are resolved.
Several residents and neighborhood advocates asked council to stop planned bulldozing in Burnet Woods to build a dog park, citing incomplete private fundraising, an apparent scope reduction that removed ADA accessibility features, alleged irregularities in the bidding process and concerns about public‑health and environmental impacts.
Pamela Rinconis told the committee the project was approved over two years ago contingent on $150,000 in private fundraising for a $300,000 park and that the fundraising threshold has not been met. She said thousands of petition signatures, hundreds of letters and opposition from environmental groups and neighboring community councils accompany the concern. Rinconis said residents living within 185 feet of the perimeter had not received notification and that the Parks Department privately met with a single contractor (Proust Construction) to reduce scope without re‑bidding, which she described as excluding smaller and minority contractors.
Rinconis also said the reduced scope removed ADA accessibility, eliminated line‑items previously intended to be provided by Parks, and left no clear cost or funding source for the changed plan. She urged council to halt the project until those issues are investigated. Other speakers connected the project to broader city maintenance priorities, saying deferred maintenance across parks remains large and arguing funds should be spent on accessible repairs and E. coli contamination mitigation from combined‑sewer overflow.
No formal action was taken during the hearing; speakers requested an administrative review and a pause on construction until outreach, procurement and ADA concerns are addressed.
Ending: Opponents asked council and Parks to stop work and answer procurement, accessibility and notification questions before any on‑the‑ground construction proceeds.
