Arlington, Mass.
-
Arlington,
Mass. - A Green Dog pilot
program proposal for Arlington was introduced to the public, and includes
fenced, off-leash hours for dogs in multiple open space areas and local parks
throughout the town.
Brookline set the example for the pilot, as that town attempted to appease
those who want legalized off-leash time with dogs, and those who prefer it to
remain illegal.
“I don’t think anybody is happy with the current situation”
Selectwoman Clarissa Rowe said as she spoke to those at the meeting on
Thursday. “What we are trying to do is come up with something that is as
balanced as can possibly be. This is a very polarizing issue and people get
very angry...this is a time to keep very cool heads, and see if we can and come
up with something that is going work for a majority of people.”
Rowe and the Chairwoman of the Park and Recreation
Commission Leslie Mayer were the main presenters of the pilot program. Mayer
gave a history of dog park efforts by the commission, while Rowe explained to
the crowd the meaning of Green Dog.
One of the core meanings includes, according to a Power
Point presentation by Rowe, allowing “dog owners to enjoy parks while not
causing harm to the parks or interfering with other users,” and “promotes
responsible practices…through peer pressure and self-policing.”
According to the presentation, each fenced dog area will
have:
-Mulch as a ground cover.
-Two entrance/exit doors.
-Trash barrels and dog bags.
-A four-to-six foot chain linked fence surrounding the area.
-Signs and educational materials.
Funding could reportedly come from fundraising, higher dog
license fees and possibly “limited capital project funds.”
The presentation listed off-leash hours as dawn to 9 a.m.
for April through Nov., and dawn to dusk December through March. There is also
a listing for “some limited areas—dawn to 9 a.m. or noon to 1 p.m. (weekdays
only).”
Multiple presentation slides mentioned rules for the Green
Dog pilot program, such as removing aggressive dogs from the area with the
owner being fully liable for damages, keeping dogs leashed before and after
entering the off-leash or fenced dog areas, a four-month dog age limit, and a
limit of three dogs per person in the area.
A timeline was included, with multiple meetings occurring
between October 2007 and January 2008 to present the program, discuss specific
neighborhoods that could potentially host an off leash area, and deliberate on
whether changes need to be made to the pilot.
“The pilot program is town-wide,” Mayer said. “We are not
trying to localize. People are walking with their dogs to local parks and open
spaces. We are not trying to export one neighborhood’s problem into another
neighborhood. We’d like to find a way to balance the opportunity.”
Between May-June in 2008, there could be a vote at Town
Meeting to begin the pilot program, with results being presented the following
year if the vote passes.
The Brookline program was deemed “successful” according to another Power
Point presentation by Mayer, which made it inspirational to a town going
through similar dog leash dilemmas. The program reportedly used specific
evaluation tools to measure its success, including sample park feces counts, police
reports, surveys, and maintenance reports.
Some of the finds included evidence that “suggested that the
cleanliness of the fields have actually improved,” and “off leash hours have
not increased the incidents of dog-related complaints.”
Still, some residents interrupted the presentation and
stayed well after it ended to voice their concerns about a similar program in
Arlington. One suggested difficulty enforcing the rules of the Green Dog
Program, while another said she is wary due to dogs wandering into yards, or
approaching those who do not want to be approached.
“Again, balance and respect,” Mayer said. “I’d like to
find a way, if it’s possible, to balance uses and have a level of respect for
everyone’s needs and uses…respect of private property…respect of what people
enjoy doing… it is a ‘people problem.’ This is about our community and finding
ways to share. This is not a shared feeling. Small children can be intimidated
by even the smallest dogs. Some people that walk dogs on a leash and choose not
to exercise off-leash don’t appreciate off-leash dogs approaching on-leash
dogs. Again, we are attempting to come up with program of respect and support.”