Residents renew request for off‑leash dog park; supervisors acknowledge several possible sites

Joanne Hamlin returned to the Board of Supervisors public comment period to renew a request for an off‑leash dog park in Gloucester County, identifying potential county properties and citing examples in neighboring jurisdictions.

Hamlin, speaking for supporters, listed several county sites that she said could be considered for an off‑leash area — Art Park backfields, Brown Park near the skate park, Woodville Park, Beaver Dam near the community building, and cleared fields adjacent to Peasley Middle School — and said she had visited two existing parks in Williamsburg for models (Waller Mill Park and Veterans Park). She provided specifics about those examples: "Waller Mill Park is approximately 1 and a half acres. The Veterans Park is about 15,000 square feet or 0.3 acres," and said both parks separate large and small dogs, have entry safety areas and sanitation stations.

The nut graf: advocates stressed public‑health, animal‑welfare and tourism benefits, and supervisors acknowledged receipt of the request and said staff and advisory committees have previously discussed similar proposals. The board said it heard the presentation and would consider the matter alongside other parks and recreation priorities.

Hamlin offered rule templates and an existing parks operator’s guidance to help staff design a program emphasizing owner responsibility, vaccination requirements and posted rules. Board members thanked Hamlin for the submission and noted that advisory committees and staff could evaluate site suitability, operations, and cost and oversight implications; no formal action was taken at the meeting.