Jamie, a Woodland resident who identified herself and brought a vision board, asked the council to consider adding an enclosed dog park, saying she had gathered “over 500 signatures from Woodland residents and supporters.” She told the council a dog park would provide a safe place for dogs to socialize and “build a sense of community,” and offered volunteer help to get the project started.

Mayor (first speaker) and staff discussed prior conversations about potential sites, including an earlier discussion of a location near the airport and the state Department of Transportation right of way. City staff (Travis) said that earlier attempts ran into questions about DOT easements and funding. The mayor noted city insurance liability and ongoing maintenance as central concerns, saying the city already pays “about $600,000 or $700,000 a year for insurance” and that a new facility would likely increase those costs.

Council members encouraged pursuing partnerships rather than full city funding. The mayor and council suggested exploring grant-funded and nonprofit models that many other municipal parks use; a city staff member offered to review municipal grant opportunities and asked residents to forward leads. The mayor also proposed having staff (Amanda and Riley were named in discussion) contact the city’s insurance provider to estimate any premium increase before the council pursues a formal proposal.

Next steps: council members asked staff to research grant and nonprofit partners, check insurance implications, and report back. No formal motion or funding decision was made at the meeting.

Ending: The resident left materials with the council for follow-up, and staff agreed to take the community petition and ideas under advisement for future agenda consideration.