Eagan Commission Considers Potential Dog Park Sites

Eagan's four-legged friends may soon have a place to play, if the Eagan City Council approves a proposal for an off-leash dog park at Thresher Fields.

On Thursday night, the Eagan Advisory Parks Commission unanimously approved a recommendation that the council amend the city's 2012 capital improvement plan to include an off-leash dog park, at the cost of approximately $45,000.

The commission began considering the development of a dog park last year, after city staff received several requests from residents for an off-leash dog area. There are approximately 3,000 dogs currently licensed in the city, although the total dog population is estimated at 12,000, according to a report prepared by Parks and Recreation Director Juli Seydell Johnson. But the nearest dog parks in the area are in Burnsville and Rosemount.

On Thursday, the commission considered three potential sites for the park: , a 77-acre park in northeast Eagan; , a 93-acre park in west central Eagan; and Rahn Park, a 42-acre site in southwest Eagan.

City officials ranked each park using 19 different criteria, including proximity to the nearest residence, the accessibility of the park and whether an off-leash dog area would be compatible with other facilities already in the park.

Thresher Fields scored highest, according to Parks Superintendent Paul Olson, earning 32 out of 38 possible points on the city's evaluation system. Blackhawk Park earned 22 points on the scale, while Rahn trailed with 20 points.

Thresher Fields has several advantages over the other sites, Olson said at the commission meeting. The site is also near to a park pavilion with a toilet, water fountains and other amenities, which could be used by dog park visitors. City officials believe a dog park would help prevent ongoing graffiti and vandalism issues at Thresher Fields because it would draw more visitors to the area.

Finally, the park is farther from residential areas, which could minimize complaints about noise or odors from nearby residents. In the end, the commission chose Thresher Fields as the preferred site for the dog area.

"An [off-leash dog park] can have a significant impact on not only the physical character of the site, but also adjacent uses and surrounding properties," Parks and Recreation Director Juli Seydell Johnson wrote in a report submitted to the commission.

To mitigate noise and odor issues, Seydell Johnson suggested that a 150-foot buffer between the park and the nearest residence. The report also recommend that the city engage dog owners and ask them to clean up waste using waste bags and on-site garbage cans.

City officials estimate that a 4-acre dog park $7,500 annually to operate and maintain. Developing the dog area in a pre-existing park—rather than purchasing and developing a new property—would be considerably cheaper, Seydell Johnson said.

The Parks Commission will likely develop a set of regulations and policies for the park later this spring. The council may vote whether to approve a capital improvement plan amendment for the park as early as this spring, Seydell Johnson said.

"I think the Thresher Fields site looks like an excellent fit," Eagan Advisory Parks Commission member Michael Palmer said during the meeting.