NORTH ANDOVER - Voters at Town Meeting next spring could decide whether to approve a dog park where pets can roam off leash.
North Andover is the latest in a list of towns talking about opening a dog park - fenced-in areas where people can bring their pets for exercise.
"Essentially, the dogs amuse themselves," Tony Capachietti, the Lyman Road resident who is leading the effort, said at last night's Planning Board meeting. "A tired dog is a well-behaved dog."
Capachietti, 31, a civil engineer and owner of a German Shepherd named Gina, has collected more than 100 signatures from residents saying they want a dog park. He asked the board for permission to work with Town Planner Lincoln Daley to find a location and come up with a proposal.
Capachietti wants to use an acre of town-owned land and privately raise $12,000 to buy a six-foot chain link fence.
He got the board's blessing.
"Sounds awesome," said Chairman Richard Nardella. "We applaud you for it."
Dog parks have been popping up around the area. Derry, N.H. has one and North Reading used to have one. People in Haverhill and Andover have been discussing dog parks lately, and Methuen talked about it in 2004 but did not open one.
There are about 2,100 registered dogs in North Andover. There is no public place in town where people are allowed to let them off their leashes, Sue Northam, the Community Services Officer for the Police Department, said during an interview.
Dogs are banned from schoolyards. "Just to walk my dog, I go to the Middle School and it's posted, 'No dogs allowed.' You can't even take the dog anywhere, it's kind of frustrating," said Harold Trombly III, who signed the petition.
Dog lovers frequent the trails on the Weir Hill recreation land.
Mia Klein of Haverhill went there yesterday to walk her dog, Oz, a 2-year-old hovawart, and her husband's co-worker's dog, Sasha, a 5-month-old boxer.
"Fenced in would really be nice in terms of not having to worry about them getting into anything they're not supposed to on the street," Klein said.
Both residents and non-residents would be allowed to use the dog park. The town could charge fees to the people who use it, and charge more to non-residents, Capachietti said.
Capachietti suggested two locations - the small soccer field near the corner of Johnson and Rea Streets and part of the town farm on Dale Street - but emphasized they are just suggestions.
North Andover is the latest in a list of towns talking about opening a dog park - fenced-in areas where people can bring their pets for exercise.
"Essentially, the dogs amuse themselves," Tony Capachietti, the Lyman Road resident who is leading the effort, said at last night's Planning Board meeting. "A tired dog is a well-behaved dog."
Capachietti, 31, a civil engineer and owner of a German Shepherd named Gina, has collected more than 100 signatures from residents saying they want a dog park. He asked the board for permission to work with Town Planner Lincoln Daley to find a location and come up with a proposal.
Capachietti wants to use an acre of town-owned land and privately raise $12,000 to buy a six-foot chain link fence.
He got the board's blessing.
"Sounds awesome," said Chairman Richard Nardella. "We applaud you for it."
Dog parks have been popping up around the area. Derry, N.H. has one and North Reading used to have one. People in Haverhill and Andover have been discussing dog parks lately, and Methuen talked about it in 2004 but did not open one.
There are about 2,100 registered dogs in North Andover. There is no public place in town where people are allowed to let them off their leashes, Sue Northam, the Community Services Officer for the Police Department, said during an interview.
Dogs are banned from schoolyards. "Just to walk my dog, I go to the Middle School and it's posted, 'No dogs allowed.' You can't even take the dog anywhere, it's kind of frustrating," said Harold Trombly III, who signed the petition.
Dog lovers frequent the trails on the Weir Hill recreation land.
Mia Klein of Haverhill went there yesterday to walk her dog, Oz, a 2-year-old hovawart, and her husband's co-worker's dog, Sasha, a 5-month-old boxer.
"Fenced in would really be nice in terms of not having to worry about them getting into anything they're not supposed to on the street," Klein said.
Both residents and non-residents would be allowed to use the dog park. The town could charge fees to the people who use it, and charge more to non-residents, Capachietti said.
Capachietti suggested two locations - the small soccer field near the corner of Johnson and Rea Streets and part of the town farm on Dale Street - but emphasized they are just suggestions.
Nardella said he thinks people use the soccer field for soccer, and said he doesn't want to give a sporting venue to the dogs. The chairman did say the town farm could be a good spot.
Northam, the town's animal control officer, liked the idea of putting the dog park at the town farm. She said that site is in a sparsely populated area, so noise and traffic are less likely to be issues.
Capachietti wants to get pet-oriented businesses to donate to the cause.
"The goal is not to be a tax burden," he said.
The Department of Public Works could mow the grass and take out the trash, and a volunteer dog park committee could handle any other maintenance, he said.
People who use dog parks in other towns tend to police themselves, picking up their dogs' waste and making sure the animals behave, Capachietti said.
