City Council Approves Two Fenced-in Dog Parks

Man’s best friend will soon have two new places to run free in Santee.

During a three-hour meeting Wednesday night, the City Council unanimously approved semi-permanent fencing at and fencing at to create . 

Santee has allowed dogs to run and play leash-free at both parks, as well as , during set days and hours. This is the first time, however, that the City will allow off-leash fenced dog parks.

“This is one of the reasons I’m so, so proud to live in the City of Santee,” said Councilman . “I’m so happy to be up here to be able to provide something like this.”

A leash-free dog park was first suggested at the , when the City Council reviewed the off-leash area program. At that time, the Council authorized the continuance of the program and directed staff to work with users on self-enforcement and return in six months with an update.

Since then, McNelis spearheaded a more in-depth study on the City’s dog parks with City staff. After visiting the three parks subject to the off-leash program, staff found off-leash users were obeying rules and regulations at Big Rock Park and Woodglen Vista Park.

Violations were continually observed at Mast Park, however.

The designated off-leash area at Mast Park is bordered by a trail. Staff witnessed dog owners walking their off-leashed dogs on the trail, which is used by walkers and joggers. They also viewed off-leashed dogs wandering close to the trail.

“It’s just not working the way it sits right now, and it’s truly nobody’s fault,” said McNelis, who has three dogs. “The way the park is situated with the walking trails that completely surround the dog park area—it’s a shiny object thing, I understand. I see a ball bounce by, I want to go get it.”

Councilman Jack Dale expressed his concern that dogs remain leashed until they are inside of the fenced-off areas. He said he has been bitten twice by dogs while running.

Councilman said he carries a stick when he walks his dog on a leash to stay protected from other dogs.

“Other dog owners don’t have consideration for the rest of us,” Ryan said. “They will come into a dog run, a dog beach, whatever the case may be, and they don’t think their dog needs a leash. Well, the next thing you know, their dog is attacking a human or another dog, so I’m glad we can separate the dogs from the humans and the bicycles by some kind of a means where everybody can be happy with this.”

Ryan encouraged attendees to help enforce rules and regulations.

“If everybody would control this and encourage anyone they see with their dog off the leash outside the dog run, we wouldn’t have any problems at all,” he said. “The only reason I bring it up is because I will probably never have so many dog people in the audience again.”

The Council received 29 speaker slips from attendees who supported the dog parks but did not wish to speak, as well as slips from nine others who wanted to address the Council, and most of them did.

“I just want to thank you Rob and everybody for their efforts,” said one speaker. “I just ask that you do support this proposal.”

Another speaker added, “If I was a dog standing up here saying what I want to do, I would say ‘Please fence me in.’”

A number of attendees were a part of the Woodglen Vista Park Committee, a group supporting a fenced-in area at Woodglen Vista Park. So far, the group has raised $2,250 in good-faith promissory notes to help pay for the park, which includes a $500 pledge by one speaker.

The fenced-in area at Mast Park is estimated to cost $8,900, which includes two ADA accessible entry paths. The City will use surplus black powder-coated chain-link fencing to create a two-acre semi-permanent enclosed area within the designated off-leash area. The fence will be approximately 50 feet from the edge of the trail that surrounds the area.

The enclosed area at Woodglen Vista Park will be approximately .93 acres in size. The fenced-in area, which includes an ADA accessible entry path, is estimated to cost between $13,600 and $19,600, depending on the layout.

The Woodglen Vista Park Committee had previously proposed a partnership with the City where they would contribute half the amount.

Still, Dale proposed the City pay for fences and the public’s contributions go toward park features, such as benches and fountains, which garnered loud applause from the crowd.

“Me being the tightwad that I am,” joked, “I was going to be all over the money part, that you guys got to hit your 50 percent before we match it, but I think Jack Dale’s idea of the City pays for the fence, you guys pay for the rest of it—I think that’s the way to go. I salute Rob McNelis’ work.”

Although Voepel called himself “a cat guy,” he noted “Dogs are good,” which drew laughter from the dog lovers in attendance.

Vice Mayor agreed with the other councilmembers. 

“It’s important, I think, that we do have an enclosed area,” Minto said. “All the people jogging, riding bikes and doing things like that can have a good time, and folks with animals can have a good time, too.”

In addition to approving fenced-in areas at Mast Park and Woodglen Vista Park, the Council also approved the second design for Woodglen Vista Park, which includes more fencing than the first option.

Although no dates have been set for the fences to be constructed, McNelis noted, "We’re taking action now and moving forward with getting this done."

In other action, the City Council authorized various professional services for a tax allocation bond financing team.

Noting hard economic times, Voepel persuaded KNN Public Finance, which will provide financial advisory services, to waive its up to $15,000 non-contingent fee. He also persuaded Best, Best & Krieger LLP, which will provide bond counsel services, to reduce its $66,750 fee by 20 percent.

Quint & Thimming LLP, which will provide disclosure counsel services, was not represented at the meeting. Voepel asked staff to negotiate they reduce their fee by 20 percent, too. He accepted Piper Jaffray & Co.'s "reasonable" offer to serve as bond underwriter.

The Council also held two public hearings. Councilmembers received testimony from multiple applicants for .

Representatives from Crisis House, Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Santee Santas, Santee Senior Nutritional Center, Caring Neighbors Program, YMCA, East County Transitional Living Center, San Diego Youth Services and Communities Against Substance Abuse addressed the Council. The public hearing will be continued at the next meeting on Feb. 23.

During the second public hearing, the Council approved an amendment to the Santee General Plan to incorporate the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.