Despite efforts by neighbors who urged the Newton City Council to reconsider the location of the proposed animal control facility at a retired landfill, officials decided during a special meeting Oct. 25 that the alternative site near the field Westwood golf course wasn’t the best either.

Several residents who live near the old landfill oppose the current location and gathered more than 170 signatures for the city council to reconsider its decision.

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

According to city documents attached to the council agenda, negative aspects for the landfill site include: multiple gates to access the site, travel on gravel for more than two miles round trip, inconvenience for civic groups with the travel, topography that requires a lot of land work and access to public services.

Newton Police Capt. Chris Wing said the golf course location has better access to public services, and the only real drawbacks to this site are that it would be outside the city limits and require a little more distance for officers to travel, and would be more visible than the landfill site; Wing said staff could plan ways to hide it.

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

Newton Community Development Director Erin Chambers said the property is zoned A-1 for agriculture. Under county zoning ordinances, commercial dog kennels are a permitted use. But there are rollback requirements. Chambers said the city would need to obtain permits through the county.

Prior to the special meeting with Newton City Council, the city’s park board met Oct. 23 to discuss the idea of ​​having the animal control site near the golf course. Wing said the park board approved it 3-0, but members were concerned about the aesthetics of the kennel.

However, the park board’s motion to approve the alternative location of the city kennel almost failed on the spot. Council member Randy Ervin noted that park board member Jeff Osby was reluctant to even support the motion, suggesting he felt obligated to approve it.

“It was only after a few more questions and more answers and a little bit of leaning on Jeff Osby before he actually seconded the motion, I don’t think he wanted to second it and yet he did it more or less to keep the motion.” on the move,” Ervin said. “…I don’t think the hearts of (the park board) would fully support this.”

Wing said the city notified residents who live near the Westwood Golf Course site about the possible location of the animal control shelter nearby. The police captain received no contact or comment from those residents. Council member Joel Mills said it seemed like too tight a deadline for homeowners to respond.

“I have some general concerns and some frustrations,” Mills said. “This is a new property that we haven’t discussed yet, and I’m not in favor of learning about it and then voting on it right here, in front of a small group of people and not on our typical Monday night.”

Other properties were considered for the animal control facility. In addition to the landfill, the Newton Police Department’s water distribution site and firearms range were other locations staff reduced. It should be noted that the decision to find a fourth property was mainly due to requests from neighbors.

Another reason staff was issuing this new information to council is because they are short on time. The modular kennel will be delivered on November 14 and staff need the council to make a decision before then. Mills asked staff to make comparisons to other sites, but objected to doing so at Westwood.

“We have a responsibility to be somewhat visionary and serve on this council to change the vision of the community,” Mills said. “Maybe that could be turned into long-term parking and improvements to the golf course parking lot instead of a kennel at a dog park that may not be used much.”

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

“I don’t want a kennel near some growth opportunities for our golf course after we have a new, guaranteed, voter-approved clubhouse,” Mills said.

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

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