Update on Potential Dog Park (Kingston) The upland (higher elevation) areas of the back of the Hall Property (not the fields or archeological sites) are ideal for a dog park complete with a parking area, existing trails, a large clearing (no trees to take down) and relatively far from residential properties. Additionally, the town already owns the property. Many of you have been back there - follow the trail from the back parking lot to a clearing (filled with tires from the old paintball operations). This existing clearing would be ideal for a set of fences to delineate secure dog runs along with an off-leash area on the related trails. The lowland areas there are already designated as wetlands with the potential for vernal pools to exist. These areas are afforded the wetlands and wetlands buffer zone protection under the existing Wetlands Protection Act (MA) regulations and likely do not need the further protection of the area deemed into conservation. Since the buffer zone was adopted as a regulatory mechanism in 1983, research on the functions of buffer zones and their role in wetlands protection has clearly established that buffer zones play an important role in preservation of the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the adjacent resource area. I want to make clear that as a former MA Coastal Zone Management Director and a coastal management professional, I am in fervent belief of these wetland protections. However, I do feel that the upland areas there are ideal for a dog park (off leash areas and fenced in areas) and few other options in town exist with less potential adverse affects. The proposed Conservation Restriction for the property would add the upland areas to conservation protection even though the important areas there are already regulated. In Kingston, unlike Duxbury, we have a leash law. Which is a good thing and means that dog parks are likely not covered under the passive recreation activities listed in the draft Conservation Restriction. In Duxbury, without a leash law, dogs are allowed under their owners control to be off leash on conservation land. This is not true in Kingston which argues for a designated dog park to be identified and established. I propose the Conservation Restriction draft be modified to not include the upland areas as conservation but rather leave those areas, outside the wetlands buffer, as recreation so that we can designate the area as a dog park. This could be a win, win where we install lots of interpretive signs in the area to teach about the wetlands. We could restrict its use to those that have a town sticker and/or have folks buy a resident dog walking permit to be shown like a fishing permit...lots of ideas. If you agree, please let your BOS know so that the Conservation Restriction can draft can be modified to accommodate the dog park use or the CR can simply not be enacted as it is not needed. The time is now as the CR is being considered for approval NOW. Waiting until later is a much more complex process. If you dont agree or have other ideas, I would love to hear them! I do not feel that I have the only solution or the corner on these ideas.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 15:45:50 +0000