YARMOUTH — The Town Council will vote Dec. 20 on a proposal to ban dogs from Sandy Point Beach during the summer.

People would be prohibited from bringing their dogs to the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Town Manager Nat Tupper said. 

The council scheduled the vote during a Dec. 6 workshop. No public comment was recorded at the meeting, Tupper said, noting that the council’s only comment on the issue was that no residents addressed the council about the ban.

Tupper said health and safety issues were cited as reasons for the ban, including owners not cleaning up after their pets.

The town has no restrictions in place for dogs at the beach, other than requiring owners to keep them under control.

The council also scheduled a hearing to authorize Tupper to move forward with the nearly $3 million Public Works garage approved by voters on Nov. 6. 

Construction on the project would likely begin in the spring and complete in November 2013, although Tupper said he will wait to hear from planners on bidding prospects.

The project will add two bays, one for washing and another for maintenance, to the existing structure. It also includes the purchase of a $375,000 home and it’s property.

The existing garage was built in the mid-1960s and serves as home base for school buses, maintenance equipment and snow plow operations in the winter.

Will Graff can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or wgraff@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @W_C_Graff.