The newly formed dog park task force committee met for the first time on Nov. 30. Steered by Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commissioners Tom Soukup and Mark Chapman, a few residents discussed ideas for allocating time for dogs at a local park.

"We have to identify what the main issues are and what the main concerns of the community are," said Soukup. "Not everything we suggest is going to get accepted."

Soukup said that the idea was to mitigate concerns and minimize conflicts. He indicated that it would be March 2005 by the time a proposal would be ready to be presented before the city council. Chapman said that he did not want to go forward with a plan that would become a big draw for the whole valley.

The group also talked about possible hours for the dog park.

Cary Bloomquist, public works analyst, said that the proposed dog hours could only be enforced at local parks that are larger than 10,000-square feet. "So a smaller park like Ravenswood is not a good candidate," he said. Bloomquist said that the proposed park will have drinking fountains for dogs.

Sandy Cross, a local resident who is part of the task force, said that the committee should look into liability issues and law enforcement support for the proposed park.

By the end of the meeting, the group had identified some of the core issues like dog excreta, noise caused by dogs and issues related to dog behavior around children that need to be addressed before the group makes a presentation to the city council.

The task force will meet once more this month. The first public meeting to solicit input from interested citizens will be held in January.