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City orders community meeting on proposed dog park at 520 University Drive after neighborhood opposition
Summary
Commission directed staff to hold a community input meeting on a proposed dog park at 520 University Drive following strong neighborhood petitions opposing development of a dog park at that site. Staff will notify properties within 1,500 feet, hold evening meetings at the Youth Center, and return to the commission with findings.
After neighbors presented petitions opposing a proposed off‑leash dog park at 520 University Drive, the Coral Gables City Commission directed Parks staff to convene a community input meeting and report back with findings and recommendations. The motion passed Jan. 27 following testimony from the University Green Neighbors Association and other nearby residents who said they object to the location and asked that a simple 'no dog park' option be available in the process.
Parks staff said the standard public‑outreach protocol will be applied: a community meeting (recommended at the Coral Gables Youth Center in the early evening), notice to property owners within 1,500 feet, door‑hanger distribution, public posting at the site and an email announcement to the city’s subscriber list. Neighbors said they want the notice and outreach to be explicit and timely and requested the meeting summarize findings and return a recommendation for the full commission.
Commissioners emphasized the meeting should be staff‑run rather than a political forum, and asked for robust outreach. The motion passed with commissioners saying neighborhood input should guide the next steps; staff will return with a summary report after the meeting.
Next steps: Parks will schedule an evening meeting within roughly a month, distribute standard 1,500‑foot notices and door hangers, and provide a report to the commission summarizing attendance, positions, and recommended next steps.
