Twenty residents representing neighborhoods from East Somerville to Davis Square attended the regular meeting of the Dog Owners Task Force at City Hall, on February 9, 2006. In addition to Carlene Campbell, the City's Liaison to the Task Force, Stan Koty, Commissioner of Public Works attended the meeting, as well as the following elected officials: Ward Four Alderman, Walter Pero; Ward Six Alderman, Rebekah Gewirtz; Ward Seven Alderman, Robert Trane, and Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan.

Enforcement of "No Dogs Allowed" signs in City Parks

The Alderman from Ward Four addressed the Task Force about the enforcement of the "No Dogs Allowed" signs posted in our neighborhood parks. He described two experiences he has had at Nunziato Field, which is located in Ward Three, on Summer Street, between Putnam Street and Vinal Avenue. Alderman Pero reported that one weekday morning he had observed four or five people in the park with dogs; he approached the people and asked them if they considered themselves to be responsible dog owners, and, if they did, why they were violating the posted signs prohibiting dogs in the park. The Alderman returned to Nunziato Field on a weekend morning and had a similar exchange, this time with eight to ten dog owners.

To address the apparant lack of enforcement of the prohibition against dogs in City parks, Alderman Pero put an order on the agenda of the regular meeting of the Board of Alderman, that "the Animal Control Officer report to this Board the number of off-leash citations issued in the last six months."

He asked the Task Force to respond to two questions: 1) what is the City doing about enforcement of the "No Dogs Allowed" signs in parks; and 2) what Somerville dog owners are doing to police themselves.

The City's Liaison to the Task Force advised the assembly that the City's Animal Control Officer has resigned and that in the absence of the ACO, Somerville Police Captain John O'Connor would report to the Board.

The Commissioner of Public Works added that he has received complaints about violations of the "No Dogs Allowed" signs in Wards Five and Six.

A resident raised a related concern. The Animal Control Officer is inaccessible to the citizens: the resident said that, whenever he has tried to reach the Animal Control Office about immediate public health and public safety issues, he has not been able to reach an officer. The voice message he gets from the Animal Control Office instructs callers to contact the Somerville Police Department, but his experience with the Somerville Police Department is that they instruct him to leave a message with the Animal Control Office.

The Alderman from Ward Seven corroborated the resident's experience. He has reported a dangerous dog in his neighborhood to the Animal Control Office, and no action has been taken to protect the public. Alderman Trane also said that, as a dog owner himself, he sympathizes with Someville dog owners who have no legal options for socializing and exercising their dogs. He himself has to drive to open spaces outside the City, but not everyone in Somerville who has a dog has a car.

The Alderman from Ward Six asked the present company to try to come up with solutions to the concerns raised by her colleague from Ward Four by the end of the meeting. Alderman Gewirtz said that she had been shown pictures of large dogs and that she felt intimidated. She also said that she had been shown pictures of dog runs that are not taken care of.

Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan said that he would support the order for a report on the number of citations issued. He also described his experiences in Glen Park in his neighborhood, saying that when he sees people with dogs in the park, it makes him feel good to know that people who care about the park are enjoying the park. Because dog owners use the park, other undesirable elements do not. He observed that dog owners are better than a lot of other park users about cleaning up after themselves and their dogs, and dog owners are very considerate about preventing their dogs from disturbing other park users. He reiterated his goal to establish off-leash recreation areas in walking distance to all residents.

Michele Biscoe, Chairperson of the Somerville Dog Owners Group (som|dog), argued that dog owners are among the most responsible park users in Somerville. City parks are only benefiting from the efforts on the part of dog owners in the community to come up with solutions that serve everyone who enjoys open space in Somerville. Biscoe advised the present company that som|dog members (many of whom were in attendance that night) met with the Mayor on August 3, and that one of the issues that they discussed was precisely enforcement. Biscoe stated that the Mayor was sympathetic to the concerns of dog owners, and, at the same time, som|dog supported the Mayor's call for strict enforcement of dog prohibitions when off-leash recreational areas are available to residents.

Biscoe reminded the assembly that a decade ago residents were allowed to bring their leashed dogs with them into their neighborhood parks. Under a previous Administration, the "No Dogs Allowed" signs went up overnight. There was no citizen input into that decision. There was, to the best of our knowledge, no Aldermanic input into that decision. Overnight, normal and responsible activities were criminalized.

Biscoe observed that there has been little direct cost to dog owners for breaking the rules. While Somerville dog owners have been able to "fly under the radar," however, we are not content to fly under the radar; rather, we are working in our community and with the City to come up with solutions that address the open space needs of all residents.

A resident emphasized that when Somerville residents have legal options for off-leash recreation it will be easier for the City to enforce the dog prohibition in other parks. Another resident added that fenced-in areas for off-leash recreation will enable park users to apply peer pressure on others who allow dogs off-leash in areas that are not designated for off-leash recreation.

Commissioner Koty expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Somerville dog owners to work in the community and with the City toward mutually beneficial solutions. He observed that it is precisely because dog owners are not flying under the radar that they are being pressured about enforcement.

Recognizing that the issue of enforcement is inseparable from the availability of legal options for off-leash recreation, Campbell asked the Commissioner if the designated area for off-leash recreation at Nunziato Field could be open as early as April of this year. Barring a late winter, the Commissioner said that it could.

Potential sites for Fenced-in Areas for Off-Leash Recreation: Ward One and Ward Five

The Commissioner was asked to speak about options for off-leash recreation in other Somerville neighborhoods, specifically Ward Five and Ward One.

In Ward Five, the Community Path will be extended first from Cedar Street to Lowell Street and later from Lowell Street to Central Street.

A resident asked about the timeline for these projects, and it was observed that the extension to Lowell Street is linked to the development of the Maxpak site at 56-61 Clyde Street. The extension of the Path to Lowell Street will be completed "sooner, rather than later."

A resident from Ward Five observed that dog owners already get together on the Community Path at Highland Road, outside of Lexington Park. This site is attractive to dog owners because it is already partially fenced, it is centrally located, the area off the paved path is wide and well-lit, and you can count on there being other people there to socialize with and other dogs there for your dog to play with. Moreover, there are no direct residential abutters to the site.

The Commissioner advised the assembly that a Morrison Avenue resident strongly opposes a fenced-in area in the vicinity of Lexington Park where neighbors may safely and legally allow their dogs off-leash.

Campbell added that the Dog Owners Task Force will discuss specific sites on the Community Path for possible off-leash recreational areas at the next meeting on March 9 and asked everyone to bring their ideas to the next meeting.

Residents asked when the "No Dogs Allowed" signs on the Community Path would be replaced with signs advising Path users that dogs must be on leash and dog waste must be picked-up. The Commissioner said the new signs would be posted by April 1.

In Ward One the Commissioner has already made arrangements with NSTAR to install additional lighting in an existing open space in the Cobble Hill Neighborhood on New Washington Street at Innerbelt Road.

A Cobble Hill resident inquired about the scheduling of community meetings. Another resident observed that a community meeting for the Cobble Hill Dog Park would be helpful in informing neighborhood dog owners about the dog park and promoting "buy-in" in the dog-owning community.

Another Cobble Hill resident inquired about the possibility of off-street parking at the future the dog park where there is existing black top. The Commissioner explained that the site is the only place in the city where his crews can dump snow and that the existing black top is uneven and unsafe for public parking. Furthermore, the expense for the construction of the proposed dog park will be paid out of the DPW budget and there is insufficient funding to resurface the black top.

Fund-raising for Off-leash Recreational Areas with Engraved Bricks

A dog owner from Ward Two has taken the initiative on the Dog Owners Task Force's proposal to raise money for Off-Leash Recreational Areas by selling engraved bricks. The resident prepared a PowerPoint Presentation to present the proposal to the Mayor and the Commissioner, both for approval to sell engraved bricks and to learn how the Task Force can work with the Department of Public Works to have the bricks installed in off-leash recreational areas.

Biscoe observed that the preparations to fund the ongoing maintenance of Somerville's off-leash recreational areas addressed the concerns raised by the Alderman from Ward Six about the reasons dog parks fail.

A resident asked what precautions could be taken to prevent people from buying bricks engraved with offensive messages, and was assured that the standard brick order-form templates include a notice that personal messages are subject to approval.

The Commissioner was very supportive, especially of incorporating engraved bricks into brick walkways. The City uses concrete bricks in parks. So that walkways with engraved bricks will be consistent with other brick walkways in City parks, Koty recommended that the Dog Owners Task Force buy the bricks from the City. There will be a cost benefit to the Dog Owners Task Force as well. Koty also said that the DPW could install bricks three times a year between April and November.