Westborough Planning Board approves community dog park at 0 Lyman Street

The Town of Westborough Planning Board voted 5-0 on June 4 to approve a full site plan review for a new community dog park at 0 Lyman Street (application 24-O-1221), with conditions set by town staff.

Jen Kirkland, the town’s recreation director, told the board the project responds to multiple planning documents calling for a dog park and noted there were more than 2,000 registered dogs in Westborough in 2023. Kirkland said the project will be largely grant-funded: "This park will be funded 90% from a grant from the Stanton Foundation," and staff indicated Stanton will fund up to $250,000 toward the project. Town staff also said the town received some ARPA funds toward the project and will refine cost estimates after the meeting.

Landscape architect Kyle Zick of KZLA gave the board design details: a five-foot fence, dual-gate entry (an "airlock"), separate small- and large-dog areas (small-dog area limited to dogs under 25 pounds), accessible parking and pathways, built shade structures, dog waste receptacles and pea-stone surfacing as specified by the funder. Zick described measures to protect nearby wetlands, including tree protection, erosion control and a vegetated swale to manage stormwater. He said about one-third of the proposed park footprint overlaps the 100-foot wetland buffer and that the project has been reviewed by the Conservation Commission.

Board members pressed staff about operations and amenities. Several members asked whether the drinking fountain and attached dog bowl should be located inside the gated play areas rather than only in the site-entry "foyer." Zick said adding a second fountain (one per dog area) would require another installed unit and piping and estimated installed cost at roughly $7,000 per fountain. The board debated installing a single fountain initially and adding a second later if needed; Kirkland said staff and the animal control officer would monitor early operations and could revise amenities or policies.

The planner present (staff who provided the board’s conditions) read the suggested conditions the board adopted: the decision must be recorded at the Registry of Deeds; the permit is limited to the approved site plan; the applicant must obtain any required Conservation Commission and DPW/stormwater permits; construction requires a pre-construction meeting; materials and on-site methods (including an erosion-control compost filter sock) must be submitted to DPW for review; hours of operation are limited between dusk and dawn; trash removal is required at least weekly; and landscaping and maintenance must follow the approved plan. Staff also required an operation and maintenance plan for stormwater measures and noted that any work in the right-of-way is subject to DPW regulations. The planner stated the permit "will lapse in 3 years if it's not exercised, unless they request an extension."

A board member (speaker 4) moved to approve the full site plan as presented with the noted conditions; another member (speaker 6) seconded. The motion passed unanimously; the chair recorded the vote as "5 to nothing." After the vote Kirkland said the team hopes to finalize documents and go to bid "early this summer," with the goal of completing construction this year if schedules and permitting allow.

The board also discussed operational suggestions for opening weeks (having recreation or animal-control staff present for orientation), signage noting Stanton’s grant support, and planting/screening options; staff will follow up with the town’s tree warden on specific planting choices.

Next steps: staff will complete any outstanding conservation and DPW reviews, prepare bid documents and post the decision at the Registry of Deeds. The board’s conditions list provides the specific submittal and construction requirements the applicant must meet before work begins.