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Recommendations and Guidelines for Dog Park Site Selection, Design, Operations and Maintenance Page 6  The most important items mentioned for a successful dog park were cleanliness, maintenance, location, and shade.  The greatest concerns were cleanliness, dog conflicts, and maintenance.  Many residents were willing to volunteer at a dog park to help clean, landscape, organize events and activities, and fundraise. Summary of Input from Public Meetings  Three public meetings were held with 29 people attending the first meeting, 9 people attending the second meeting, and 17 attending the third meeting.  Important considerations should include buffers between the dog park and other uses, protection of natural areas and water quality, provision of shade, appropriate surfacing, adequate drainage, and parking so as not to put additional burden on existing neighborhoods.  Take care of what we have and correct existing issues, including cleanliness, inadequate shade, condition/maintenance of existing dog parks, and issues with dogs running off-leash.  Location is important, but it is also important to recognize that the City will never be able to provide dog parks walkable from every residence and land other than parks should be considered.  Research and provide data from other communities to establish best practices when designing and locating new dog parks and managing existing parks.  Establish an ample and well thought out process for public input. Summary of Placement, Design and Management Practices from Other Cities (Goal 2) Staff and Park Advisory Commission subcommittee members researched development and management practices from numerous cities, and obtained information via phone conversations, email, websites, master plans, and policy documents. Cities contacted include: Baltimore, MD; Boulder, CO; Chicago, IL; Kalamazoo, MI; Madison, WI; Norfolk, VA; Alexandria, VA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; and Meridian Township, MI. Existing master plans referenced include Denver, CO; Salt Lake County, UT; and Oakland, CA. Below is a summary of the responses. The data from the research on each city is detailed in Appendix 5. Placement  Size: The recommended minimum size for dog parks varies considerably among cities, but is generally between ½ acre and one acre.  Buffer from Residential: A few cities provide definitive distances from residences, varying from 50 feet to 200 feet. All strive to minimize conflicts and include guidelines such as: making sure that noise and activity levels are no more than other park uses, importance of screening or visual buffers, and having a minimal impact on residences.  Water Source: Most recommend having a source of drinking water for humans and dogs if possible.