A dogged divide drew crowds to a Minnetonka, Minnesota, park board meeting as the city debates its new leash rules.
For Kyra Reinhard, Purgatory Park is part of her daily routine.
“I bring my dogs here every single day off-leash, I’ve never had a single issue,” she said. “I just think that these rules — they don’t make sense to me.”
Reinhard is talking about Minnetonka’s new dog leash rules passed in November, which require leashes for animals everywhere in Minnetonka. The only exceptions are certain designated areas, as city leaders try to strike a balance.
“Our goal is to get as many people in the park system as we can, but it’s a challenge when there’s conflicting wants,” xxx said.
City leaders say they also got conflicting feedback about leashing animals during a survey last summer, including complaints about uncontrolled animals at the park.
“We’re really truly divided as a community,” said Matt Kumka, a park and trail project manager for the City of Minnetonka.
That feedback was specifically for the city’s plans to revamp Purgatory Park, one of the city’s favorite outdoor features. But as they look to find a compromise, the city’s facing pushback.
Public comment wasn’t allowed at Wednesday’s park board meeting, but will be taken when faced with the city council.
Dedicated dog owners are calling for more freedom.
“I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to bring them to the park the same way that I typically do,” Reinhart said.
The city council will review the recommendations at their meeting on May 5, where they’ll also hear from the public before making their decision, which goes into effect on May 19.
An advisory working group was created to assist in the development of off-leash location recommendations.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
