Council deems Westwood not suitable for alternative animal control facility site

Despite efforts from neighbors urging the Newton City Council to reconsider its location for the proposed animal control facility at a retired landfill, officials decided during a special meeting on Oct. 25 that the alternative site near Westwood Golf Course was not the best fit either.

Several residents who live near the old landfill oppose the current location, and they acquired more than 170 signatures to get council to reconsider its decision.

While many are not opposed to the city having an animal control facility — which is needed after its agreement with Parkview Animal Hospital ended — they do not want the building near their homes. Although the property is tucked away on the 14-acre parcel, they worry about the noise and the environmental challenges.

According to city documents attached to the council agenda, the negative aspects for the landfill site include: multiple gates to access the location, travel on gravel for more than two miles round trip, inconveniencing civic groups with travel, the topography requiring significant dirt work and access to utilities.

Newton Police Captan Chris Wing said the golf course location has better access to utilities, and the only real disadvantages to this site is it would be outside city limits and require a little more distance for officers to travel, and it would be more visible than the landfill site; Wing said staff could plan ways to obscure it.

Staff proposed the kennel could be built just south of the dog park at Westwood Golf Course. The city noted other positive aspects of this location is that it is at least 200 feet from any residence, it is already accessible and utilized by dogs so the impact would be minimal and is easily accessible to civic groups.

Newton Community Development Director Erin Chambers said the property is zoned A-1 for agricultural. Under the county’s zoning ordinances, commercial dog kennels are a permitted use. But there are setback requirements. Chambers said the city would need to get permitting through the county.

Prior to the special meeting with Newton City Council, the city’s park board met on Oct. 23 to discuss the idea of having the animal control site near the golf course. Wing said the park board did approve it in a 3-0, but members did have concerns about the aesthetics of the kennel.

However, the park board’s motion to approve the alternative city dog pound location nearly failed on the spot. Council member Randy Ervin pointed out that park board member Jeff Osby was reluctant to even second the motion, suggesting he felt forced to approve it along.

“It was only after some more questions and more answering and a little bit of leaning on Jeff Osby before he actually seconded the motion, I don’t believe he wanted to second it, and yet he did it pretty much to just keep the thing moving,” Ervin said. “…I don’t think their (park board’s) heart was fully supportive of this.”

Wing said residents living near the Westwood Golf Course site were notified by the city about potentially located the animal control shelter nearby. The police captain received no contact or feedback from those residents. Council member Joel Mills said if felt like too tight a timeframe for property owners to respond.

“I’ve got some general concerns and kind of some frustrations,” Mills said. “This is a new property that we’ve not yet discussed, and I am not for learning about and then voting on it right here in now in front of a small group of the public and not on our typical Monday evening.”

Other properties were considered for the animal control facility. In addition to the landfill, the water distribution site and the Newton Police Department’s firearms range were other locations that staff narrowed down. To note, the decision to find a fourth property was mainly due to the petitioning from neighbors.

Another reason why staff were issuing this new information to council is because they are pressed for time. The modular kennel is due to be delivered by Nov. 14, and staff need council to make a decision before then. Mills asked staff to bring comparisons on the other sites, but he was opposed to having it at Westwood.

“We are charged to be somewhat visionaries and serve on this council as changing the vision of the community,” Mills said. “Maybe that could become long-term parking and parking improvements of the golf course instead of a dog kennel location in a dog park that arguably isn’t used that much.”

Responding to Mills’ concerns, Wing reiterated the city is on a time crunch. He also noted the Iowa Department of Transportation recently took soil samples of the landfill site that came back clean. Mills claimed the city has places it can park the modular kennel until it needs to be moved to its permanent home.

“I do not want a dog kennel near some growth opportunities for our golf course after we have a new, bonded for and voter-approved clubhouse,” Mills said.

Prior to voting, Newton Mayor Evelyn George told council members that if the Westwood Golf Course location gets voted down then staff will come to them at their next regularly scheduled meeting with another new location. The council unanimously voted against the golf course site.

“You’re going to get more information from the staff and it will come up again because we have to have a location,” George said.