No. Castle Officials Bark Up a Storm Over Controversial Dog Park Plan

Tensions on the North Castle Town Board continued to fray last week during a heated discussion over the controversial dog park proposal for downtown Armonk.

Terse exchanges between the board’s two factions erupted at its April 17 work session after Supervisor Howard Arden and Councilman John Cronin said that they would like to move ahead with the project if the state Department of Transportation grants permission to the town to use the parcel at Wampus Brook Park near Maple Avenue and Bedford Road. The DOT owns part of the roughly three-acre site with the town.

“The big thing is the DOT has to sign off on the property,” Arden said.

However, councilmen Michael Schiliro and Stephen D’Angelo questioned whether the board majority of Arden, Cronin and Councilwoman Diane DiDonato-Roth, all supporters of the dog park, were taking shortcuts on process and intentionally keeping them out of the loop.

Schiliro said since late last year when the subject of establishing a dog park at the site was raised, he has received no written information or formal proposal on the project. He also said the board has failed to address the neighbors’ concerns as well as potential costs to the town.

“I don’t have anything to review to make a decision but it sounds like a decision has already been made,” Schiliro said.

The majority has countered by stating that an anonymous donor has been lined up to pay for the site work if the town board approves the project. No cost estimates have been supplied thus far.

DiDonato-Roth responded that the item was included on last week’s work session agenda to help bring Schiliro and D’Angelo up to speed on the issue. That drew an angry retort from D’Angelo who asked if the board majority has been exploring the dog park on its own.

“You’re just saying we’re having a work session so Mike and I can know what you three have done over the last four months?” D’Angelo asked.

Arden denied that allegation. He said that the Recreation Advisory Board has identified the location as the preferred site for the dog park for years and they’re moving forward on the idea. Furthermore, the issue has been discussed at several previous town board meetings.

Cronin said the board was not going to spend the time to put together a detailed proposal with cost estimates unless the town received permission from DOT to use the land. Otherwise, the proposal will be scuttled.

However, he criticized Schiliro and D’Angelo for trying to obstruct the project.

“I’m not going to sit here and have you lecture us on process,” Cronin said.

About two weeks ago an online petition surfaced opposing the park for being at an inappropriate location because it is one of the gateways into Armonk and because officials have failed to reach out to neighbors. The petitioners also charge that an alternative location was never fully explored.

For last Wednesday’s work session, the board brought in Dr. Marilynn Glasser, a dog park expert and consultant, to answer questions. She advised officials that a water line should be extended into the park to have a fountain for dogs and people, which she regarded as a must, separate areas for larger and smaller dogs, a transition area where owners can leash and unleash their dogs and to opt for a six-foot-high fence. She also recommended having grass and to stay away from a wood chip surface.

Glasser urged the town to have its Parks and Recreation Department maintain the area on a regular basis.

While there have been concerns in some other communities about noise and cleaning up after the dogs, she said nearly all of the time dog owners who use a park regularly police themselves effectively.

“People come to really appreciate their dog park and people follow through,” she said. “Not everyone, but most.”

Since late last fall, the town has been exploring the Wampus Brook Park location because dozens of trees were knocked over during Hurricane Sandy. The town is receiving money from FEMA that will reimburse it for the cost of the park’s clean up.