DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- City of Delray Beach Commissioners will begin to consider designating a dog beach in the city at one of their next commission meetings.
Members of a group called Friends of Delray Dog Beach presented a dog beach plan to commissioners on Tuesday that they think will please dog owners and silence those who have not wanted a dog beach for years.
Their goal Tuesday was simply to get the item on an agenda. Commissioners decided they will put it on a future agenda, eventually leading to a public hearing and vote.
Group members met with Delray Beach parks officials to create a plan that could stick. It includes designating an area of the public beach to be dog friendly either on the north end of the public beach, or in the area near Atlantic Dunes Park.
Having a designated area, they say, will help those who don't want to be around dogs know which areas to avoid.
The plan also calls for designated hours for the dogs before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
Dog waste stations are also included along with signs warning beach goers they're entering a dog friendly area.
Supporter, Dan Trehune, says there could also be an economic impact to the area from people who would want to come to Delray Beach knowing they could bring their dogs.
The proposed plan also includes possible fees to access the beach, which would also help pay for waste stations and other needs to keep the beach running and maintained.
Right now, Delray Beach residents have to drive to Boca Raton or Jupiter to visit dog friendly beaches.
"I would rather do it right here in Delray Beach," Trehune said.
It's one of the reasons Joyce Brouchard loves living in Jupiter with her dog Molly. "I bring her every night that I don't work… it keeps me active," Brouchard said.
Delray Beach resident Erica Munson says she takes her dog on the beach in Delray at her own risk along with other dog owners. "They should be on the beach. They deserve it as much as we do," Munson said.
In the commission meeting Tuesday, one person spoke against the dog beach. "When you have a dog, buy a regular house where you can put them in the backyard," one resident said.
