WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- After talking about it for more than a decade, the city of Watertown has finally cleared the way for a new dog park.

The Watertown council voted 3 to 1 Monday night to move forward with the Thompson Dog Park proposal.

Mayor Joe Butler was the lone dissenter, and the decision comes after years of debate.

The mayor believes the city should have no part in the financial process for the park; however, factors like water and maintenance will require city funding.

Other costs for the park would have to come from an outside group.

"There's 355 acres of land up there, and if a group of volunteers can raise the money to donate a dog park to the city of Watertown, good for them. I'm not going to stand in their way,” said Cody Horbacz, a council member.

Officials have yet to determine the exact location in Thompson Park where the dog park could go up. They plan to include the zoo, golf course and city residents in that discussion when the time comes.