Belgrade parks board approves design requirements for Henson Park memorial dog park after removing mulch preference

The Belgrade Regional Parks, Trails and Recreation District Board voted to approve design requirements for a memorial dog park at Henson Park after striking language that preferred wood mulch.

Parks and Recreation Director Jordan Green presented a detailed staff memorandum outlining site conditions, review steps and minimum design requirements including a minimum 5-foot fence, a double-gate staging area, ADA access, backflow prevention and a requirement that ground surfacing extend 1 foot beyond the fence. “What you have in front of you is a memorandum that I put together with the input and advice of a few other city departments,” Jordan Green said, describing the permit and review process.

The project applicant, Bill Feininger, described fundraising, donated materials and a project team that includes local contractors and a volunteer architect. “We have a lot of support…once we get the drawings done I think we're gonna probably cover most of the cost by raising more money,” Feininger said.

Board members questioned whether wood mulch — which staff had identified as a preferred engineered solution — would hide dog waste or trigger allergic reactions in some dogs. A board member said, “My main concern with that is it might hide dog waste…Will we have parks representatives going out there to clean it?” Green replied that parks staff would include the new site in regular maintenance schedules, planned periodic mulch replenishment and an on-site spigot for cleaning; he also said staff would research hypoallergenic or untreated mulch alternatives.

On the motion to approve the staff requirements as written, the board voted and the initial motion failed. A board member then moved to approve the requirements with an amendment striking the preference for wood mulch and directing staff and the applicant to identify economically feasible, dog-friendly surfacing alternatives; that amended motion was seconded and carried.

The board’s action leaves final design review in staff hands and will require the applicant to submit engineering-level site plans, a materials list, an opinion of probable costs and a phasing strategy before the parks board reviews the final design. Jordan Green said staff will continue to work with the applicant on permitting, site design and maintenance planning.

The board moved on to routine staff reports and adjourned later in the meeting.