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Commission approves a dog park in Washoe Park after split vote; one commissioner dissents over traffic and trail concerns
Summary
After years of discussion, the commission approved a proposal to establish a dog park in Washoe Park on a site commissioners described as recently cleaned; the motion passed 4-1 after debate about parking, trail damage and alternative sites.
The commission voted June 2 to approve a proposed dog park in Washoe Park, with a 4-1 vote. Motion by Commissioner Paul Smith, seconded by Commissioner Steve Gates, carried over Commissioner Ed Beaudette’s objection.
Beaudette argued the site would create parking congestion near Maple Street and Cedar Park Homes, risk trail erosion where users carve switchbacks, and urged the county to explore alternative unused county parcels. He told colleagues, "I think we should table this until we get more information on other alternatives, better information on the cost, better information on all of the planning that needs to go into this." Commissioners Gates, Smith and Chair Hart said the cleaned site is centrally located and could reduce people using ballfields as informal dog runs; CEO Bill Everett said the county had studied locations for years and supported moving forward. The motion carried 4-1; Beaudette was the dissenting vote.
County staff and commissioners said they expect to address parking and trail-management issues as the project moves into planning and implementation steps.
