Minnetonka council adopts phased off‑leash plan for Purgatory Park, orders parking limits on Stadola Road

The Minnetonka City Council on Aug. 25 adopted a phased implementation plan to allow designated off‑leash dog use in Areas 2 and 3 of Purgatory Park, emphasizing signage, complaint tracking and a year‑long evaluation before any large‑scale fencing is installed. Council also authorized a no‑parking zone on Stadola Road west of Creek Park Drive and directed staff to study and, if feasible, create a corridor from the north parking lot to Areas 2 and 3 that does not impinge on sensitive natural habitat, with a staff report due by June 2.

Staffer Matt Kumpka told the council the initial phase will install a full park‑wide signage suite and a QR‑code complaint/reporting system for rapid response and enforcement tracking. He said Areas 2 and 3 total about 18.8 acres, and offered a high‑end fencing estimate of roughly $60 per linear foot based on local examples; that figure would translate to roughly $146,000 to fence Area 2 along primary edges and about $114,000 for Area 3 if hard barriers were later chosen. Kumpka said the city will monitor complaints and enforcement data to guide future barrier or accessibility decisions.

The plan passed after spirited council debate about public safety, ecological protection and access for people with disabilities. Mayor Wearsome framed the city’s responsibility plainly: "Public safety is job 1 in cities," he said, urging a measured approach. Councilmember Wilburn, who made the motion, and Councilmember Foster Bolton, who seconded, said they supported an incremental rollout that would allow staff to collect data across seasons before committing to hard fencing.

Members of the public gave divided testimony. Andrew Jennings, who identified himself as a person with severe mobility limitations, told council that without accessible parking he would be "totally incapable of walking down a hilly trail" to reach the proposed off‑leash areas and said he had filed a request for accommodation. Other speakers urged minimal intrusion on the park — Fred Weiner warned that fencing could attract uncontrolled dogs and degrade the park experience — while some residents and nearby physicians expressed safety and neighborhood traffic concerns and asked the council to consider permits or dedicated disabled parking at the Stadola cul‑de‑sac.

Councilmembers also pressed staff on timing and next steps. Kumpka said signage installation could begin this fall, but construction of any hard fencing is unlikely before next spring. Vehicle counts presented by staff showed roughly 250 vehicles per day entering the Excelsior Boulevard main lot and about 50 vehicles per day entering the Stadola cul‑de‑sac during the monitoring period; staff recommended the no‑parking zone on Stadola to reduce weekend backups while the city evaluates parking needs.

The final motion directed staff to implement the initial phase (signage, complaint/reporting system and monitoring), enact the Stadola Road no‑parking resolution, research a corridor from the north parking lot to Areas 2 and 3 sited to avoid sensitive habitat, and report back to the council by June 2 for further evaluation. The council approved the motion by roll call; the vote was 6–1 with Councilmember Romaley dissenting.

What happens next: staff will post and maintain the signage, activate the complaint/QR reporting system, begin monitoring enforcement and parking impacts, and return to council with data and a recommended corridor location by the June 2 deadline. Any decision to install hard fencing or other permanent infrastructure will be based on that follow‑up evaluation and brought before the council.