City Council Meeting - 2023-08-07

Detailed briefing

CITY COUNCIL MEETING — August 7, 2023 • Council approved the consent agenda. It then reviewed the city’s dog ordinance and possible leash-law changes. Staff said the existing ordinance defines dogs not under direct control as a public nuisance, but allows control through either a leash or direct visual and audible command. The police review covered the prior 13 months and included lost/found dogs, bites, barking, unattended dogs in vehicles, and three off-leash complaints; staff said there had been no formal complaints of off-leash dogs at parks. • Council took no action to create a new leash law. Members and staff said a clear leash rule could simplify enforcement, but also discussed the difficulty of applying it when dogs escape unexpectedly. Staff said current rules can be enforced when an officer sees a violation or when a complainant is willing to pursue it. Council members asked that Zoll Beach conditions be reviewed before next summer because some residents reported off-leash dogs interacting with children there. • The western boardwalk has reopened, and staff presented options for the eastern half. The eastern work is estimated at about $500,000 because equipment access is difficult and much of the work would be manual. Discussion favored beginning fundraising now, building on existing momentum, while reviewing the city’s budget capacity later. Pledges were discussed as a way to gauge support without immediately collecting all donations. No formal vote on the boardwalk was recorded. • Council conditionally approved revisions to the Zorn Park playground donor agreement. The proposed $80,000 donation would support a beach swing set, a new beach playset, and a retaining wall protecting ADA turf. Council asked for the funds to be placed in an escrow account under city control, a full project accounting, return of unused funds, and removal of certain agreement language. The donor group was given until the next council meeting to respond. • Staff reported that two candidates, Michael Bearman and Kathy Macho, had filed for the two open council seats on the November 7 ballot. The city also tentatively received approval for $50,000 in county-distributed state and local recovery funds for city-well rehabilitation. Concrete skate park construction is expected to begin in late August. Worth watching: • Whether the donor group accepts the city’s required revisions to the Zorn Park playground agreement by August 21. • Whether eastern boardwalk fundraising produces enough support for a timely construction plan. • Any city action before next summer on dog use and safety at Zoll Beach. Upcoming: The DDA hiring committee is expected to decide on a recommendation August 9; bids for the 2010 GMC pickup are due August 11; DPW electric union negotiations begin August 14; and GRP Engineering is expected before council August 21 on the substation path forward. Why it matters: The meeting set near-term direction for park amenities, public-space dog rules, infrastructure funding, and several major capital projects.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.