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Anacortes residents press council to clarify dog-park pool policy after city ban
Summary
Public commenters urged the Anacortes City Council to allow small, regularly cleaned wading pools at dog parks for canine heat relief and asked staff to develop a clear parks policy after staff posted a ban on private pools.
Mark Robinson, a resident and representative of the Ace of Hearts Dog Park Association, told the Anacortes City Council on June 23 that city staff recently posted signs banning wading pools at dog parks and asked the council to help develop a policy that would allow managed pools for cooling dogs.
The request came during the public-comment period when Robinson said the group bought a larger, roughly 7-foot pool to cool larger dogs and that Parks staff initially told him “no wading pools and no dog pools allowed at dog parks.” He said some users still bring personal chairs to parks and asked for consistent enforcement and a collaborative policy.
The issue was raised again by Alan Lewis, a 30-year Anacortes resident and long-time dog-park user, who told the council he feared heat exhaustion for dogs in parks with little shade and said the pools have been in regular use for about 20 years. Lewis said volunteers are willing to drain, refill and wash pools daily, and suggested a petition could show broad community support. Don Faulconberry also asked whether a written policy existed.
Mayor Miller and other council members responded that city parks are governed by policies and that staff would review the matter. Council did not take formal action; the mayor said staff would “look into” the appropriate policy.
The council did not specify a timeline or next steps for drafting or adopting a written policy, and no ordinance, rule text, or formal directive to staff was recorded in the meeting minutes.
Council and staff comments in the meeting noted competing concerns: public-safety and health risks cited by staff as reasons for the ban, and users’ concerns about animal heat stress and the historical presence of pools.
The council did not vote on the matter; the item remained a public-comment request for staff follow-up.
Residents who raised the issue asked the council to convene Parks and Recreation staff and dog-park volunteers to produce a written policy allowing managed pools that minimize health risks and require daily maintenance.
