Siesta residents unleash dog park proposal

Sunset usually brings residents and tourists alike to Siesta Key Beach Access 2, plus their best friends — dogs, that is.

The beach along Access 2 is known by locals as “doggie beach.” But because dogs are prohibited from walking on the sand on Siesta Key beaches, most dogs sit at the feet of their owners on the road parallel to the shore. Not only do Siesta Key dogs lack beach access, but they also don’t have a dog park on the Key. Canines must be kept on leashes when being walked on sidewalks.

Siesta Key resident Kathi Scuba and her dog, Buster, are regulars at doggie beach.

“It would be nice to have some place for them to go,” Scuba said.

If Siesta Key resident Diane Collins has her way, there is a chance there might be. As the county continues to decommission the Siesta Key wastewater facility, Collins is beginning a campaign to repurpose the land for a dog park. She’s created a petition and is already lobbying for signatures.

“I can’t imagine why anyone would object to it, and I haven’t found anyone who does,” said Collins.

County staff said there is no minimum number of signatures necessary for an issue to be heard by commissioners. Collins is seeking 1,000 signatures on her petition in hopes of getting commissioners’ attention.

The parcel sits along the Grand Canal and abuts the Siesta Isles community. Although the proposal is still in its infancy, Siesta Isles Association President Tony Romanus does not see any opposition from Siesta Isles residents.

“It’s not a high-volume thing, and there’s not a lot of noise,” Romanus said. “I would think a dog park would be well received.”

As of now, the nearest dog park for Siesta Key residents is the Arlington Paw Park located at 3951 Woodmere Park Blvd., and with a prohibition on dogs on public beaches, Romanus said the addition would fulfill a need for island pet owners.

“A dog park is something we are missing on Siesta Key,” Romanus said.

In addition to Collins’ proposal to create a dog park, county officials have heard calls to create a small park with a kayak launch into the Grand Canal, as well as a trail connecting Oakmont Place to Shadow Lawn Drive.

All proposals would be subject to commission approval and are unlikely to be considered until the wastewater facility is decommissioned.

The three-phase decommissioning project is entering its final stage. The county secured a contractor in early October to construct a pipe system that will eventually transport 1.5 million gallons of wastewater daily to two mainland wastewater reclamation facilities. The county’s timeline projects construction would begin this month and conclude in December 2017.

Once decommissioned, the facility will be demolished and replaced by a smaller lift station. The county is not considering any specific plan for repurposing the remainder of the nearly 5-acre parcel.

County officials have not spoken in favor of any proposal. The only position staff has taken is that the parcel is likely to remain under public ownership, which is compatible with some sort of park. 

Likewise, Sarasota County Public Utilities Division Manager David Cash said any new use for the parcel would need to be taken under careful consideration given the proximity to the future lift station, as well as residential properties.

Although formal plans are years away, Collins believes now is the time to prove public interest in the creation of a dog park.

“We have no dog parks, and we have lots of dog owners,” Collins said. “The time has come.”