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Council awards McMinnville dog park contract

Government | Thu, 09/24/2009 - 7:16 am | Read 4134 | Commented 20 | Emailed 5
Tags: McMinnville

It's official. The city council has awarded a contract for McMinnville's first off-leash dog park.

The park will be located on Riverside Drive, by the entrance to the city's public works shop complex.

Plans call for a 62,000-square-foot summer play area in turf, a 42,275-square-foot winter play area in bark mulch or wood chips, and a 17,415-square-foot year-around play area for small or timid dogs. Fences will separate the three areas, and asphalt walkways will run throughout.

The council voted unanimously Tuesday to award the contract to low-bidder Triplett Wellman, the contractor that built the new city's new civic center, for $261,023.

During the meeting, Paul Doyle, former owner of Cornerstone Coffee, requested the opportunity to buy back a site behind Cornerstone that he leases from the city for a coffee drive-through. He said he sold the site to the city under duress, and the city has continued to lease it back to him without ever moving to put it to any public use.

Doyle purchased the lot in the early 1990s and put up a drive-through there.

Almost immediately, he said, the city, represented by then-City Attorney Clif Ross, expressed interest in acquiring the property from him as a future city building or parking site. He said he reluctantly agreed to a sale after the city initiated condemnation proceedings.

"I have a difficult time understanding why, if the property was so important and was needed for public use, the city was unable to state exactly what the property would be used for and why it was willing to rent the property back to me for so long," he told the council.

Under Oregon law, property seized through condemnation proceedings must be put to public use within 10 years. Otherwise, the original owner must be given the chance to buy it back.

He said he should, by all rights, be given the same opportunity. Mayor Rick Olson said the council would give his request due consideration.

In other business, the council:

n Voted to accept a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for work at the airport.

n Forwarded a sidewalk request from Leland Fidler, who is concerned about pedestrian safety in the Ford Street dip, to City Engineer Mike Bisset.

n Heard an update on the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership.

n Received an annual report from Western Oregon Waste.

Print | Email Updated 48 weeks 5 days ago

Comments (20)

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Tue, 10/06/2009 - 1:06pm - Posted by: twoB

wildcat,
I bet about 98% of households own or are paying on a car, but you don't see the city putting in a racetrack. Regardless of the number of dog owners, that is a special interest undertaking, not a necessity if the general public,

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 9:24am - Posted by: wildcat11

39% of U.S. households own at least one dog. 25% of U.S. households own two dogs. There are probably over 10,000 households in McMinnville which means there are roughly 4,000 McMinnville households that own at least on dog.

Again, thank you to the City council for providing a place where the dog owners in McMinnville and the surrounding communities can come together (owners and pet). This will be a great benefit to the community.

http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/pet_overpopulation_an...

Tue, 09/29/2009 - 9:22pm - Posted by: darth_r8r

HATERS !!!!....wow....We can have YUPPIES come into our Vinyards?......BUT WE CANT HAVE A DOGPARK?...R U PEOPLE SERIOUS?..there is gonna be more DOG POOP in City Council than in the DOG PARK..but the people of Mac DO deserve a dog park..btw TWO B?..this is why its called a DOG PARK..not a City Park..DOGS in 1..KIDS in the other..Cmaaan man

Tue, 09/29/2009 - 1:25pm - Posted by: twoB

wildcat, you can't equate dog parks with regular parks. Parks are for kids, which greatly outnumber dogs. Dogs are just pets and should not be allocated city money. IF dog owners want a park, they should get together and privately make one. Its a project that may be a temporary bonus with the creation of local jobs, but will be a money pit in the long run.

Tue, 09/29/2009 - 9:58am - Posted by: darth_r8r

Ms.Teresa..I got a better idea 4 the homeless..maybe the city will give them a job keeping the Dog Park clean...that eliminates the problem..GIVE EM JOBS AND THEY WONT BE HOMELESS..Cheers

Mon, 09/28/2009 - 4:12pm - Posted by: cindyjean

This puzzles me.. I know ODOT and city moneys are probably separate but come on ppl a dog park verses a light on highway 18 to save human lives... something is wrong with this picture anyone else see this to be a problem? I have lived here since 1975 and not many changes to that highway have happened since then but many many lives have been lost! I don't care if it's young or old experienced drivers that highway is blood alley. Fix it already.

Sun, 09/27/2009 - 10:09pm - Posted by: WTF

So... the original owner bought the land to put up a business that would have created jobs and tax revenue, and the city council instead wants to build a dog park that will spend tax revenue. Ever wonder why government is always running out of money?

Sun, 09/27/2009 - 5:41pm - Posted by: wildcat11

Perhaps the city should just stop all maintenance, mowing, watering, upkeep of all city parks because according to twoB people should be satisfied with their backyards. Just think of the money we can save by just letting all of the city parks go w/o upkeep!

How dare the city council try to enrich the lives of community members by creating a park that will be used everyday. Shame on the city council for creating a project that will provide more work for locals in the construction in the dog park. Outrageous that the city council is putting tax payer's money to work in the name of improving the community members quality of life!

Sat, 09/26/2009 - 7:52pm - Posted by: JoeSezz

Oh yes , Leaders with visions, Visions of Grander. Hey get your priorities straight ! The leaders are a joke. A FREAK"EN DOG PARK ,REALLY!

Sat, 09/26/2009 - 6:00am - Posted by: Fleadog

The worst economic crisis since the great depression and Mac is building a Dog Park? Stupid.
Aaron Van Beurden
Sheridan

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 10:43pm - Posted by: WTF

How many homeless could we feed for the price of this stupid a$$ dog park?

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 9:55pm - Posted by: twoB

Another note on the dog park. We already have plenty of off-leash dog sites in the city. Its called a back yard. If you don't have one, you probably shouldn't have a dog.

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 9:08am - Posted by: AlbertTaylor

This project will enrich the lives of the People of McMinnville, it will give people an opportunity to get off the couch and out of their cars and do something healthy for themselves and their pets.

it is also economic stimulus, we are putting Oregonians to work, what is wrong with this picture, it seems like a win win to me.

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 9:03am - Posted by: DaveM

Being one of the aforementioned self absorbed, lazy pet owners, I think this is a great idea. You can't funnel all tax dollars to help the unemployed/underemployed/homeless. I'm not sure what the Mac city councils budget is, but I bet 250k is a small percentage. Improving livability for all is a good thing.

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 2:51am - Posted by: twoB

Maybe that dog park will result in less fecal matter in my front yard!!

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 12:29am - Posted by: MsTeresa

no offense to the dog owners but I agree with comncents when he said
" in this economy, that money could have been used in some way to benefit the unemployed/underemployed or homeless in this area"
I don't understand why it isn't top priority to make sure that everyone has a bed to sleep in at night,we have alot of people without homes in yamhill county and that should have priority over a park anyday....although after they build the park the homeless will have another place to frequent. :(

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 11:11pm - Posted by: darth_r8r

I love it..It's about time..I cant wait to hear from the cat lovers..WE WANT A CAT PARK..Cheers..Good Job City Council..TY

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 8:53pm - Posted by: comncents

I wish I could say that I am surprised that the city council has earmarked over a quarter of a million dollars for a dog park. It's not as if, in this economy, that money could have been used in some way to benefit the unemployed/underemployed or homeless in this area. I'm just sorry that some self absorbed, lazy pet owners are a bigger priority to the influence peddlers in this city than the lesser privileged poor working class. I bet these same people snicker at the more poorly dressed people at the church services they attend once or twice a week and then forget about the rest of the time. What blatant waste and hypocrisy!

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 4:02pm - Posted by: wildcat11

As a dog owner this is great news. We've been driving out of town for years going to off leash dog parks in the area and I'm thrilled we will soon be able to stay in town. Great work Mac city council.