Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Dog Parks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee weighs West Somerville dog-park options but finds few city-owned sites
Summary
Staff told the committee a 2019 feasibility study and current asset inventory show no suitable city-owned off-leash sites in West Somerville; possible alternatives discussed included a Tufts partnership or negotiating with Eversource, but both raise ownership and fencing challenges.
The committee discussed a long-running request for an off-leash dog area serving West Somerville. Luisa Oliveira said a Community Preservation Act-funded feasibility study identified no city-owned off-leash parcel in West Somerville and emphasized siting requirements for dog parks: fenced areas that do not border residential yards and a location that will not interfere with other park uses.
Ownership barriers and options: Councilors suggested pursuing a partnership with Tufts University (which has been a de facto dog area in places in the past) or asking Eversource about its Willow Ave parcel; Oliveira said Eversource land is private and the city's ability to repurpose it would be limited without a negotiated agreement. She also noted that state-owned DCR land presents complications and may not permit off-leash recreation in its current policies.
Next steps: Councilors asked staff to explore whether Tufts would formalize an arrangement and to ask DCR about off-leash allowances on state properties. Oliveira said the administration will flag the issue for the incoming administration and continue to look for feasible city-owned locations.
Speakers quoted in this article appear in the committee transcript and are included in the speaker list.
