CONCERNS over dog waste entering waterways, barking and property values falling have sparked a petition against a new hub for hounds in west Wodonga.
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Wodonga Council is proposing a large fenced park for dogs on a panhandle of Willow Park that borders McFarland Road and has homes that face across a 100-metre swathe.
Objectors have lodged an interim petition against the idea with 58 signatures gathered in two days last week and another 50 already taken for a final submission.
Petition organiser Craig Sutter said with some properties only separated from the park by a 10-metre buffer it would be problematic.
"It might be a good idea but it needs to be away from residential areas as far as possible and the other obvious concern is the terrain of the site, with sloping, which is really unsuitable for a dog park. It's built on a watercourse and all the faeces and urine is going to flow into it," Mr Sutter said.
"(Also) everyone around here has paid a bit of a premium to have a nice, quiet peaceful setting and we've talked to real estate agents who have said it will devalue properties and take longer to sell."
Resident Julie Hind said the park would be four times the size of Wodonga's fenced dog hub at Belvoir Park.
"Nobody is happy with this location," Ms Hind said.
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"This is not a good location for environmental and social reasons because of the number of people it impacts and the fauna it will impact."
Ms Hind said birds and possums, which benefit from tree boxes in the park, would be disturbed by the dog park.
The petition states we "request that the proposed dog park NOT (sic) be located in Willow Park and Council seeks a more suitable location that better meets the best practice codes for dog parks".
"Our preferred option is the enlargement of the existing dog park in Belvoir Park as it will meet most dog park best practices," the petition reads.
Ms Hind said the Belvoir Park dog yard did not impact on houses, had limited wildlife and good car parking and toilets.
She has compiled a research paper assessing various sites around Wodonga for dog parks and examined guidelines for their installation from governments and councils.
Sydney's Ryde Council suggests a minimum 50-metre buffer between a park and properties, while Geelong Council states they should occupy relatively flat ground.
Wodonga Council allocated $50,000 in its budget in 2019 for a dog park and has stated it is reacting to community feedback in developing a dedicated area in the west of the city for pooches.
The interim petition will go before the council's monthly meeting on Monday night.
It is recommended it is referred to council chief executive Mark Dixon and considered alongside other feedback before a report is presented to a future meeting.
It is one of two petitions being presented on Monday, with the other relating to the speed limit on Baranduda Boulevard near the Westmont aged care estate.
Precisely 72 residents are calling on the council to consider cutting the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h ahead of the 60km/h zone which applies for the stretch of road in front of Westmont.
They claim the drop from 100km/h to 60km/h is not being adequately observed and noise from trucks using air brakes is disturbing residents.