Meeting Time: June 01, 2026 at 7:00pm EDT

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Agenda Item

11.C) AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN VILLAGE PARKS; AMENDING SECTION 20-66(a) OF THE VILLAGE CODE OF ORDINANCES TO AUTHORIZE THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO DESIGNATE SPECIFIC PARK AREAS FOR OFF-LEASH CANINE USE WHERE APPROPRIATE DOG PARK FACILITIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Sponsored by Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer)

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    Victor Vincent at June 01, 2026 at 4:10pm EDT

    Respectfully recording my opposition to this item, regarding taking a section of the successful Coral Reef Park and reserving it as a dog park. Village has already invested in the wonderful Perrine Wayside Park to address this issue, and there are other local parks such as the one at Chapman Field for this purpose. The Village has also invested resources and countless staff and volunteer hours in the Parks Master Plan, it is not an identified area of the plan for this park or was it a discussion item is the master planning meetings I attended. IMHO Council should reject this last minute agenda item.

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    Katherine Lundgren at June 01, 2026 at 3:07pm EDT

    Coral Reef Park is not the place for a dog park, The park itself is overused already by soccer, baseball, a weekly "market" and other special events. The overuse causes parking issue with people parking on 77th Avenue, 152 street even with the no parking signs that are not enforced, 80th street and 148th street which is one way and makes it hard to travel because of parking. The park workers cannot even control the dogs that are there daily by people walking them even with the numerous signs stating no dogs. How will park be able to guarantee that the owners will stay within the dog park? Will this dog park be fenced off by not allowing others to enjoy that area of the park? Have you even considered someone will need to be employed to just man this dog park? Will the town require that all the dogs have up to date vaccinations and be neutered for safety? Will this dog park have sections for small and large dogs? Will the aggressive dogs be barred from the park? Will it be treated for fleas? What about the waste issue? Let's not forget the water moccasins in the canal. Then there are the insurance requirements needed for the addition of dogs in a park. Please meet with Tai Chi group that have been meeting in the small gazebo for over 20 years, you would be displacing them. I truly wish that the whole council would visit the park and talk to the people that use it and see how they feel about this addition. There are other places for such a park in the village.